In this episode of the Make and Market podcast, host Lawrence Chapman interviews Laura Crawford, founder of Machinery and Manufacturing Magazine.

They discuss how manufacturers can align their PR and marketing strategies to differentiate themselves and engage audiences in a competitive market.

Key Discussion Points:

- Why consistent branding and messaging is crucial for standing out in a crowded market.

- PR and marketing working hand-in-hand to portray a company's identity.

- Sharing stories about people and processes - not just products - to foster engagement.

- Getting started with social media.

- Creating video content.

In this episode of the Make and Market podcast, host Lawrence Chapman is joined by Ian Guiver, Managing Director at Axon Garside, and Joseph Spear, Fractional CMO and specialist in marketing, sales and business development.

They discuss what makes remarkable content, why it can be challenging to create it and share examples of innovative content strategies that drive success.

Key Discussion Points:

- Defining remarkable content and what makes it shareable.

- Appealing to logical vs. emotional people with content.

- Overcoming common challenges in creating remarkable content.

- Having the courage to create content that stands out.

- A case study on igniting competition to drive specialist-created content.

- Using humour and creativity to make industrial content more remarkable.

Connect with Joseph Spear here

Connect with Ian Guiver here

In this episode of the Make and Market' podcast, Marketing Manager Rob White speaks with Jack Williams, Commercial Director at Axon Garside, and Dolores Sanders, Co-Founder and Strategic Director of Total Control Pro.

The discussion focuses on building the perfect tech stack for manufacturers to succeed in today's digital landscape. Alongside that, they debate which stack manufacturers should build first; their consumer-facing function, or their operational function.

Key Discussion Points:

- Key elements of a strong tech stack: security, scalability, connectivity.

- Integrating systems between the operational side and consumer-facing side.

- Prioritising technology investment: operational or consumer experience first?

- Overcoming challenges with digital transformation such as change resistance and implementation mistakes.

- Ensuring successful implementation through assessments, strategy, appropriate technologies, phasing, and continuous improvement.

- The future of technology in manufacturing.

Discover more about Dolores.

In this episode, host Lawrence Chapman interviews Ashleigh Boyce, Marketing Manager at igus UK, about how manufacturers to take more risks and push boundaries with their marketing.

Ashleigh is the Marketing Manager at igus UK, a manufacturer and distributor of technical products made of high-performance plastics.

They discuss the importance of digital marketing, optimising traditional tactics like trade shows and email, and striking the right balance between innovation and tried-and-tested methods.

Key discussion points include:

- Why it's important for manufacturers to step outside their comfort zone with marketing

- Overcoming obstacles to executing more effective marketing strategies

- Innovating within established marketing channels like trade shows and email

- Striking the right balance between innovation and traditional marketing

- Tracking the performance of innovative efforts through data and analytics

- Aligning marketing strategies with audience expectations

- The role of brand and storytelling in B2B marketing

- Getting stakeholder buy-in to build a culture of innovation

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Discover more about Ashleigh

Learn more about igus UK

In all areas of business, the alignment between sales and marketing is essential for sustainable growth and gaining a competitive edge.

From devising cohesive strategies to nurturing leads and closing deals, the collaboration between these teams sets the stage for success.

Plus, it’s the strategic direction and vision provided by executives that'll ultimately steer your teams towards success.

In this episode, host Lawrence Chapman, Content Lead at Axon Garside, welcomes John Joyce, Founder of Brijr.io, who's well-versed in connecting teams.

John is an industrial marketing consultant and speaker with 30 years of experience. During his career, he's led marketing teams, developed technical solutions, and helped manufacturers improve their marketing strategies while maximising their tech stack.

Websites have often been seen as an afterthought for manufacturers, with the shop floor taking a primary focus.

However, as Chris puts here, we think differently:

"Ultimately, it's almost like the website should be the first machine on the on the on the, production line."

In this episode of the Make and Market podcast, host Lawrence Chapman is joined by Chris Dunkerley, Head of UI/UX at Axon Garside, and Rob White, Marketing Manager at Axon Garside, to discuss best practices for manufacturing websites.

