eMarketing Blog

McInnes Rolled Rings is an excellent example of a manufacturer using an integrated media marketing approach.  Their primary goal is to get the product in the hands of the customer as quickly as possible.  The combination of an optimized website and other e-marketing techniques has enabled their reach into global markets.  Improved timely delivery of their product and has pushed this company way above its competitors.

Profile

McInnes Rolled Rings located in Erie, PA, supplies seamless rolled rings in carbon, alloy and stainless steel ranging from 4” to 72” to industrial Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) customers in North America, Europe and the Middle East.  Markets served are power generation (steam, gas and wind turbines), mining, gas and oil, off road transmissions, marine, aerospace and general fabrications.  McInnes has been in business since 1992.  Their web address is www.mcinnessrolledrings.com.

 

Role of Digital Marketing

Ten years ago before e-marketing, McInnes relied mostly on sales brochures accompanied by sell sheets they gave to outside sales representatives to spread the word about their business.  It was a one dimensional marketing approach that depended solely on representatives to generate leads and inquiries.  Today, McInnes attracts 90% of new customers via the Internet.  They use targeted mailings, search engine marketing (SEM) and primarily focusing on search engine optimization (SEO), in addition to the sales representatives to drive potential customers to their website.  Their goal is to generate opportunities to quote new items.  They believe in trying new approaches to see what works.

The Web and Speed

McInnes’ message often comes back to the same key point - speed.  How fast can the product be in the hand of the customer?  While McInnes uses an external hosting company to maintain their website, all content is produced and updated by an in-house marketing team.  Graphical changes are designed in house, but made by the hosting company.  The marketing team is responsible for all company marketing materials, including website graphics, mailings and any marketing materials, which they have found to be a quicker, more efficient and cost effective method than outsourcing the work to an external company.  McInnes’ website is updated daily with current delivery times being offered.  It features a graphical flash calculator, telling what current delivery times are.  This is just one more way McInnes emphasizes their company value of a timely delivery.

The website is considered to be dynamic to show the flexibility and responsiveness McInnes has in their industry.  News articles are added monthly to demonstrate what is going on at their company and in the industry as a whole.  They see their website as a reflection of their sales team. 
The online inquiry transition to a sale comes back to speed.  The goal at McInnes is to respond to each and every inquiry the same day, within 4-8 hours.  They believe every customer wants a fast and accurate answer and strive to meet those demands. The McInnes website helps support that their position on speed and the customer.
SEO is a major component of McInnes’ marketing strategy.  They feel that this is one area that needs constant monitoring and adjustments.  They use Google Analytics is used to track their website in search resultls, keyword usage, visitors and the pages they visted to help them make changes, and feel that it is only valuable if managed correctly.  SEM efforts are tracked weekly, if not daily.
McInnes has a short video on their website, but does not utilize any other multimedia technologies at this time.   While e-marketing plays a vital role in the success of the overall marketing campaign, past marketing techniques can’t be ignored.  Many inquiries still come via phone and fax, so it is important not to completely shut out old technologies.  Sales and a strong customer base prove that all marketing efforts are paying off.  Without a combination of marketing techniques, McInnes feels they would not be nearly as successful as they are.

Challenges and Lessons

• SEM and web analytics need to be monitored constantly and adjusted accordingly.  
• While it is important to incorporate new technologies and e-marketing trends into their marketing, it is important not to forget basic marketing tools. 
• E-marketing is about trial in error – new ideas have to be implemented to see what works and what doesn’t.
• There is less risk when trying new things online.  Adjustments can easily be made with very little cost.