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3/31/08
 Oeler
Industries, Inc., has received The 2007 Architectural
Distributor of The Year Award from Sound Seal Corporation
in recognition of outstanding Product Support and Sales
Performance.
4/18/08
By: Kris B. Mamula
Pittsburgh Business Times, Vol 27, No. 41
 From
that day in his basement in 1997 when he started his
business, Matthew Oeler has faced a challenge well known
to other entrepreneurs: hot to get the word out about
his products.
Part of the problem is the nature of Oeler's products:
talking up noise and vibration control products can
be a snore, and reaching architects and others who make
these decisions can be especially difficult. But it
is in formation that design professionals need to meet
building codes and satisfy clients.
What's more, people are the No. 1 business expense,
and distracted employees are less productive, said Oeler,
who is president of Oeler Industries Inc. "There
are so many misconceptions about how sounds work,"
Oeler said. " We need to educate our customers
and those who influence our customers."
Oeler's initial marketing efforts were limited to trade
shows and word of mouth. He also met individually with
architects and engineers to explain effective noise
suppression materials. The strategy worked, but it didn't
put him in touch with people who wrote the checks for
his products. Architects were reluctant to refer any
manufacturing representative to a client, fearing the
client would be overwhelmed by sales pitches.
Around 2000, he took his marketing efforts a step further
by holding "lunch and learns" for interior
designers, architects and others, sessions where he
discussed sound control related issues. The sessions
worked well, but Oeler wanted to expand the idea still
further. The result was continuing education classes
taught by Oeler and certified by the American Institute
of Architects, which help architects meet licensing
requirements. Oeler has taught dozens of these courses,
which are held in the offices of various architectural
firms. By talking about sound insulation technology,
Oeler could subtly introduce his products. "It'll
open more doors for us," Oeler said. "We're
demonstrating it, and the light goes on. Suddenly, you're
on their team - it gives us credibility ... We're becoming
the go-to-guys."
Joel Bernard, a partner at Downtown-based architectural
firm IKM Inc., found Oeler's programs "very effective."
"Obviously , we do our own research, but what he
is saying about the differences in products is right
on the money," Bernard said. "He was really
able to educate us."
Placing a soft marketing pitch into an educational
wrapper is one of the strategies recommended to clients
of the Duquesne University Small Business Development
Center, according to Director Mary McKinney. The strategy
doesn't work for all businesses, but it can be effective
for many others, like Oeler, who gains direct access
to the people who buy his products. Before implementing
such a program, McKinney said businesses should thoroughly
explore specific continuing education requirements,
which are set by professional organizations. "It's
one of the directions we encourage businesses to follow,"
she said, "but it should fit into a bigger marketing
strategy."
The continuing-Ed classes spurred business enough to
allow Oeler to move out of his basement by 2001. Sales
in 2000 were $180,000, and the new strategy helped increase
revenue to $225,000 in 2001. By 2006, revenue reached
$3 million and is expected to hit $3.5 million this
year.
Thinking back about his marketing efforts, Oeler is
reminded of a saying his father used to use: "Being
in business without advertising is like winking at a
girl in the dark."
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