Brookstone Innovation

04/10/2021

Wind Turbines... What would you do with them?
What happens to off-shore wind turbines at the end of their working lives? They do so much good for the planet, wouldn't it be a shame if they just end up being toppled into the ocean, or buried in landfill!
It got us talking in the studio and we found this interesting short read from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58542905

One wind farm company is looking for imaginative ways to repurpose turbines at the end of their lives.

20/09/2021

Have you seen this story on the BBC about getting broadband out to remote parts of the world via airborne beams of light?https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-58583600

The project has been developed by Alphabet's moonshot factory, X.

09/09/2021

Dyslexia - Seeing The World In A Different Way!
Not being able to see the world in the same way as others is often considered a drawback, but the view from a different lens can also be revelatory.
This link takes you to a brilliant quick read about how an explorer who found many iconic shipwrecks like the titanic credits dyslexia for his success.
Take a look:https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/dyslexia-titanic-bob-ballard-titanic/

Robert Ballard, a pioneer in underwater robotic technology, has had a fascinating life—he discovered the shipwrecked Titanic.

11/08/2021

What's the cheapest way to market my business?
This is a regular search term on Google from business owners looking for a quick win, but so too is the search term "why isn't my marketing working"!!

There is a strong link between the two questions, as cheap marketing rarely leads to a good result, in fact it usually leads to throwing your money away and sometimes even the closure of what could have been a great company.

There's a much better question those business owners should be asking and we've written a quick read about it (about 3 mins): https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/whats-the-cheapest-way-to-market-my-business/

This is one of the most asked questions on Google when it comes down to the subject of marketing, but what a shame people want to waste their money by “economising” in this way.

26/07/2021

Ever heard of an online metaverse? Well Mark Zuckerberg wants to transform Facebook into an online 'metaverse' apparently!

It's not very often you hear someone speaking about a metaverse is it, let alone anyone creating one. But then again not many people had heard of social media before Mark invented Facebook had they? So maybe we should listen to what he has to say.

So what is a metaverse and why does Mark Zuckerberg want to transform Facebook into one?

Well a metaverse is many things, but if you've used Zoom or Teams for a meeting you will undoubtably know the advantages this has brought to us all over the last 18 months. We've been able to continue meeting in a virtual world rather than face to face and what a blessing that has been!

But it's not quite like meeting face to face is it, and that's one area a metaverse can help to further improve.

Mark's metaverse will allow us to virtually sit in a room with the person or people we are meeting, rather than staring at a flat screen, bringing the experience of a virtual world meeting one step closer to that of a real world meeting.

Could this also be the first big step towards a 3d internet where we actually enter into a virtual world rather than just looking at it?

Take a look at this article, it's pretty interesting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57942909

CEO wants users to work, game and communicate in a virtual world, often using VR headsets.

21/07/2021

Marketing Tip No1:
In engineering marketing, one thing many marketers seem to underestimate is the power of combining two or more marketing tools into the same campaign, it seems to be a common misunderstanding that one campaign means one marketing tool.

Google Ads, LinkedIn, Facebook Ads and Instagram are popular choices for online marketing in engineering, and while they all have their strengths and weaknesses, sticking to one or two basic methods is not going to get you very far in the end.

Why not combine marketing tools, using their individual strengths, therefore strengthening your advertising? Boom. Lightbulb moment.

Take a look at this quick read for more ideas and guidance: https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/combining-marketing-tools-to-get-results/

One thing many marketers in engineering seem to underestimate is the power of combining two or more marketing tools into the same campaign, it seems to be a common misunderstanding that one campaign means one marketing tool.

14/07/2021

Engineers have you heard of Conversion Rate Optimisation?
It’s a big old subject but at the base level its a really quick and effective way to increase your turnover, and without having to set up any additional marketing!

We could go on about Conversion Rate Optimisation for hours, but we will spare you that. To give you a rough overview, CRO is where you take an element of your marketing that already works and then nurture it to get even more from it.