They provide insights into common mistakes manufacturers make with their websites and share tips for creating an effective web presence that converts visitors into leads and customers.

Key discussion points include:

- Why manufacturers should shift focus from highlighting product features to emphasizing product benefits

- The importance of clearly demonstrating your value proposition to stand out from competitors

- Common oversights like not having lead capture forms on site or focusing too much on specifics, rather than solving customer problems

- The reasons why some manufacturers hesitate to invest in their websites and view it only as a cost

- Ways to optimise site architecture to better engage your audience

- Key questions to understand if your website is actually generating business results

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In this episode, Lawrence Chapman interviews Sam Baynham, Managing Director of ConeX Portal, about building a collaborative community for UK manufacturers and the challenges manufacturers face in 2024.

Sam Baynham is the Founder and Managing Director of ConeX Portal, a community connecting manufacturers, engineers, designers and creatives in the UK manufacturing industry. ConeX focuses on bringing people together through events and an online platform to foster collaboration.

They discuss the challenges facing the industry, including skills gaps, attracting talent, marketing effectively, and more.

Key discussion points include:

- The aim of ConeX Portal is to better connect the manufacturing sector by building an engaged community focused on collaboration

- Key challenges for manufacturers: energy costs, skills gaps and public perception of the industry

- Ideas for attracting talent

- Benefits of community-led approach

- Balancing traditional and digital marketing based on your target customer

- Simple ways manufacturers can start establishing an online presence

- Emerging trends like sustainability and digitalisation shaping manufacturing

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Discover more about the ConeX Portal

Exhibitions and trade shows have long been a go-to source for manufacturing companies hoping to generate leads, network and close a few sales.

But with the average cost of trade show space falling within the range of £300 - £500 per square metre, how can manufacturers get the most out of their experience and maximise their return on investment?

In this episode, host Lawrence Chapman welcomes Jack Williams and Rob White, Commercial Director and Marketing Manager at HubSpot growth agency Axon Garside.

The trio discuss various key discussion points, including:

• Why manufacturers continue to attend in-person exhibitions in an increasingly virtual world
• Why manufacturers often struggle to get the most from exhibitions
• What effective pre and post-event strategies look like
• How marketers can gather intel and incorporate it into their strategy
• How HubSpot can be used to support and streamline their post-event marketing efforts

In this episode, host Lawrence Chapman, Content Lead at Axon Garside, welcomes Thomas Flude, Co-Founder of Engineers Insight, who shares his insights on how UK manufacturing and engineering companies can be brought into the 21st century.

Thomas is leading digital change in the industry, creating Engineers Insight, a platform which enables engineers/buyers to discover new products, manuals and send inquiries easily.

He discusses the vision behind Engineers Insight to modernise manufacturing marketing, overcoming resistance to change, leveraging analytics in product launches and building trust and relationships in the industry.

Key discussion points include:

- Inspiration for Engineers Insight and gaps/flaws with traditional print marketing

- Developing the platform based on user feedback and pain points

- Overcoming resistance to change in manufacturing

- Using analytics to enhance product launches and marketing

- Building trust through genuine connections and relationships

- The future of a more connected manufacturing industry

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Discover more about Engineers Insight

In this episode of the Make and Market podcast, host Lawrence Chapman has an insightful conversation with Erik Mansur, Head of Product Marketing at Ziflow, about how manufacturing companies can leverage content marketing to build strong customer relationships.

Erik is a proven leader in product marketing, having worked at LocaliQ and Crayon before moving into his role as Head of Product Marketing at Ziflow.

He discusses strategies for using content to establish trust and credibility, create authentic and relatable messaging, nurture leads through the sales funnel, and foster long-term loyalty. Key topics include

- Using content to answer customers' burning questions and establish your company as an authoritative source

- Repurposing evergreen content into different formats and channels

- Developing buyer personas to create relatable and human-centric content

- Maintaining brand messaging consistency while optimizing based on customer feedback

- Leveraging user-generated content and customer testimonials for social proof

- Fostering loyalty and advocacy through transparency and two-way conversations