Michael Ference Fluid Power Marketing

If your company is a member of the National Fluid Power Association NFPA , then you will receive quarterly reports done by the Institute for Trends Research, ITR, for NFPA members.  This is very useful information because, as the name indicates, trends in the economy are reported on a regular basis. As Fluid Power World  is a member of NFPA, I receive these reports and find them very useful.  In addition to the information learned at the annual Industry & Economic Outlook Conference held in Wheeling, IL every August, I get updates throughout the year.  There are also quarterly webcast updates of economic information done by ITR for NFPA members. The latest report for the third quarter of 2017 shows very solid economic conditions for the fluid power industry with accelerating growth for hydraulic and pneumatic components at a 12.3% rate for this year.  While there will be a slowdown coming in growth, the forecast is for another positive plus growth year f...

The Fluid Power Technology Conference will be held on May 15-16, 2018 at the Kern Center at the Milwaukee School of Engineering in Milwaukee.  Since our 2017 conference this past May, we have been holding regular meetings with our committee of advisors.  Our intention is to take what we have established with this event and continue to make it better. Some of the ideas that we have discussed for next year include having more panel discussions, including users and customers on some of the manufacturers' seminar presentations, and having a panel titled Women in Fluid Power.  All of these ideas are starting to take shape. Additionally, we will be hosting a Fluid Power Basics day of training on Monday, May 15, 2018 conducted by the faculty at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.  There will be tours of the Fluid Power Institute Lab and the Rapid Prototyping Center.  We are searching for a manufacturer partner to hose an off-site tour as well. So our efforts...

As we approach the end of the year, one of the very important phases of a marketing plan for most fluid power companies takes place now.  Marketing professionals are planning their 2018 marketing ad advertising strategies. I would like to offer some advice to them and that is that integrated advertising programs are best.  Print, web, e-mail, and custom media program work best when they are all used together.  Our promise at WTWH Media is that we surround the engineers seeking up-to-date information with the very content they are seeking. Surrounding them with many forms of content is the best way to reach fluid power buyers and specifiers.  Our programs do just that. If you would like help with your 2018 advertising strategy, please let me know.  I can help. At Fluid Power World, we offer an excellent magazine, six websites, six e-newsletters, custom sponsored content, and a ever-widening social media network.  Let us put this network to work for ...

Well, I happen to remember that day in July 1969 when two American astronauts landed their Apollo lunar landing module on the moon.  The first guy was Neil Armstrong.  I remember him saying "One small step for man ... and one giant leap for mankind" like it was yesterday.  This was perhaps the greatest engineering feat up until that time. The second person to set foot on the moon was astronaut Buzz Aldrin.  So, when I was browsing through the audiobooks available from the Cuyahoga County Public Library on my cell phone, I spotted the name Buzz Aldrin and realized that this book might just be worth listening to, and it was. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book by Buzz Aldrin titled No Dream is Too High:  Lessons from a Man Who Walked on the Moon.   The author relates his life's experiences including his moon walk, to offer useful advice on all aspects of life.  Buzz is still working to share his knowledge and experience with his audience...

We currently have an on-demand webinar on our Fluid Power World website about hydraulic cylinders and I invite you to take a look. Here is a link  for you to register for this free webinar.  At Fluid Power World, we produce and promote educational webinars on a regular basis.  Take a look.

I may have mentioned this before but WTWH Media is very strong in the area of video production.  We can tell a company's story very well with video that is posted on our website, on YouTube, and in our e-newsletters. From videos done at trade shows to videos done in our studio to videos done on location our video team offers professional technical video production combined with expert fluid power editing to help our clients to tell their story through video.  We surround our audience with content including print, web, e-newletters, webinars, and videos and let them select the format they choose to learn from.  I invite you to visit our video library at this link  to view what we have to offer. If your company is interested in contributing to our video library through new video done by our team, please contact me.

Well, another successful ICUEE Show has been concluded.  For a long time, I have been telling fluid power industry professionals about this trade show in Louisville that has lots of fluid power components and related products on display.  This year was no exception.  It is right up there with the OTC Show as one of the best displays of fluid power technology next to the IFPE Show. In case you are not familiar with this great event it is the International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition.  It is an indoor/outdoor event similar to ConExpo but the focus of the ICUEE is, of course, machinery and equipment used by utilities of all types including power companies and municipalities.   Here is a link to their website. Unfortunately, if you missed the show this week, you will have to wait another two years for the next show in 2019 in Louisville, KY.  In addition to the many fluid power components and controls on display at the show, there...

I professionally refer to myself as the Publisher of Fluid Power World Magazine and digital media network.  Well, what exactly is a digital media network? Let me explain how it is evolving.  At WTWH Media, our philosophy is to reach our audience of engineering and other technical professionals with useful and interesting fluid power content in the format that they prefer to receive it.  It starts with our print publication, Fluid Power World, with seven issues published and mailed to our audience. That print edition gets mailed out to about 13,000 qualified readers but it is also sent out digitally to another 80,000 or so digital recipients and that is the start of our "digital media network."  Every reader on that list can access every issue of the print magazine and make inquiries directly to our advertisers. With regard to content, let's take a step back an look at our five websites:   Fluid Power World, Pneumatic Tips , Mobile Hydraulic Tips , ...