Northwest Aerospace News December 2018 | January 2019 Issue No. 6 | Page 52

Market your brand
Even for those companies with an
established brand, conferences should
not be overlooked. Conferences
provide an excellent opportunity to
elevate your brand and take things to
the next level. This marketing can take
place in various guises – as an attendee,
an exhibitor, a speaker or a sponsor.
Whatever level you decide is best for
you and your company, the engagement
at conferences allows you to get your
value proposition heard. Some conver-
sations may result in new business,
others may not – but both are beneficial.
By talking to people about your
products and services you can gather
valuable feedback, including changes
that may need to be implemented to
catch the attention of your target
audience, whether it be a technical
change or even some simple tweaks in
how you are marketing your business.
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NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
From Attendee to Sponsor…
I have attended the PNAA annual conference on behalf of Rockwell Automation
the last two years. It was impressive to witness a global community of OEMs,
supply chain partners, and analysts come together to discuss important trends,
challenges, and opportunities within the aerospace manufacturing industry. We
all make up one team, working together to share best practices and support the
growth of the aerospace manufacturing business. Rockwell Automation is excit-
ed for the upcoming 2019 annual conference and decided to become a sponsor
to show our continued commitment and support to the aerospace manufactur-
ing community.
Amy Carlsen, Strategic Account Manager, Rockwell Automation, Bellevue, WA
At the PNAA conference, one company has put a high value on this marketing
and feedback, returning year on year as an exhibitor. Paul Van Metre, company
founder of ProShop ERP, Bellingham, Washington, comments, “If you want to
broaden your exposure to the Northwest Aerospace community, there is no better
way than with PNAA, and specifically their conference. ProShop is exhibiting
for the fourth time in a row and plan to indefinitely. We’ve always expanded our
network and met new clients at the show.” Furthermore, Paul’s experience has
demonstrated another advantage of being a regular feature at conferences, as he
was asked to present at the 2018 conference. Being active in the conference com-
munity is a great way for people to understand your background and skills – this
can result in you and your company being asked to present, write articles, feature
in news articles and be highlighted in social media.