Michael Ference Fluid Power Marketing

Based on what I heard at the 2015 Industry & Economic Outlook Conference put on by the NFPA a few weeks ago, 2016 should be a better year for fluid power component sales than 2015.  This has been a bit of a challenging year for our industry.  Look for an increase for next year. Now is the time to plan to take advantage of that improvement and we can help you.  We have eight great issues of Fluid Power World magazine planned for next year plus our annual Leadership Issue in January published in conjunction with Design World magazine:  February, March, May, June Fluid Power Handbook, August, September, November, and December. Every issue will cover mobile hydraulics, industrial hydraulics, and pneumatics.  We will report on energy efficiency, research & development, distribution, training, maintenance, and safety.  Every issue will be served in print and digitally, just click to read ... Our digital network will work for your compa...

Every issue of Fluid Power World  comes with a department titled Energy Efficiency  by Ron Marshall of Compressed Air Challenge.  We are very happy to have Ron as a regular contributor to our content. In August, the article is titled The Knowledge Gap and it refers to an application involving a manufacturer of computer hard drives.  You can read it in our digital edition . If you like this content and would like to subscribe to Fluid Power World, access here .  We would love to have you as a reader either of our print edition or digital.  We also put our content on our four fluid power related websites.

Here is a link to the August 2015 edition of Fluid Power World.   It is full of great content, including: Offshore Hydraulics:  Successful offshore sealing Industrial Hydraulics:  Hydraulic press safety is vital in automotive manufacturing Pneumatics:  New environments challenge pneumatic cylinders Additionally, we have many updates and mini features on R&D, Associations, Distributors, Energy Efficiency, Maintenance, and more. You can have the digital edition sent to your e-mail, click here .

The best way to convey important information to a customer or a prospective new customer is with a face-to-face meeting.  While I am OK with the GoTo Meetings and now with Skype meetings, I still feel that the best way to bring the most value to my customers is with a face-to-face meeting. Neither one of these guys is me but it looks like a good meeting. With all of the media options that I have available, the best way that I can explain the value offered by Fluid Power World and WTWH Media is with a face-to-face meeting.  In putting together a media package that will work best for my clients, I like to be able to explain and discuss. I am not in this picture either but it looks like these fellows are having an interesting discussion that involves some digital images. If your company sells fluid power components and you would like to increase brand awareness and generate sales leads in 2016, then let's set up a meeting. mference@wtwhmedia.com

At WTWH Media, we really do surround the engineer with information.  We recently conducted and presented a podcast to our audience about the changing role of fluid power distributors.  We interviewed Bill Tulloch of FloDraulic Group.  It was very insightful. Now some excerpts from that podcast discussion are available in print in our August issue of Fluid Power World and on our website, click here .  Send us your story so that we can share it.

Wow, I am moving forward with technology.  Last year, I learned how to do a GoTo Meeting and held several meetings very successfully. Now I have Skype in my tool box of ways to communicate with customers and prospects.  I would like to set up a Skype meeting with you to discuss ways that we can work together in 2016.  My contact info is michael.ference3 Give me a Skype call.

There is a need in our fluid power industry for in-person training and education.  Ours is an evolving industry with smart controls making fluid power technology ever more productive. To help answer the need, we at Fluid Power World  will be launching our Fluid Power Conference in June of 2016.  The location will be a center for fluid power learning, the Milwaukee School of Engineering.  The dates will be June 21-22, 2016. The event will feature keynote presentations as well as educational seminar sessions for all interested fluid power professionals including engineers and technicians.  It will be a day-and-a-half event held on the campus of MSOE. There will be a fluid power exhibit area so we invite all component manufacturers and distributors to consider exhibiting at the Fluid Power Conference.  I will be sharing more details in the very near future, but please contact me at mrference@wtwhmedia.com for information.

For just about as long as the business world and the sport of golf have existed, the two have mixed well together.  Last week, the National Fluid Power Association   hosted the 2015 Fluid Power Education and Technology Foundation Invitational Golf tournament at the Chevy Chase course in Wheeling, IL. Can you guess which one is me?  I had the privilege of golfing with three industry professionals who were great fun to golf with.  We also helped to raise money for the Foundation.  One of the proud sponsors of the event was Fluid Power World . I hope that this Summer has afforded you the opportunity to experience friendship on the links.

Earlier this week, the National Fluid Power Association NFPA  held its annual Industry and Economic Outlook Conference in Wheeling, IL.  Lots of economic details about the past year and the coming year were presented to the record 322 attendees. While each speaker had a specialty that related to the fluid power industry, there were some recurring themes that are in my takeaway.  The first involves oil and gas production and the lower prices we have seen in the past year or so.  Lower prices have lead to lower activity in the U.S. meaning slower sales of components.  While the consumers benefit from the lower price of energy, the producers struggle with it. It seems like most experts feel that the price per barrel of crude oil will continue to hover around the $50 or so mark.  That has an effect on the exploration and production of shale oil and gas.  While it is not shut off, it is just less profitable.  It also affects the import of l...

Now that I have been going on and on about content generating sales leads, I would like to share some recent examples of content marketing that we at Fluid Power World have shared with our audience.  We have many examples on our Engineering White Papers website and I invite you to visit that too. The first is from Muncie Power Products and it is a very creative use of their existing content.  They produce regular newsletters for their customers and they are full of useful information.  We helped them to distribute the content ever further with our resources.   Here is a link.   You can download and read for yourself. The second is an in-depth white paper article from Kocsis Technologies Inc. and it explains one of their accumulator products.   Here is a link . I am sharing these with you because they are creative examples of content marketing.   Your company can get involved with something like these or your own unique ideas.  L...

Here is a natural extension of my ongoing discussion about content.  Here is the August issue of Fluid Power World click here Our intention is to serve our audience with informative and interesting fluid power information.  Take a look at this issue and, if you agree, sign up for a subscription to our magazine and our e-newsletters, here is a link for the magazine  and one for our e-newsletters.

October seems like a long way off but it is not.  You still have plenty of time to enjoy Summer though! Coming in the October issue of Fluid Power World Magazine will be two very timely and important topics.  Every issue is full of useful and interesting fluid power content. First: Mobile Hydraulics in Construction Applications The largest consuming market for hydraulic components and systems is the construction industry.   The power of hydraulics is needed to move heavy loads.   The reliability of hydraulics is essential on the jobsite.   This article will examine some interesting construction applications. And then: Pneumatics in Medical Applications The healthcare industry continues to be a growing market for technology because of the many innovations designed to improve the quality of life.   Pneumatic technology continues to be a major contributor to existing applications as well as innovation...