Simple right? But hey it can get pretty complex the deeper you get into it!

Here’s a link to an introduction post we’ve just published. We go into a little more depth here, but still we won't bombard you with technical detail.

Take a look as it really can help you increase sales and ultimately your turnover 🙂
https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/conversion-rate-optimisation-for-engineers/

It can be very easy to fall for the latest shiny marketing tools and strategies instead of working with what we already have, I know we're guilty of it! But let's face it, the grass always looks greener on the other side... but have you ever spent time digging into your existing campaigns and carryi...

06/07/2021

Engineers – You're amazing at machining, you achieve the seemingly impossible every day, so let me ask you this "what are you doing to generate sales enquiries and keep the orders flowing to you"?

We've seen so many brilliant engineering businesses fold over the years and it's unjustifiable. They were brilliant at what they did and often did it for the love of the job, and the pride of passing over perfectly machined components.

But what they didn't do was tell the customers and potential customers all about it. So nobody knew.

They bought the best tooling, got in early each day and got on with the job, but like many engineers they had a dislike for anything to do with marketing or sales and relied totally on word-of-mouth.

We all know how reliable word of mouth is though don't we!

Don't assume the orders will flow in... just because you're the best in the field it doesn't entitle you to make sales and still be here this time next year

Like it or not we have to shout out loud and let the right people know what we do and how to find us. Otherwise they're going straight to your competitor, even if their product is inferior and more expensive.

Don't let your company become another victim. If you don't have the time or inclination for marketing, find somebody who does.

If you need some help or advice we can help you too. Call Brookstone Innovation for a friendly & informative complimentary review of your marketing.
Call: 01455 561 561

Website Design and Marketing for Engineers & Manufacturers, from a specialist team with direct engin

25/06/2021

LEGO Lovers Will Like This One:
Ok so any news on a new Lego product isn't directly related to either marketing or engineering, so why you may ask have we dedicate a space to it on our post today?

Well the thing is, those of us with either an engineering mind or a creative mind surely cannot help but admire what Lego have done here, both from a creative and an engineering angle, especially when you consider this is a fully operational typewriter!

There’s some real thought gone into this set, take a look at the story just here: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/lego-lovers-will-swoon-over-this-new-typewriter-set/

LEGO has just released a new model in its 'Ideas' range—a vintage typewriter with real moving keys.

21/06/2021

SEO V’s PPC:
A question that regularly crops up from our clients is “should we invest our time and money into SEO or PPC?”.

For those of you who are not familiar with these terms, first let me explain:

SEO: Search Engine Optimisation, is a form of optimising your website to get as high as possible in the results of search engines like Google, for selected keywords or search terms, that your potential customers will be typing into Google.

PPC: Pay Per Click, also known as Google ads. This is where you set up an account with the likes of Google and tell them to place your pre-written adverts at the top of the page when people type in certain keywords or search terms to their search engine.

So as you see, the two are answering the same problem, but the results from the two can be very different depending on the viewers searching habits.

Viewers will typically search for a product in one to two ways:

A - They click on the top results on the page of Google to get to the product or solution in the fastest possible time.

B - They go below the adverts and spammy search results to get to higher quality pages, without all the advertising and marketing spin.

Both search habits have advantages and disadvantages, but the key here is to realise you need to be in both the adverts and the organic listings below the adverts in order to get in front of the maximum amount of potential customers. Choose just one of these and you will literally be marketing to only 50% of your target market.

For a very informative guide to SEO V's PPC, take a look at: https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/the-lowdown-on-seo-and-google-ads-ppc/

SEO and PPC are both extremely powerful marketing tools, but choosing to use just one of them is not always the best way to go. How would you even compare, and choose, one of two available tools that each have distinct advantages? You can’t.

