MARKET FORECAST

July Machine Tool Sales

According to the USMTC, July machine tool sales were 890 units, which is the second highest monthly unit sales total in 2009. Unit sales in July 2009 were 48.6% lower than unit sales in July 2008.

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MBI
August MBI at 57.4 – 3rd Highest Reading Since Inception

With a reading of 57.4, the MBI showed that August was the first month of expansion in the metalworking industry since October 2008. The main reason for the significant improvement in the overall index was the dramatic rise in both the new orders and production sub-indices, which registered increases of nearly 40 percentage points compared to last month. READ MORE >

AROUND THE WEB

Building Brand Recognition for Search Engine Optimization

Recently, I was talking with a job shop owner who wants to buy a new vertical machining center. He’s ready, willing and able to pay-in-full for the machine. In short, the job shop owner is every marketer’s definition of a qualified sales lead. READ MORE >

Six Rules to Build a Better Web site and Encourage Customer Loyalty
A company’s Web site is the face of an organization – it is often the first time a person “sees” you, the first time they learn about your business and the first time they interact with you. And, as with human interactions, you only get one chance to make a great first impression. READ MORE >

Ride It Out

Organizations with well-established maps for success offer insights on marketing over the long haul. Many companies have been thrown off course by the recession. Other companies have more of a longitudinal perspective and can fall back on institutional memory and a reassuring sense of how the company has managed through previous downturns. READ MORE >

Print Still Works
Engagement with print publications isn’t eroding. Readers devote almost an hour to reading issues of printed magazines. In general, print publications still provide an audience for a significant amount of time. READ MORE >