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INTRODUCTION TO THE AIMARKET PHILOSOPHY

A sensible approach to industrial advertising, industrial marketing and public relations.  AIMARKET is a leading industrial marketing consulting firm in North America and an emerging leader worldwide. We specialize in engineered and technical products so we really understand your field.  You will find it easy to work with us because we do our own job and we do it well, without handholding and continuous guidance from the client
 

Richard  H. Henley, a systems engineer, cost estimator, sales engineer, marketing manager and general manager founded AIMARKET as American Industrial Marketing Associates in 1981.  At that time he already had a quarter century of diverse frontline industrial sales and marketing experience: automation, materials handling systems design and metals fabrication.

Over 20 years later, the principles upon which AIMARKET was built--professional integrity, respect for people and a commitment to superior service through hard work, innovation and knowing our client's products--have enabled us to become a significant player in industrial marketing.  These core principles have allowed us to grow and prosper in every economic climate.

Our goal is to add value to the industrial marketing process by working as a true business partner with our clients. It is an approach that has served us well.  From multi-million dollar companies to emerging start-ups,  AIMARKET has formed lasting partnerships with dozens of clients who value this high level of personal interaction.   We always take the time to understand each client company’s products and where they have been--- successfully and less so. Thus, we’re able to better assist our clients over the long-term.

AIMARKET is committed to helping our clients increase their sales. Our first premise is that it is easier and less expensive to sell anything if the buyer initiates the transaction. Our advice is based on almost a half-century successful experience.

AIMARKET GOAL: Our record is based on accomplishing client product recognition and sales growth in the most cost-effective ways possible. You will not receive any phony bullshit from us in order to increase your advertising/marketing budget and our income. The key to product recognition and solid sales growth is not totally related to how much you spend but rather how you focus what you do have to spend. A majority of industrial sales and marketing organizations misspend/waste a great deal of money. Whatever your affordable budget, we will teach you to avoid the wasteful and focus on the absolute, most cost-effective. Our philosophy, strategic planning and client program initiatives were not learned in MARKETING 101 at CROSS STATE UNIVERSITY from some professor who never had a real job in his life. We also seldom follow or copy industry friends and competitors just because; "that is what everyone else is doing ." We learned how to market (#1) and then sell(#2) through over 40 years experience with products and services ranging in unit value from $20.00 to many millions of dollars. We have worked with budgets from dollars to millions of dollars.

The difference between sales and marketing: Industrial, technical and engineered product manufacturing companies are typically founded and run by engineering or craftsman type folks. This species will often first feel the world should line up outside their door to buy the one and only Improved Super Widget II. When this does not happen they are momentarily frustrated - but not for long - quickly they determine the answer - hire more salesmen - stupid! Or better yet - fire the lazy, incompetent ones we currently employ and hire new ones. Sometimes the next step is to engage a combination VP Sales/Police Chief. He will execute new bureaucratic controls and institute more reports for the sales force. He will usually have some other enlightened , creative programs like cutting commissions, cutting territory sizes, etc.

What we have described in the preceding paragraph. with tongue in cheek, are the many organizations or management people that do not know the difference between sales and marketing - leastwise they do not act as if they understand. Industrial and engineering entrepreneurs are typically poor communicators. This is particularly true in comparison to the consumer product fields. All of us in the industrial marketing fields can learn much from our brethren in the more glamorous (and more competitive consumer fields).

The common delusion: Many, many times - companies will think they have sales problems when what they really have are promotional marketing communications problems. It costs much less to find potential buyers through wide scale, promotional marketing programs then it does to locate them through traditional salesman type methods. How much more sensible to: 'Make the buyers come to you,' then to individually seek them out. Once the publicity and advertising programs have brought the interested prospects - one step forward - how much easier to sell them your product or service. They are pre-qualified and only now ready for the rifle shot - the sales close. Your overall cost of sales is lower - the odds of success so much higher.

Marketing is not regarded as important: Many industrial companies do not give a second thought to marketing. Many more regard it as a poor step-child to sales. The truth: marketing is possibly the most important single function in your business life, whether you know it or not. One proof of what little regard marketing is held is the great number of entry level people (especially females) placed in positions with titles such as: advertising coordinator, marketing coordinator, marketing services director. Often they wind up getting promoted to marketing manager or director with absolutely no industrial technical experience, no real world strategic experience. Worst of all, they continually wind up the 'patsies' or victims of commission-based advertising agency account executives or trade show space sales folks. Considering the typical chauvinism of top level industrial management, those jobs would not be occupied by the distaff side if they were universally considered of great importance. This is no fault of the present job holders.

Is it hard to increase sales? Increasing the sales of your present product or the introduction of a brand new product can be fun and relatively easy, assuming you have a useful product, deserving of success. The key is knowing the right moves to make. The most important comment an old pro can make to a novice is: "Sales and marketing is a game of numbers and please do not ever let anyone tell you anything different. Our first premise is that it is easier and less expensive to sell anything if the buyer initiates the transaction. We will nearly always kick off a program with as many low-cost editorial publicity activities as possible before ramping up with higher investment level stuff if necessary. A strong publicity based program will: Generate lots of qualified sales leads and serve as the best market research for future paid space advertising. Regardless of the size or shape your future program takes, AIMARKET will never weaken on our commitment to give you the strongest possible editorial program.

 How to waste money: Advertising and trade shows are the big areas where even the pros waste more bucks than the combined US and Canadian national debts. Particularly, the young marketing graduates. Many of these people could only work for organizations that could very well afford to run without them or their expensive paid space ad programs and trade shows, etc. Many large companies turn away from editorial publicity opportunities. It appears easier to throw money into expensive trade shows (the highest cost per lead. you will ever find) and lavish, misplaced space advertising programs. This is a mistake. You may learn more about the do's and don'ts of industrial marketing by visiting our special web page on that subject.

What does a smart company do: Every smart marketer will take maximum advantage of the editorial communication process -first and foremost. The editorial process may start with product press releases and then continue with case history articles, technical feature articles, white papers, 'how-to-do- it' pamphlets, free literature available press releases, contract award news items, news about expansions and promotions.

Every professional in the company should be encouraged - no - required to write technical articles for publication. It will help his personal growth and further his organization's stature. Just about everyone has an area of expertise worthy of sharing. A company may engage the services of an outside free-lance writer to polish the efforts of those with less literary skills or those who think they are too busy.