16/06/2021

How To Market To A Difficult Audience - Watch this video!🤣

The 2 minute short film, directed by Tore Frandsen and led by creative agency &Co, follows a group of Vikings planning their next raid on England. They are seen fully kitted out in their furs and are blowing their horns ready to set sail, but they’re met with an issue… the lead Viking, Svend, won’t wear his helmet.

This is the point where normal road safety adverts would go on to use some shock tactics to get their point across, but that’s not the approach that Tore and &Co took. They decided to go down the comedic route instead, covering pros and cons in a comedic debate between the Vikings.

Even with the advert clocking in at just over 2 minutes long it’s an enjoyable and entertaining piece of content, even if you’re not the intended audience.

We think that this is a great way to get people to remember the message that you’re trying to get across. The shock tactics only work so far, and with so many companies using them they can all blend into one. This comedic approach is sure to stay in the minds of the target audience for months to come and be a much more successful campaign than it may have been had they opted to go down the other route.

You can watch the full advert here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m-c4GixUpg

13/05/2021

Today sees the launch by HS2 contractors of a 2,000-tonne tunnel boring machine (TBM) named Florence from the Chilterns tunnel south portal site in Hertfordshire, North West of London.
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The TBM is called Florence, after Florence Nightingale and her twin sister machine Cecilia is named after astrophysicist Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin.
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They will each dig a bore of the 10-mile Chilterns tunnel.
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Photo: www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

01/02/2021

Here's an interesting post for all you old Mods and Scooter Boys n Gals out there.

It's a look in the Vespa factory to see how the iconic scooter is made.

Enjoy.
https://fb.watch/3o0Xsb7P8U/

01/02/2021

What are the best marketing tools for engineers?

It's a question we're often asked by manufacturers and it's a healthy question as it shows they're looking to push the business forward. But is it the right question?

Find out more by having a quick read of our post: https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/how-to-use-digital-marketing-for-your-business/

One of the biggest mistakes engineers make with their digital marketing, is they look at what other people are doing and follow suit. Our post will help you to avoid this mistake and pick what's right for you.

26/01/2021

How do you market an engineering company?

Marketing an engineering company can be a little tricky and I wonder if that's why there are so many still relying on good old fashioned exhibitions and word of mouth?

That's a real shame as both exhibitions and word of mouth have been very much limited over the last 12 months, so how are engineering companies managing to promote themselves?

Digital marketing and traditional marketing techniques can have a huge benefit to the industry, but it's just a case of thinking a little deeper than say you would if you were a standard e-commerce company.

Here's a link to part 1 of 'Marketing In The World Of Engineering'. I hope it helps: https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/marketing-in-the-world-of-engineering/

Let’s be honest, engineering marketing is a headache. The kind that doesn’t go away after you’ve taken pain killers. But, while challenging, it’s also necessary. Having previously worked on the front line as a Technical Sales Manager, and a Technical Marketing Manager too, I feel like I know...

14/01/2021

Such a talented chap!!

07/01/2021

Digital Marketing Knowledge for Engineers.

Whether you're marketing your own engineering company or hiring a marketing agency, you're going to need some knowledge of the marketing tools and strategies available to you.

A great place to get some insights on marketing tools and strategies is on the Brookstone Knowledge base: https://www.brookstoneinnovation.com/knowledge-base

06/01/2021

A new year should mean a new start.
We suggest you begin by taking a look at your website to check it really is painting a true picture of your company.
If you would like us to carry out a review for you, then just shout up:)

30/11/2020

Thanks to 21st century technology, the life of F1 driver Romain Grosjean was saved yesterday in a horrific crash. His halo cockpit protection device prevented him from being flung out or crushed, whilst still allowing him to escape virtually unaided and his fire retardant clothing and helmet protected him from the fireball. Read the fascinating full story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_je9S6z1fI

Romain Grosjean escaped from one of the scariest F1 crashes in recent memory in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, when his Haas car pierced the barriers and split...

