Good Economic News - 6-25-13

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in recent weeks.

In Columbus, Indiana, auto parts maker Sunright America, Inc. will expand and add 103 employees.

In Georgia, AT&T will hire more than 1,000 people throughout the state.

Flowserve Corporation, a maker of products for the oil and gas industries, will open a facility in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, creating 124 jobs.

In Georgetown County, South Carolina, aviation tubing systems maker Davis Aircraft Products will open a new facility and hire 100 people.

In Ft. Wayne, Indiana, mechanical contractor Shambaugh & Son, LP will expand and add 110 employees.

AmpliSine Labs, a technology provider, will expand its operation in Lubbock, Texas, creating 115 jobs.

In Winchester, Kentucky, pharmaceutical delivery provider Catalent Pharma Solutions will expand and add 90 employees.

Elm Services, a mortgage services provider, will expand in Overland Park, Kansas, creating 160 jobs.

A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspection will expand and add 1,000 employees companywide.

In Delaware County, Indiana, DD Danner, LLC, a maker of vehicle mobile power stations, will open a new operation and hire 480 people. Congrats to economic developers Terry Murphy and Traci Lutton.

In St. Louis, Missouri, aerospace giant Boeing will open an information technology center and hire 400 people.

Dayco Products LLC, a maker of automotive components, will expand in Barnwell County, South Carolina, creating 15 jobs.

Magnetation, LLC, a recycling firm, will open a new facility in White County, Indiana, creating 100 jobs.

Cirrus Aircraft, a maker of small airplanes, will expand and hire 105 people companywide.

Automotive lighting firm Magneti Marelli will open a plant in Pulaski, Tennessee, creating 90 jobs.

In Barnwell County, South Carolina, National Beverage Screen Printers, Inc. will expand and add 80 employees.

In Dallas, Texas, retailer Kohl’s will open a customer service center and hire 1,500 people.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, Miller Pipeline LLC will open a new headquarters, adding 48 employees.

Focus Printing Solutions, a producer of products and services for the auto industry, will open a new manufacturing facility in Franklin, Kentucky, creating 10 jobs.

In Meridian, Mississippi, ceiling tile maker CertainTeed will restart production and hire 110 people.

In Iredell County, North Carolina, aviation systems company IOMAX USA will expand and add 35 employees. Congrats to economic developer Robby Carney on a job well done.

In Bristol, Tennessee, U.S. Solutions Group, Inc., a provider of call center services, will expand and create 128 jobs.

The PROS Company, a machine shop, will expand in Lubbock, Texas, creating 29 jobs.

Independent power producer AES Corporation will establish its U.S. headquarters and create 100 jobs.

In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, General Dynamics Information Technology will open a customer support center and hire 1,000 employees.

Automated Motion, Inc., an engineering and manufacturing company, will expand in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, creating 14 jobs. 

In Salt Lake City, Utah, software developer MasterControl will expand and hire 197 people.

SERVECO Chemical will open an operation in Lubbock, Texas, hiring 23 people.

In Danville, Indiana, Bio-Response Solutions, Inc., a waste treatment manufacturer, will expand and add 25 jobs. Congrats to the Town of Danville, Indiana, a Brand Acceleration client, and to economic developer Cinda Kelley-Hutchings.

Meiwa Industries, a maker of auto parts, will establish a new facility in Lewisburg, Tennessee and hire 98 employees.

Fancy Pokket Corporation, a maker of bakery products, will establish a new facility in Lancaster County, South Carolina, creating 68 jobs.

In Grove, Oklahoma, engineering firm Ferra Engineering will expand and create 20 jobs.

In Steuben County, Indiana, container maker LaGrange Products, Inc. will expand and hire 15 people.

USAA, a provider of insurance, banking, and investment services, will expand and add 3,500 employees companywide.

In Louisville, Kentucky, consumer electronics company Gazelle, Inc. will establish a processing center and hire 438 people.

In Springville, Indiana, injection molding manufacturer PRD, Inc. will expand and add 20 employees.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, a shipbuilding firm, will expand and hire several thousand employees companywide.

