Mainstay Manufacturing began with the founding of Fab2Order, a metal fabrication company, in 2000. Fab2Order’s growth led to the conception of an affiliate production machining company, Machine2Order. In 2018, the two organizations were formally merged into one organization: Mainstay Manufacturing. The company serves small to medium-sized business organizations and makes industrial components to customer specifications. Located in Brownsburg, Mainstay seeks to fill the metal component demands of Midwest manufacturers in Indiana and surrounding states. Hatchet has been partnering with Mainstay since 2014.
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THROW THE HATCHETMainstay was struggling to create a more aggressive and proactive marketing campaign. Jason Greeson, CEO of Mainstay, described his discontent with the company’s previous strategy: “In terms of marketing, we were a reactionary company. Our marketing efforts were more transactional, rather than relationship-driven.” The company needed to professionalize their efforts, seek growth opportunities and pursue strong relationships, not one-time sales. However, finding a marketing company to meet their needs was a little complicated. Mainstay was breaking into the middle market and pursuing larger clients. It is difficult to effectively navigate the middle market playground without the necessary economics model. Larger companies have the budget to create in-house marketing departments, and so they do. This was not an option for Mainstay. Essentially, the company was in need of professional marketing experience that they could not afford. As Greeson put it, “Mainstay has to be streamlined. We work internally to complete the services we offer; all other needs must be employed externally. In order to compete with these larger organizations, in order to play on the same level, we were looking to partner with a marketing company.” Mainstay needed a marketing team who could professionalize their efforts and cater to their specific business needs without the costs of a full-time, in-house marketing department. They needed a marketing company whose business model aligned with their own.
Greeson was referred to Simon Andrews, CEO of Hatchet Marketing, and set up a meeting. Simon started the conversation as Hatchet always does with a sales and marketing assessment. This assessment outlines everything. It addresses the company’s current position, identifies pain points, articulates an overarching marketing directive and breaks down specific strategies and objectives to reach sales goals. Simon presented this assessment to Mainstay, analyzing the problem and offering a solution. As he put it, “Mainstay was eaten alive with tons of menial work that wasn’t getting them where they wanted to go. We had to adjust the company’s mindset to align with Greeson’s vision and implement tangible strategies to go after that vision. We reoriented sales and marketing efforts to pursue higher-quality leads, build strong relationships and attract more valuable clients.” Greeson reflected that, with Hatchet on board, Mainstay regained control over their marketing efforts. As he said, “We were no longer sitting back waiting for the phone to ring. It was the difference between floating down the river and driving the boat.” Hatchet provided Mainstay with the tools and expertise to measure and analyze the results of their efforts and efficiently pursue growth.
The relationship between the two companies is open, collaborative and adaptive. Together, Mainstay and Hatchet are continually re-evaluating and adapting their strategy. Simon noted, “In terms of marketing, a four year relationship is quite a long one. It can be difficult to avoid plateauing. We maintain the longevity of our partnership by continually evolving, by keeping up the momentum. Every year we go back to that sales and marketing assessment and completely reevaluate it in terms of shifting goals and improving strategies.” Greeson added, “Technology and the marketing environment are constantly in flux. We have to adapt to be better positioned. We can’t sit still.” According to Greeson, the benefits of working with Hatchet go beyond marketing services: “I think there is a great deal to be said for the integrity of Simon and his organization. Marketing is often a big guess. Most of the time, strategies work, and you can look back on them as genius. However, there are a minority of instances when you try something, and it bombs. That is just a reality. In those rare instances, Simon is not afraid to have the difficult, honest conversation; admit that something is not working and change tactics. He could avoid those conversations. His conduct proves that working with Hatchet is not just an economic relationship; it’s a high integrity partnership.” Working with Hatchet is like hiring an in-house marketing department. Simon and his team are invested in their partnerships and hold themselves personally accountable. The relationship between Hatchet and Mainstay remains strong. When looking forward, Greeson said, “We have an identified list of objectives to accomplish before what you might call ‘the heavy-lifting’ is over. Once we accomplish those objectives, we will streamline our focus to very specific industry marketing. Hatchet will be helping us to enhance and hone marketing strategies to target industries directly. We’re excited for what is ahead.” Mainstay’s past problems are not uncommon. Many businesses struggle to align their marketing strategy with their broader business goals and to evolve that strategy as time goes on. Everyone reaches ceilings, thresholds that seem impossible to break through. Hatchet takes an axe to those barriers; in every partnership, we combat marketing inertia. We create sales and marketing strategies to meet your needs and adapt those strategies as your needs and goals change. Looking for a marketing team that can grow with you? Start the conversation with Hatchet today.