How do manufacturers succeed at marketing? You could ask some experienced marketers, of course, but what if you could learn from three New York State manufacturers who are achieving marketing success? That’s what FuzeHub did during our most recent inFUZEd Marketing Meetup, which was held on Wednesday, May 14th, 2025.
Here are some highlights from our panel discussion with Michael Allen, President and Co-Owner of Z-AXIS and Bear Power Supplies; Janelle Beck Wood, CEO of Ameritool Manufacturing; and Steve Pomeroy, President of Schatz Bearing Corp. Steve Melito, who supports FuzeHub’s Marketing Services, hosted the nearly hourly-long discussion.
Creating Effective Manufacturer Video Content
Z-AXIS has a YouTube channel with over 6,000 subscribers and 100 videos. The electronic contract manufacturer creates one new video each month and has been doing so for about 15 years. The videos are about three minutes long and educational rather than promotional. Both the script writing and the video production are outsourced. There’s no shortage of topics because Z-AXIS’ capabilities keep growing and provide fresh inspiration for new ideas.
Communicating with Customers and Suppliers
Each month, Z-AXIS includes a new video in an e-newsletter that’s sent not just to customers, but also to suppliers: a great source of leads. Recipients look forward to receiving these communications and appreciate the personal details that Michael Allen shares. Schatz Bearing Corp. also sends regular emails and has automated its marketing so that a message is sent whenever a new blog is posted. This simplifies communications and complements the manufacturer’s SEO strategy.
Pursuing Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
For Z-AXIS, Schatz Bearing Corp., and Ameritool Manufacturing alike, search engine optimization (SEO) is both the foundation of a strong website and an ongoing process. Keywords aren’t “magic words” and a “set it and forget it” won’t do. Ultimately, keywords are search-terms that potential customers use. At Ameritool, for example, a successful SEO strategy that informed a recent website redesign led to a major increase in website traffic.
Evaluating E-Commerce
None of the manufacturers who participated in this inFUZEd Marketing Meetups are using e-commerce on their websites. E-commerce works if you’re selling standard products, and tools like online configurators support some product customization. For specialized products, and especially for high-value items with long technical sales cycle, the inclusion of a Request a Quote button or a compelling Contact Us page can generate valuable leads.
Leading the Charge
Z-AXIS, Schatz Bearing, and Ameritool are each pursuing different marketing strategies, but they’re all enjoying success because of something else they have in common. In addition to effective websites, these three manufacturers have hands-on leaders. Instead of delegating marketing to others, company leadership and ownership are involved in marketing strategy and execution. Each company outsources its marketing services, but not the responsibility for results.
FuzeHub invites NYS manufacturers and technology companies to contact us for marketing services and encourages you to watch the entire discussion with Z-AXIS, Schatz Bearing, and Ameritool Manufacturing on our YouTube channel. These marketing superstars have much more to say.