10/11/2020

Today is World Science Day for Peace and Development. It was proclaimed by Unesco and is recognised every year on 10th November. This year’s theme is “Science for and with Society” and in this unprecedented year it focuses on the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic – promoting international scientific cooperation, ensuring access to water and supporting ecological reconstruction. More information can be found here: https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldscienceday

This year, at a time when the world is struggling with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the focus of the World Science Day is on “Science for and with Society in dealing with the global pandemic”.

02/11/2020

Thought this looked worth a watch – a documentary about life aboard a nuclear submarine. A great feat of engineering by the Royal Navy.
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/events/tv-film-radio/201104-on-board-britain-nuclear-submarine-trident

Watch the new TV documentary 'On Board Britain's Nuclear Submarine: Trident' - airing on Wednesday 04 November at 9 pm on Channel 5.

29/10/2020

Remember this?
What a simple idea and a great piece of engineering in its own right. Apparently, many months of work went into its creation and the budget was £100,000. It took 60 takes (I actually thought it would be more than that) but every detail had to be meticulous to pull it off. We thought you engineers out there would appreciate the precision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57kGB-mI54

Honda Accord, 2003

09/10/2020

A brilliant piece of engineering by this young lad...

30/09/2020

The worlds first hydrogen powered passenger plane has made it's maiden zero-emissions flight from Cranfield in England.

What a great story with so much promise for future zero emission travel!
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/zeroavia-launches-world-first-hydrogen-powered-passenger-plane/

ZeroAvia completed the world’s first hydrogen powered, zero emission flight of a commercial-grade aircraft.

28/09/2020

We loved this story about how skyscrapers are being turned into giant solar energy generating pylons. Take a read: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ubiqd-solar-panel-transparent-windows-for-skyscrapers/

University of Michigan and companies like UBiQD are creating technology to turn windows in building facades into transparent solar panels.

21/09/2020

What's the cheapest method of marketing?

We get asked that question a lot and we totally understand why. But are you looking for the cheapest form of marketing or do you want the cheapest form of winning new business?

There's a big difference!

If you want really cheap then you could sit on Facebook all day banging out posts about your company and services, and for a few companies that really would work.

But for the majority it will achieve very little.

In fact if you were to multiply your hourly rate (lets say £50 p hour) over 8 hours then you've spent (well actually lost) £400 for that day, or £2000 over the week.

That really isn't cheap marketing at all is it!

Marketing is about how much it costs to win a sale or lead, it isn't about how much you spent that day or that week.

Be careful not to fall into that trap.

16/09/2020

This company managed to save £1000 on their new website build, only to lose over £10,000 afterwards!

Take a quick read how they did it, so it doesn't happen to you.

You see for the last few weeks we've been looking to make a purchase of a high quality garden shed. It took some time to find it and a lot of searches on Google but we finally got there.

But after our purchase, it suddenly dawned on me that there is a local shed company, closer than the one I gave my business to. In fact they even enquired about marketing and a new website with us some years ago.

How could I have forgotten to go there first, how stupid of me!

I took a look at their website and it instantly became clear why they had lost my sale.

They had opted for a budget website that saved them £1000. Their accountant must have loved them!

But now with the benefit of hindsight can they congratulate themselves for their shrewd business decision?

No not a chance!

To make that £1000 saving the designer missed off half of the technical stuff, meaning nobody can find them online now! Even if you want a shed, they just don't turn up on the searches now.

I bet their web designer never told them that would happen!

This must have lost them £10,000's in lost business already as nobody can find them on Google. They've vanished!

Please don't let it happen to you.

15/09/2020

We love this story, instead of sitting back and accepting limitations this guy is using them to his advantage and smashing barriers. He's helping himself to help others.
Take a read: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/mountain-bike-outdoor-adventurers-freedom-back/

The Bowhead Reach is a Canadian bicycle designed by Christian Bagg to help those with physical limitations go mountain biking.

08/09/2020

Really interesting photography documenting the redevelopment of the labyrinthine train station in Tokyo’s Shibuya district