Content Marketing, Engineered Podcast | TREW Marketing

When your sales territory spans thousands of square miles, and your customers are highly technical decision-makers, you need more than a few cold calls and sales brochures to break through. For Wes Murray, Regional Sales Manager at Hayward Flow Control, that “more” has been LinkedIn and video content.

Like many of us, Wes saw a shift in how engineers and specifiers engaged during the pandemic. With travel and in-person meetings on pause, he ramped up his use of LinkedIn—not just to create awareness but to educate.

And it worked. When presenting at lunch-and-learns or industry events, Wes started hearing things like:

“I loved that post you shared last week.”

“That video with your kids—so relatable!”

Often this feedback came from people who never interacted with his posts. That’s when it clicked: visibility and familiarity were paying off in real conversations.

Video isn’t always easy. Wes shared the many real-life challenges of filming at home—chaotic dogs, noisy kids, desert wind. But the results are worth it. Video gives people a feel for who you are, how you communicate, and what you stand for—all key ingredients for building trust with skeptical technical audiences.

Wes is quick to admit he’s not a professional marketer. And yet, his content works because it’s authentic. He blends technical insights with glimpses into his personal life—fishing trips with his kids, behind-the-scenes looks at product installs, even the occasional chainsaw cameo.

The result?

Content that makes people feel like they know him before he ever steps foot on-site.

Wes had some advice for both sales and marketing professionals.

For Marketers:

• Create tools your sales team can actually use. From videos to application images to PowerPoint decks, think about how content can help a salesperson open a conversation or strengthen credibility.
• Think beyond spec sheets. Help salespeople connect—not just inform.

For Salespeople:

• Master your message. Content creation sharpens communication. Even if you never hit “publish,” the act of writing or recording helps you prepare for high-stakes conversations.
• Lean into your strengths. Wes isn’t trying to be polished—he’s trying to be real. And that makes all the difference.
  

Resources

• Connect with Wes on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Hayward Flow Control

In this episode, VP of Account Service, Jennifer Dawkins, talks about her experiences at MAICON, the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Conference. Jennifer shares the high-level timeline of how AI is expect to evolve over the next decade and how marketers can keep up. They discuss the rapid advancements in AI, the importance of AI literacy for organizations, and the evolving landscape of content marketing in the age of AI, including the broader copyright implications.

As AI chat continues to answer user questions accurately, we discussed the importance of moving away from "what is" content, and work towards creating compelling content that stands out - with unique points of view and personal anecdotes. I also ask her about the new AI tools she's excited to learn about and try, including video editing tools and integration tools.

The main takeaway from the conference? AI is here. If you don't learn it, you'll lose business to your competitors and it will ultimately hinder your career as a marketer. But it doesn't have to be impossible to learn or implement, start small and don't let initial AI mistakes dissuade you from taking advantage of the tools.
Takeaways

• AI literacy is essential for organizations to stay competitive.
• Generic content will not perform well in the AI-driven landscape and compelling content must have a unique point of view.
• Copyright laws regarding AI-generated content are still evolving.
• Organizations must develop a clear AI strategy and guidelines.
• The future of AI includes multimodal capabilities and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
• Starting with small, low-stakes AI projects can ease the transition.

Resources

• Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Marketing AI Institute
• Listen to the Artificial Intelligence Show
• Related Episode: How We're Using AI Tools for Content Marketing
• Related Episode: Navigating Data and Content in the Era of AI with Chris Penn

AI Tools Mentioned

• Chat GPT
• Descript
• Poe
• Chathub.gg
• Make

If you're like most industrial companies, attracting and retaining talent is one of your biggest challenges. In this episode we discuss how marketing can play a critical role in recruitment initiatives and community engagement.
Batesville Products Inc., an aluminum casting manufacturer, was facing a problem that plagues many modern manufacturers - they couldn't find or retain talent to fill their vacant production roles. Even when they did fill these positions, there was a high turnover. Mary Jutzi, Digital Marketing Associate at Batesville Products, teamed up with Batesville's human resources team to address this issue. In this week's episode, Mary shares the steps Batesville took to understand the root of their talent problem and the initiatives they launched to address those findings.

This episode is full of out-of-the-box initiatives that were very successful for Batesville Products Inc. From rewriting job descriptions, engaging in community events and local schools, and developing a children's book.

Mary explains how they leveraged their company culture and unique selling points to attract the right candidates. Mary offers advice for marketers tasked with meeting recruiting goals and shares insights on reaching younger professionals.

Takeaways

• Marketing can play a crucial role in supporting local communities and meeting recruiting goals.
• Increasing brand awareness in the community is essential for attracting the right candidates.
• Highlighting company culture and unique selling points can help differentiate from competitors.
• Engaging with the community through initiatives like children's books can have a significant impact.
• To reach younger professionals, it's important to show that the company is modern and offer workplace flexibility.
• Connecting with other Department of one marketers can provide support and valuable insights.

Resources

• Connect with Mary on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Batesville Products Inc.
• Check out the Batestville Products children's book and other resources
• Mentioned Resource: Winning the War on Talent by Chris Czarnik
• Related Episode: Navigating Modern Manufacturing: AI, Recruitment, and Marketing
• Related Episode: Working Together to Solve Manufacturing's Talent and Image Issues with Meaghan Ziemba

Tie your brand to a current event to boost brand recognition and reinforce corporate values.
Lance Looper, TREW Marketing Brand and Content Strategy Director, has watched newsjacking evolve from a PR best practice to a well-honed content marketing strategy since his early days in the business. In that time, he's seen many successes but some BIG crash-and-burn attempts as well.

In this episode, Lance and I debate the benefits and risks of newsjacking, and he shares four questions every marketer should consider before jumping in:

1. Is there a tie between this event and my brand?

2. Did someone get hurt?

3. Is the timing right?

4. Is this funny or offensive?

Review key takeaways from the March LinkedIn Madness Miniseries and get the scoop on recent marketing features offered on the LinkedIn platform. Julia Fellows, TREW Inbound Marketing Specialist, set a personal goal this quarter for improving her knowledge of all things LinkedIn and this LinkedIn Miniseries was timed perfectly to help as a resources. Through listening to each episode, combined with Julia's own independent research and experience, she has distilled key themes and takeaways every marketer should know.

During the episode, Julia also shares some of LinkedIn's new marketing features, such as stories, articles and newsletters.

Whether you've listened to all the previous miniseries episodes prior to now, or are looking for some cliff note takeaways first, you'll gain helpful new tips to improve your LinkedIn engagement and performance for your personal and professional brand.