In Wayne County, Indiana, Maxwell Milling of Indiana will expand and add 5 employees. Congrats to economic developer Valerie Shaffer.

In Anderson County, South Carolina, metal components maker SEKIDO Technology Corporation will expand and create 6 jobs.

In Franklin, Indiana, auto parts maker NSK will expand and create 46 jobs.

In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Newtech Dental Laboratory, a maker of dental prosthetics, will expand and hire 33 employees.

In Lebanon, Missouri, electrical component maker Marine Electrical Products will expand and create 15 jobs.

Vision Systems, an aeronautics supplier, will open a new facility in Melbourne, Florida, creating 40 jobs.

Emergency home repair service provider HomeServe USA will expand in Chattanooga, Tennessee, creating 100 jobs.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, file-sharing firm SmartFile will expand and add 30 employees.

Total Jobs Announcements: 11,725 +++

 

 

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

FaceBook

Google+

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service branding, marketing communications,  and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

 

 

 

 

 

8 Simple Rules to Selecting a Marketing Firm

8 Simple Rules to Selecting a
Marketing Firm

Don’t be fooled by shiny objects

While attending the recent spring conference for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), my friend, and a member of the Brand Acceleration Board of Advisors, Cecilia Harry suggested I develop a checklist that clients could use to best select a marketing communications firm. I love checklists and thought hers was a great idea.

As you might expect, we receive numerous RFPs for our services. Sadly, many are so poorly written that we often can’t figure out just what the prospect wants. We try to be understanding of the fact that RFPs are often written by procurement agents or other non-marketing individuals. So, at Cecilia’s urging, here are a few key considerations that might help:

1. Find a Marketer

A true branding, marketing communications, and public relations partner will think holistically about your needs. Rather than just focusing on tactics such as web sites, brochures, or logos, they will conduct a review of your needs, your audiences, and expectations.

Question to ask: How would you go about developing in integrated marketing plan for my company or community? If he or she hesitates, indicating confusion or a lack of understanding, say good-bye.

2. Seek out a Brand Expert

A true brand expert understands that a brand is not your logo, color, or slogan. These are merely brand stimuli. Your brand is your reputation or promise. For example, when you walk into a McDonald’s or Starbuck’s, you know exactly what to expect. The promise is just that. As long as the company meets or exceeds that promise, the brand is safe.

If, on the other hand, a company has a horrible brand, often as a result of poor quality or service, a new logo will not save it. It will just be a lousy company with a new logo.

Question to ask: What is a brand and what will you do to help us enhance ours? A brand expert will talk about what I’ve just mentioned. The minute he or she starts talking about your logo, or the need for a new one, it’s time to cut and run.

3. Hire a Specialist

If you want an effective marketing effort, you’ll need a partner who already understands your industry and will not require an education in order to be able to help you. Simply using a firm because it has worked with others clients in your industry is no way to select a marcom (marketing communications) firm.

Question to ask: What do (insert audience such as site selectors, buildings administrators, etc.) want to see in our web site, brochures, videos, etc.? If they are unable to quickly and clearly answer that question, move on to the next candidate company.

4. Hire a Web Marketing Expert

When a prospect visits your web site, he or she has very high expectations. For economic developers, the site selection consultant and real estate broker have very specific pages and information they want to see. A trailing spouse has a different list. For AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) professionals, buildings administrators at higher education or K-12 schools, for example, are looking for something equally specific.

Question to ask: What are the three most important pages my prospects want to see on my web site? Which pages will they visit first, then second, then third? A web marketing expert who specializes in your industry will know the answers. A “web designer” won’t have a clue.

5. Copywriting is Critical

Who’s going to write the copy for your new web site, brochure, ad, or video? Often, the vendor expects you to do this yourself. If that’s the case, run away….fast! Even though you or someone on your staff may be a “pretty good” writer, copywriting is too important to accept “pretty good.” Professional copywriters are wordsmiths who know how to romance readers, painting a verbal picture and moving them to make contact. For web sites, for example, a great writer is a master at writing for search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo, which could mean the difference between a top five and a top thirty-five search ranking.

