David Stead
BA (Hons) Business Studies, specialising in Marketing.
I have been in the marketing sector throughout the 30 odd years of my working life. As an employee, I held various marketing roles within companies like British Leyland, Associated Engineering, Wimpey Construction and smaller manufacturing companies. I worked in the foundry industry, spare parts distribution, building, textiles and printing equipment to name but a few.
Not always the most hi-tech, highest paying or glamorous sectors, but somehow I always preferred working more for “proper manufacturers” which made something tangible and real.
I then went freelance, looking after the marketing needs of small businesses of all types in Yorkshire and the North of England. I’ve met some great people along the way and have built up a huge amount of knowledge and experience of different industries and how best to help companies market themselves more effectively. I research and write strategic marketing plans, coordinate all types of promotional activity and am a professional copywriter.
Austen Jones
MEng (HONS): ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURE AND MANAGEMENT; MRes: ONLINE MARKETING FOR MANUFACTURERS
Industry and Marketing, I have a foot in both camps:
On the one side I have worked for and with a wide range of manufacturing and engineering companies both large and small and I am very proud to be a Chartered Engineer (Institution of Engineering and Technology).
On the other side I was building web pages back in 1993 (half a decade before Google started!), I have a keen interest in internet marketing and I have helped many UK businesses over the years. I also undertook a Masters degree for research, for a manufacturing company, which included boosting search engine traffic from Google (i.e. “SEO”). This, in conjunction with my becoming a “Google Qualified Individual” in Google’s Advertising Professional Programme in 2006 means I understand ‘pay per click’ advertising too. Latterly, the likes of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (Google+, Pinterest, Instagram…) and also ‘remarketing’ have entered the marketing mix too.
From a personal point of view I am keen to help UK manufacturing and engineering companies enjoy the greatest return on their marketing spend to help them prosper and thrive even in these uncertain times and ever-changing business climate.