Engineering the way to smarter media mentions

If you have technically complex products for highly industrial markets, getting them noticed by the right audiences to drive your sales performance and marketing influence requires the kind of specialized media outreach you won’t find at just any agency. INS’ Managing Director Ben Idström discussed this with our recently appointed Project Success Manager Chris Thompson, revealing how his specialized background helps INS deliver your product news from one expert to another…

Ben Idström: You have a unique, diverse background, what inspired your journey?
Chris Thompson: Correct, my academic background combines mechanical engineering, marketing psychology and media relations. I’m from a family of engineers and scientists, my father’s work involved engineering of pipe systems for major marine and submarine projects. This influence of being brought up around inquisitive minds, coupled with my passion for communication has inspired the journey to where I am today. At INS I can combine all these to add to our unique value offering as an industrially specialized agency for industrial product news.

BI: What could engineering possibly have to do with media relations and marketing?
CT: For industrial companies, the combination is essential. Good marketing is all about identifying and connecting with the right media to influence the right audiences, using the right message. Only with the mindset and experience of an engineer can one identify the optimal audience for these industrial products, reaching the real end users and ideal customers. That understanding gives media coverage that makes the right impact.

BI: You’re also an experienced copywriter, where does this communications expertise fit in?
CT: Many companies are now creating their own content in-house from their own marketing and communications departments. We see a lot of content that lacks the technical depth to get noticed by the trade media. I apply my expertise in tuning up our clients’ content to maximise the engagement with the industrial audience by speaking a common language. Technical, working understanding of the products from an engineer’s perspective is vital for this; my inputs ensure our clients’ news cuts through the regular ‘PR-speak’ and ‘communications jargon’.

BI: Is the technical mindset missing from today’s marketing & communications landscape?
CT: Very much so. Even in large industrial companies. Their media coverage is being sold short and underperforming. Often the people heading up their communications and media outreach simply don’t understand the products they are promoting in sufficient depth. As such, they aren’t able to target their reach to the most vital audiences – the people who use these products in their daily working lives and truly understand the value!

BI: So, to understand the audiences, you have to understand the products?
CT: Absolutely. INS’ clients are multi-industrial international companies. It’s our technical mindset that puts us on the same page as the people our clients need to reach to build their business. This approach sets us apart from other agencies. I would say it is a major part of the reason our campaigns consistently secure at least double the amount of publicity compared to those handled by traditional agencies.

Interested in earned exposure that builds your business?

See how much more impactful visibility your product news can achieve with the support of a truly globally reaching trade media specialized agency that speaks the language of your industry. Contact us for a complimentary trade media campaign consultation.