Question to ask a web writer: How have Google’s Panda and Penguin updates changed the way you write for a web site? Uhhh…Panda….Penguin???? So long.

6. Find a Real Design Professional

Just because someone knows the basics of using design software such as InDesign, Illustrator, or PhotoShop, does not make that person a designer. Referring to yourself as a “web designer” does not make you a designer. Trained and highly skilled designers understand the art and science of using beautiful design to enhance a brand and lead the viewer to action. “Pretty” is not good enough.

Ask this question: Where did you get your design degree? A great answer would be a highly-respected design school such as School of Art Institute of Chicago, Herron School of Art, Southern Crescent Technical College, or the University of North Carolina. Answers such as “I’m self-taught,” or “I have no formal training” should send you running.

7. Great Web Programmers are Difficult to Find

What makes a great web programmer? First, you must understand that programming is a rapidly-changing industry. When you consider the relatively recent advent of web apps, social media shifts, mobile devices, QR codes, and augmented reality, the pressure is constantly on programmers to stay on top of the latest and greatest new thing.

Just within the last couple of years, we’ve seen a huge shift to Responsive Mobile web sites. This means that all web pages are built in multiple sizes and formats, assuring that they are appropriately sized and structured for a visitor’s computer, tablet, and smartphone. Check out this site on various devices.

Ask this question: How have you utilized Responsive Mobile formatting? Show me examples.

8. What’s your Hourly Rate?

This is a question we hear often. The challenge is that we don’t have an hourly rate. Here’s why. Let’s say Joe has an hourly rate of $60 and Mary charges $100. Which is the better deal? Let’s assume that Joe needs thirty hours to complete a project while Mary does the same work in twelve. Now, which is the better deal? Someone’s hourly rate may not tell the whole story. It doesn’t tell the quality of work you should expect (or, maybe it does), the amount of time the work will require, or what the final bill will be. At Brand Acceleration, we offer our clients a “not to exceed” proposal. As long as the scope of work remains the same, they know what to expect on the invoice. We think this is important to know. Regarding price, it’s not our goal to be the cheapest. We simply want to be the best.

Question to ask: What will this project cost? If the response is a random calculation of estimated hours, it may be time to move on.

Finding and hiring an industry-specific branding, marketing communications and public relations firm is serious business. It should not to be taken lightly or done on the cheap. Once you’ve found the right person or team, you should expect a partner who will offer intelligent and well-founded counsel that will grow your brand and generate results. When you consider that landing a project can mean millions of dollars to your company or community, it’s too important to trust to a novice or low-price leader.

By the way, please feel free to call me for the answers to each of the questions. I’ll gladly share.

I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts and personal experiences below.

Have a great week,

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis: 317.536.6255

Charlotte: 704:230:0394

Atlanta: 404.474.7980

Fax: 317.222.1425

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

YouTube

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service branding, marketing communications, and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering, and construction.

 

Why the Low-Price Model Isn’t for Everyone

Why the Low-Price Model Isn’t for Everyone

The tradeoffs may be deadly

One thing an economic recession does is challenge a business owner’s belief about pricing and competitiveness. Fear often causes people to make questionable decisions. I’ve seen companies with a long-time history of quality work and profitability reduced to ashes because management changed pricing models in an attempt to survive. With thoughts of protecting jobs, they accept unprofitable work that may throw the company into an unrecoverable tailspin. The result? Everyone in the company, even the owners and managers, ends up on the unemployment line.

The problem with the low-price model is that unless a company does huge volumes, such as Wal-Mart, it may struggle to generate adequate cash flow to stay afloat. Small businesses attempting to follow this model often die of financial starvation.

The quality model works for us

Admittedly, I have a bias toward the quality model. For most of my career, I’ve worked for companies focused on providing a superior product or service at a fair price. My experience is that an exceptional product attains a greater level of customer satisfaction, thus making price less of a factor. I’d rather work in the quality category any day.

