The Kula Ring

As official media sponsors at ManufacturED 2019 in Chicago, The Kula Ring had the pleasure of podcasting onsite, interviewing leaders at the forefront of digital transformation in manufacturing.

Steve Miller of The Adventure LLC discusses why focusing on building strong relationships with key accounts is critical to generating ROI at trade shows.

Irina Kem, Director of Marketing at PACKPRO Systems, is on a mission to smash the glass wall between marketing and sales. With over 15 years’ experience in B2B marketing, her advice to younger marketers is to get out of their offices and into important conversations happening between the sales department and the C-suite. Without a better fundamental understanding of their own business’s processes...

D. Bruce Merrifield of the Merrifield Consulting Group and Waypoint Analytics brings over 40 years of B2B insight to this episode, in which he talks about how Amazon Business applied learnings from their overwhelming success in online consumer sales to take on legacy B2B distribution channels. Bruce says manufacturers need to radically transform their relationships with distributors—and distributo...

Paul Wellener—Vice Chairman, Deloitte LLP, and U.S. Industrial Products and Construction Leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP—provides early insights into Deloitte and MAPI’s collaborative research on technology adoption in manufacturing, being released at the ManufacturED Summit happening September 16-18 in Chicago. He shares which factors are critical to success in digital transformation, along with...

In the lead up to the 2019 ManufacturED Summit happening in Chicago September 16-18, Stephen Gold, President and CEO of the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), shares his outlook on digital transformation in manufacturing. He discusses the dynamics shaping digital transformation in the industry—including its implications for marketing and sales—along with the highlights...

Jacki Lutz, Global Head of Marketing Communications and Intelligence, talks with Carman and Jeff about how Sensata Technologies made a product portfolio change last year, causing them to pivot midway through a major marketing campaign. The campaign was centered on their legacy product, Schrader valves—a product they were no longer selling.

David Ward, Director of Public Affairs at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, brings his public relations perspective to The Kula Ring, sharing insights on how manufacturing marketers can use earned media as a source of content marketing, the importance of internal communications, and how virtual reality (VR) is being used in marketing and public affairs.

Brian Richards, Digital Marketing Supervisor at Gardner Denver, shares his insights on how he led a digital transformation in his previous role at Knapheide Manufacturing—moving from push marketing tactics to pulling customers through their distribution network.

Kellie De Pooter, Global Marketing Manager at G&W Electric, discusses her approach to redefining G&W Electric’s goals on this episode of The Kula Ring. To stay competitive in the marketplace, her new manufacturing marketing department supports product development and sales and manages new digital marketing initiatives.

Jeff and Carman talk with Google's Tarun Rathnam, Head of Industry for B2B Advertising, and Aaron Hite, Partner Lead, in this episode of The Kula Ring. With at least two thirds of B2B buyers preferring to conduct their own research online according to Google’s study with Comscore, they discuss how manufacturing marketers can adapt their marketing strategies to reach B2B buyers throughout their sel...

Mark Mitchell of Whizard Strategy, a consultancy that specializes in building materials sales and marketing, shares the keys to differentiating your manufacturing brand and winning over buyers. Mark’s advice? It has nothing to do with product features or price—rather, it has to do with how well you understand your buyer’s business and how well you can help them solve their problems.

Greg Palese, VP Marketing at Klein Tools, proves that brand-building isn’t just for B2C. He shares his experiences marketing an iconic manufacturing brand—including how to nurture brand fans and how Klein Tools is shaping the conversation around the trades skills gap, resulting in over $38 million in earned media.

Vincent Van Den Brink, Architect Partner at Breakhouse, talks with Jeff and Carman about how manufacturers can improve the ways they provide value to technical buyers and architects during the sales process by thinking beyond a free lunch.

Tom McLaughlin, US Marketing Manager at Nord Drivesystems, shares how a sales-driven manufacturing organization can enhance the ROI of their trade show presence through public relations, email marketing, and social media prior to and after the show.

Jeff and Carman talk with Emily Boland from Tayco about how to market your manufacturing brand in a crowded marketplace, how to appeal to multiple buyer personas, the ROI of creating strong dealer relationships, and her experience with rebranding.

Jeff and Carman talk with Ashley Miller and Bruce Howie from Dominion Colour about building strong distributor relationships in an increasingly digital marketplace.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman talk with Drew Richards, Marketing Manager for Hernon Manufacturing, about refining marketing strategies to achieve accurate attribution for campaign reporting and lead generation on a lean marketing budget.

In this episode of The Kula Ring podcast, Jeff and Carman talk with Doug Hunter of Lattice Semiconductor about how to better quantify your marketing decisions and the importance of context for your customers.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman talk to John Perry, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Power Digital within GE Power. John talks about the challenges of marketing to customers who are in an industry that's in the middle of rapid and fundamental changes to their business model.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman chat with Cori Walsh and Jake Jeffords—two marketers who worked for competing manufacturers that have recently both been acquired by Vermeer. They discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with learning to collaborate with a former competitor.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman talk with Keith Maki, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Cascade Engineering, about how Cascade has built a unique manufacturing culture that helps their community, helps the world, and helps them stand out in a crowded marketplace.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman talk to Amber Naslund about how marketers can make a bigger impact with content that provides real value to prospects and customers.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman talk with Christina Fuges, Editorial Director at MoldMaking Technology, and Tony Demakis, Sales and Marketing Specialist at Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales. Christina and Tony are the hosts of the Manufacturing Alliance podcast, and they chat with Jeff and Carman about using stories and personal connections to break down the brand barrier.

In this episode of The Kula Ring, Jeff and Carman talk with JD Dillon, Vice President of Marketing and Pricing at Enphase Energy, about ensuring that you're pricing your products and services correctly, and how that should tie into your marketing.