Page 34 - MetalForming September 2009

Michael Bleau has served manufacturing and consumer- related industries since 1986. Prior to forming Industry Scope, a strategic b2b and b2c sales and marketing consultancy, in 2002, he held executive positions for several automation and press manufacturers. Michael regularly consults with manufacturing companies on strategic planning, sales and marketing, brand and product development, PR and sales-channel development. Industry Scope
tel. 810/397-1429
mbleau@industry-scope.com www.industry-scope.com
Finally, the economy is on the upswing. Your customers and plen- ty of new prospects are preparing to spend on delayed capital projects, long overdue maintenance tasks and inven- tory replenishment. Chances are your estimators are processing more requests for pricing than they have in months—your remaining competitors are too. Like you, your competitors are scouring a variety of industries looking for diversification.
Be mindful that due to economic pressures your current customers have shuffled the deck and replaced some of their decision makers, making it easier for your competitors to find ways into your strongholds. So, when making that first impression with new prospects or new decision makers, do you stand apart from the crowd? Do your sales and promotional materials accurately com- municate the caliber of your company and offering?
Before I plow headlong into how to quickly tune your identity and collateral to make that good first impression, let me first state that I recognize that ‘look- ing good’ is of less importance than performance, quality, know-how, serv- ice and value. But consider this: Even with the benefit of a word-of-mouth referral, a sloppy or inadequately pre- pared presentation can delay or ruin your chance of winning that first oppor- tunity to demonstrate your more mean- ingful attributes.
Corporate Identity Primer
Taking a positive position in the minds of consumers first requires a deliberately designed, unifying, unmis- takable and consistently adhered to cor-
porate identity (CI). Your CI should be carefully crafted to represent the philosophies, products and persona of your company. Logotypes, branding, trademarks and color schemes are just the tip of the iceberg. CI in its broadest sense comes about when there is shared ownership of an organizational philos- ophy and a culture that manifests itself in distinct visual and written ways to solidify who the company is within the minds of its employees and consumers. Not an easy task, but well worth the effort and one that can be achieved without engaging Madison Avenue.
In a practical sense, CI applies to everything from décor, delivery trucks, uniforms, business cards, websites, print ads and brochures. Even a proposal cover speaks volumes about your com- pany. How you present your company can lend credibility or contradiction to what you say about who you are, what you do and how good you do it. More importantly, good design and presen- tation can get you noticed—the first step toward earning new business.
Time Starved Consumers
As you begin to prepare any docu- ment or media that will represent your interests, whether it be a print ad, screen presentation or brochure, keep in mind that your audience is starved for time. Thus they’re most likely going to skim through your materials. When they do they are in a passive attention mode, not likely to quickly comprehend and retain information delivered through long narratives and cluttered visuals. Rely on solid visuals, such as professional photography, concise graphs, charts and very limited text. The more quickly you
32 METALFORMING / SEPTEMBER 2009
www.metalformingmagazine.com
THE BUSINESS OF METALFORMING MICHAEL BLEAU
First Impressions: Stand Apart from the Crowd