At Brand Acceleration, a full-service marketing communications and public relations firm, we’ve built our reputation around our marketing expertise in economic development, architecture, engineering, and construction. From day one, we have chosen not to attempt to be the low-cost leader. Instead, we provide superior solutions by effectively helping our clients tell their stories. We believe they don’t want cheap work. They want results!

Sure, we occasionally bump up against companies or individuals insisting they can produce a brochure, logo, or web site cheaper than any other firm, including Brand Acceleration. The results however, are often disastrous. The design work may (repeat may!) be pretty, but the required strategy, copywriting, programming, and final production are often amateur, resulting in a watered down or failed effort. The moral to the story? You get what you pay for.

Help me, please!

A few years ago, I received a phone call from an economic developer who was in a panic. She had apparently contracted a “web designer” who had promised a beautiful new web site at a great price. She was thrilled to have found such a deal. When she called me, she had just taken delivery of her newly-designed web site. To her horror, it was completely devoid of copy, photos, and other crucial content. In her ignorance, she had signed a contract for web “design,” thinking it was an all-inclusive package. What she received was a designed template, and not a good one at that.

When she called me, she was in a panic, hoping we could fix her problem. The challenge though, was that she had spent her entire budget on what was essentially a quarter of the work needed for a fully-functional web site. She was certain she would lose her job, and probably did.

Half-price haircuts!

A lifelong friend of mine is a professional hair stylist. She and her co-workers have built a reputation for excellent work. They follow the quality model. Recently, she mentioned that one of those low-priced hair cutting chains was advertising a special deal, “Half-Price Haircuts!” She joked about the poor quality of such a cut, a bit sympathetic for unsuspecting customers. I suggested she run an add stating, “We fix half-price haircuts!”

For the Brand Acceleration team, it’s exciting to always be exploring ways to be better at what we do, always seeking to be a better resource for our clients. We strive to achieve a deep understanding of their audiences, becoming even more effective at telling their stories. To that end, we recently announced two Boards of Advisors, one for the economic development side of our business and one for the AEC side. Their purpose is not for these experts to be on call on behalf of our clients. Instead, it is to help us to grow our knowledge of our selected industries, thus better serving our clients. Do those following the low-ball, discount pricing model bring such depth to the relationship?

No way!

I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts and personal experiences below.

Have a great week,

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis: 317.536.6255

Charlotte: 704:230:0394

Atlanta: 404.474.7980

Fax: 317.222.1425

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

YouTube

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.

 

Good Economic News 6-2-13

Good Economic News

Here are just a few of the recent jobs announcements that have crossed my desk in recent weeks.

Amazon Web Services, a cloud computing service company, will expand its Fairfax County, Virginia operation, creating 500 jobs.

In Boone County, Indiana, FedEx Ground will establish a distribution center and hire 200 people. Congrats to economic developer Bryan Brackemyre on a great job.

In Dinwiddie County, Virginia, lluka Resources, a mining company, will add 86 employees.

In Marion, Illinois, auto parts supplier Aisin Electronics Illinois LLC will expand and add 80 employees.

Amcor Tobacco Packaging Americas, Inc. will expand its operation in Reidville, North Carolina, creating 30 jobs.

In Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Peters’ Heat Treating, Inc. will expand and add 24 employees.

In Orion, Michigan, Kay Screen Printing, a maker of graphics for the auto industry, will open a new facility and hire 50 people.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, POLARIS Laboratories, LLC, a fluid analysis company, will expand and create 25 jobs.

Smooth-Bor Plastics, a maker of plastic tubing and hoses, will establish a new operation in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, creating 22 jobs.

In Kingsport, Tennessee, Eastman Chemical Company will expand and hire 300 people.

In Sauget, Illinois, FedEx Ground will open a new distribution center and hire 175 people.

In Indianapolis and Columbus, Indiana, communications company Axia Technology Partners will expand and add 45 jobs.

Thorley Industries, a maker of robotics technology products, will expand in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, creating 75 jobs.

HARTMANN USA, Inc., a provider of medical products, will expand in York County, South Carolina, creating 75 jobs.

