Ed Marsh with Ed Marsh Consulting

Scott MacKenzie and Ed Marsh discuss the importance of edutainment and "cool content" in manufacturing sales and marketing. Ed emphasizes that traditional marketing methods are no longer effective, and companies need to create trust through engaging, passive content like videos and podcasts. He suggests focusing on topics that address known and unknown issues for businesses, such as employee retention and innovative benefits like on-site childcare. Ed highlights the need for top-down leadership to adopt these strategies and stresses the long-term nature of building trust. He also mentions the inefficiency of trade show leads and the importance of video content in capturing attention.

Action Items

• [ ] Reach out to Ed Marsh to learn more about his "cool content" and "edutainment" approach.
• [ ] Explore creating video and audio content that focuses on topics important to your customers' businesses, rather than just your own products and services.
• [ ] Consider how the board of directors can be involved in overseeing the company's marketing and sales strategies.

Outline

Introduction and Welcome to Fabtech

• Scott MacKenzie introduces the podcast and welcomes Ed Marsh, highlighting his contributions to the industry.
• Scott mentions the location of the podcast at Fabtech in Orlando, Florida, and the involvement of PMA.
• Ed Marsh joins the conversation, mentioning he arrived in the morning and was informed about the need for a hard hat and work boots.
• Scott and Ed engage in a light-hearted exchange about Ed's famous bronze handout and their previous meeting at the Orlando Convention Center.

Ed Marsh's Background and Consulting Business

• Ed shares his background, including his time in the army and transition to the packaging machinery business.
• He explains his consulting business, which helps industrial manufacturers, particularly capital equipment companies, improve their sales processes.
• Ed emphasizes the contrast between well-documented back-end processes and ad hoc marketing and sales efforts.
• He discusses the importance of applying rigorous process engineering and continuous improvement mindsets to the front-end of the business.

The Concept of Edutainment and Cool Content

• Ed introduces the concept of edutainment, which combines education and entertainment to create engaging content that can be consumed passively.
• He explains the shift in consumer behavior, where people no longer read articles but consume video and audio content while doing other activities.
• Ed highlights the challenge of getting the first meeting with potential clients and the role of edutainment in building trust.
• He introduces the idea of "cool content," which focuses on known unknowns and unknown unknowns, addressing topics that are important to the audience but may not be immediately obvious.

Challenges and Strategies for Implementing Cool Content

• Scott and Ed discuss the challenges of getting companies to focus on cool content and the importance of top-down leadership.
• Ed explains that only a small percentage of companies will adopt new strategies, and the key is to identify leaders within those companies.
• They discuss the evolving role of boards of directors and the need for them to understand contemporary sales and marketing practices.
• Ed emphasizes that the board should push for building trust at the pre-awareness stage of the buying journey.

Practical Examples and Implementation Steps

• Ed provides practical examples, such as discussing on-site childcare facilities for manufacturing companies, to illustrate cool content topics.
• He explains how such topics can help companies recruit and retain employees and create opportunities for the service providers.
• Ed outlines the steps for implementing cool content, including identifying potential topics, building a faculty of industry experts, and creating engaging content.
• He emphasizes the importance of video and audio content in building trust and engaging potential clients.

Building Trust and Long-Term Strategies

• Ed discusses the importance of building trust over time through video and audio content, rather than relying on cold calls.
• He explains that the process can take 6 to 18 months, but it is essential for long-term success.
• Scott and Ed agree that video content is particularly effective in capturing attention and building trust.
• Ed suggests using AI-driven tools to clip and share video content on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram.

Conclusion and Contact Information

• Scott and Ed wrap up the conversation, with Scott emphasizing the importance of attending events like Fabtech to network and learn about innovations.
• Scott highlights Ed's expertise and encourages listeners to reach out to him for more information.
• Ed provides his contact information and website, encouraging listeners to explore his content and consulting services.
• The podcast concludes with a reminder to stay bold, brave, and innovative in the industrial space.