Commercial Integrator April 2021 - 3

EDITOR'S NOTE
Emerald X, LLC.
100 Broadway, 14th Floor
New York, New York 10005
800-440-2139
commercialintegrator.com | @commintegrator

What Sets Your
Company Apart?
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS about
detailed video walls.
NSCA's Business & Leadership Conference is
When someone new joins the company they
that they bring in speakers who aren't specific
are told, " This is what we do best, " and trained
to the AV industry.
to do it the right way so the company can
Keynote headliners include economists,
maintain its standard of excellence in whatever
marketing representatives, innovation specialit is that sets them apart.
ists and more to discuss general business best
But the customer never finds out. The
practices that can apply to all industries.
message is burned into the brain of every
While COVID-19 kept BLC from being an
salesperson, engineer, and technician, but
in-person event this year, BLC Virtual was no
it's not found in marketing material or on the
less informative in its keynotes and various sescompany website.
sions. You can find our full writeup of the virtual
We're guilty of it here at CI. Internally I know
BLC on page 38.
that what sets us apart from every
I think it's important to look
other publication about the inteHalf the
outside your own organization
gration industry is that we write
battle in
and outside your own industry in
about the business of integration
differentiating
order to take lessons from sucbetter than anyone.
cessful businesses everywhere.
Each of our editors, guests,
your company
One idea that really stuck out
and
contributors know to focus
from
to me this year was the thought
on how new technology, news,
competitors
of the differentiator in one's own
trends, and practices will affect
is letting
business - that which sets you
the businesses of integrators in
customers
apart from competition.
our audience with every article,
In the closing keynote, Gerry
video, podcast, webinar, and
know you're
O'Brion told the story of when
whitepaper.
different.
he was the brand manager for
But we only mention it in the
Coors Light. He came up with a
occasional editor's note, such as
marketing campaign for the Coors Light Frost
I am doing right now. Is the average audience
Brew Liner Can - a blue liner inside the can that
member aware that our intitiative is to help
" locks in refreshing frost brewed taste. "
them better their business and grow as an
The campaign was so successful that sales
organization? Do potential audience members
for that specific can of Coors Light grew by 5%
know that they can come to us not only to
that year, resulting in more than $100 million in
learn about the AV industry but to learn about
added revenue.
general best business practices in marketing,
The thing is, as O'Brion explains it, all beer
sales, HR, and more? I hope so, but we can do
cans have that same liner. It's necessary to keep
more to tell them.
the beer from corroding due to the aluminum
There's been positive news aplenty about
of the can. There was a 5% increase in sales not
COVID-19 vaccines allowing the country
because Coors invented some new technique,
to open up again. With that, I think, new
and not even because the liner was specific
projects will spring up faster than ever. Make
to Coors itself, but simply because they told
sure your customers and potential customers
people about it.
know what sets you apart so you can land
I think many organizations really know what
those projects.
they can offer their customers. It might be
superior customer service, or remote monitorJonathan Blackwood, Editorial Director
ing and management to take the weight off of
jonathan.blackwood@emeraldx.com
the customer's hands, or the ability to design
@BlackwoodTweets

EDITORIAL
Editorial Director
Jonathan Blackwood, 774-505-8048,
jonathan.blackwood@emeraldx.com
Chief Content Officer
Jason Knott, 774-505-8042,
jason.knott@emeraldx.com
Executive Editor
D. Craig MacCormack, 774-505-8040,
craig.maccormack@emeraldx.com
Associate Editor
Zachary Comeau, 774-505-8006,
zachary.comeau@emeraldx.com
Technology Editor
Robert Archer, 774-505-8049,
robert.archer@emeraldx.com
Web Editor
Adam Forziati, 774-505-8046,
adam.forziati@emeraldx.com
Design Lead
Katie Stockham, 774-505-8051,
katie.stockham@emeraldx.com
Designer
Graeme Burke, 774-505-8050,
graeme.burke@emeraldx.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Group Publisher, Connected Brands
Ray Lyons, 774-505-8017,
ray.lyons@emeraldx.com
Shawn Tobin, 774-505-8014,
shawn.tobin@emeraldx.com
Chelsea Grater-Cafiero, 774-505-8020,
chelsea.cafiero@emeraldx.com
Katie Malafronte, 774-505-8039,
katie.malafronte@emeraldx.com
Marketing
Marsha Marsh, 774-505-8023,
marsha.marsh@emeraldx.com
EMERALD CORPORATE
Executive Vice President
Brian Pagel, 770-291-5438,
brian.pagel@emeraldx.com
President and CEO Hervé Sedky
Chief Operating Officer Brian Field
Chief Financial Officer David Doft
Chief Information Officer Bill Charles
Senior Vice President, Finance Melanie Pereria
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
Secretary Mitch Gendel
Senior Vice President, Marketing Services
Joanne Wheatley
Executive Vice President, Customer Solutions
Amy Sklar
Executive Vice President, People & Culture
Eric Reaves
PRODUCTION
Creative Services Director
Manuela Rosengard, 774-505-8052,
manuela.rosengard@emeraldx.com
Director of Client Experience
Jeffrey Miller, 774-505-8055,
jeff.miller@emeraldx.com
Reprints & Eprints The YGS Group,
800-290-5460, reprints@theygsgroup.com
Subscription Inquiries 847-559-7533,
CI@OMEDA.COM
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Commercial Integrator April 2021

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