Auto parts supplier NHK Seating will expand in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, creating 94 jobs.

Angus-Palm, a metal fabricator, will expand its operation in Florence County, South Carolina, creating 55 jobs.

In Henderson, Kentucky, Gibbs Die Casting will expand and hire 160 people.

Sont/ATV Music Publishing will expand and relocate to Nashville, Tennessee, creating 60 jobs.

In Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Carlisle Construction Materials will expand and add 55 employees.

GKN Sinter Metals, a producer of metal products, will expand in Gallipolis, Ohio, creating 50 jobs.

In Johnson County, Indiana, tube and sheet metal maker L&E Engineering will expand and hire 52 people. Congrats to economic developer Cheryl Morphew for a job well done.

In Richmond, Virginia, dairy operator HP Hood will expand and create 75 jobs.

Breakfast food maker Post Foods will expand in Battle Creek, Michigan and create 92 jobs.

TerreSource Global, a maker of materials handling equipment, will expand its operation in Belleville, Illinois, creating 10 jobs.

In Lansing, Michigan, General Motors will build a logistics optimization center, creating 200 jobs.

Financial technology company TransCard LLC, will expand in Chattanooga, Tennessee, creating 69 jobs.

In Detroit, Michigan, auto industry service supplier ADP Dealer Services, Inc. will expand and add 150 employees.

In Louisville, Kentucky, transportation and logistics provider A&R Logistics will establish its headquarters and create 50 jobs.

Home builder PulteGroup will relocate its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia, creating 310 jobs.

Automotive systems maker ASMO North America will expand its operation in Pitt County, North Carolina, creating 200 jobs.

In Wichita, Kansas, Starwood Hotels & Resourts Worldwide, Inc. will expand and add 750 employees.

Motorola Mobility, A Google company, will establish a new operation in north Texas, creating 2,000 jobs.

In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, General Dynamics will establish a customer support center and hire 1,000 people.

In Charleston County, South Carolina, Advanta Southeast, a maker of packaging products, will open a new facility and hire 30 people.

In McIntosh, Alabama, epoxy resin maker Huntsman Corporation will expand and create 25 jobs.

In Byron Township, Michigan, Grand Rapids Chair Company, a provider of chairs to the restaurant industry, will expand and create 50 jobs.

High Liner Foods, a provider of frozen seafood, will expand and hire 57 people.

PQ Corporation, a chemical maker, will expand in Kansas City, Kansas, adding 50 employees.

In Marysville, Michigan, auto industry supplier SMR Automotive Systems will expand and create 350 jobs.

Ethos Laboratories will locate a pain management laboratory in Newport, Kentucky and hire 45 people.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, healthcare information provider Allscripts will expand and create 350 jobs.

In Morristown, Tennessee, consumer packaging company Sonoco Flexible Packaging will expand and create 26 jobs.

General Machine of Anderson, a metalworking firm, will expand its operation in Anderson County, South Carolina, creating 20 jobs.

In Walton County, Georgia, Hitachi Automotive Systems will expand and create 250 jobs.

In Morristown, Tennessee, Team Technologies, Inc. will expand and create 200 jobs.

J.R. Automation Technologies, LLC, a maker of automated machinery, will expand in Holland and Olive, Michigan, creating 90 jobs.

In Charleston County, South Carolina, SKF Group, a maker of bearings, will expand and create 25 jobs.

Total Jobs Announcements: 8,687.

Jim Walton

CEO

Brand Acceleration, Inc.

Branding // Marketing Communications // Public Relations

Indianapolis, Indiana: 317.536.6255

Fax: 317.222.1425

Charlotte, North Carolina: 704.230.0394

Atlanta, Georgia: 404.474.7980

Cell: 317.523.7380

jim@brandaccel.com

Brand Acceleration Web Site

LinkedIn

Twitter

FaceBook

Google+

BrandCoach Blog

Brand Acceleration is a full-service marketing communications, brand management and public relations firm with a focus on economic development, architecture, engineering and construction.