HAAS Automation is leading the way in how-to manufacturing videos as an education tool for manufacturing leaders around the globe - as well as a content marketing tool to demonstrate how to use the newest HAAS equipment. Guest speakers Mark Terryberry, Bryan O’Fallon, and Scott Gasich share their video-making and content marketing expertise in this fascinating episode of MakingChips! Want to learn what makes a great how-to video and how sharing your knowledge can help boost your business? Listen to the episode to find out!
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After a couple of hit how-to YouTube videos demonstrating how to solve simple manufacturing issues, the HAAS Automation marketing team realized that there was no place for manufacturers to go to learn how to do new things or fix things outside of paper manuals. Jumping on the “video craze” bandwagon, they set out to fill the void of immediately available machining instruction by offering quality how-to and product video content.
Quickly finding that people prefer short, to-the-point videos, the HAAS team created short video series on different topics. They now average 4-5 videos per week with several series from “Tip of the Day” to “Don’t Fear 5-Axis” and the “Machine Tool Coolant Series.” Manufacturers today need quickly available and accurate demonstrations to help them master their art and easily find solutions. YouTube offers the medium that HAAS needs to accomplish its goal of meeting the needs of the manufacturing community while also marketing their latest products.
It can be overwhelming when trying to decide how much production value to put into video content creation. How polished do you make how-to manufacturing videos? Mark, Bryon, and Scott all share the need to be authentic with your audience. Just because you make a video doesn’t mean that people will watch it. Know who you are as a company and know who your customers and potential viewers are. What do they need and want to learn?
How-to manufacturing videos are a way to build trust with current and potential customers. If you are providing real solutions to real problems, then you will earn the trust of your viewers. Mark, Bryon, and Scott encourage listeners to use real-life machinists in their video production. The authentic empathy that machinists will have with viewer issues will come through in the videos and provide an added layer of reality and authenticity.
Listening to your viewers is key! While the manufacturing community may still be pretty old-school, everyone consumes online material, and everyone is looking for answers through mediums such as YouTube. Be sure to read the comments people are leaving in your channel. Provide a phone number and email address so that viewers and customers have a way of reaching out with questions. Use your own company’s mistakes as opportunities for creating new content that demonstrates how to solve the problems you come up against.
Scott says that with digital marketing, you have to jump right in and get at it. While print marketing may still claim a slice of your resources, put most of your resources in digital marketing. With $3,000 of Facebook marketing, you can reach a million people. With $3,000 invested in print marketing, you may reach a few thousand. Invest in what works.
Don’t know where to start? “Follow your gut,” says Scott. Think about how you would want the material presented to you. “Bet on yourself,” he says. Don’t go spend a fortune on production value right away. Use your phone and some good lighting tools and go from there. Build a script or storyboard to help guide the way. Speaking with passion and truth will win the trust of your viewers and help you build your business.
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