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Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report February 2014

Take a step closer to STLE and get pulled in by the value.
 


Lubrication Fundamentals is a best-practices guide featuring a compilation of 10 articles published in TLT covering a broad range of topics, including viscosity, additive chemistry and grease.

IN THE 21ST CENTURY DIGITAL WORLD, associations struggle to find effective ways to attract and engage people, like you, who are a current or potential member. A recent online post by a Chicago-area consultant reminded me that sometimes simple is best when it comes to marketing the benefits of membership.

Alex Goldfayn, who publishes an online resource, www.evangelistmktg.com called the Evangelist Marketing Minute, had this to say:

“When you contact prospective members with a pitch, you are pushing your membership or events to them. When you call, sell, mail or use one of those awful, horrifically long ‘sales letters,’ you’re pushing. What reaction do most people have when being pushed at? We step away, don’t we? We play defense. I’m busy, stop pushing me.

“The opposite of this is helping people in our marketing. Really help people, with relevant value. Like this newsletter. Like my webinars (or yours). Like white papers. Like really good how-to pieces. When you demonstrate your value to people who can buy from you, you are pulling them closer to yourself. Create high-value materials and experiences and allow people to ‘step’ closer to you with each item of value. That’s interesting. I’d like to learn more.”

STLE has a new digital how-to offering that fits this second definition of “pull marketing.”

Lubrication Fundamentals is a bestpractices guide that’s suited to people new to the lubricants business and to those who have some experience but need a reference or a refresher. It features a compilation of 10 articles from past issues of TLT that cover a broad range of topics. The contents include plain language explanations of important lubricant properties such as viscosity and additive chemistry and a comprehensive look at grease testing. Also included are primers on the proper lubrication techniques for common mechanical components such as bearings, gears and seals. The final set of articles looks at filters and filtration, implementing a green strategy at an industrial plant and the special challenges of turbine lubrication.

All of the material in this special 36-page resource was written by Dr. Robert M. Gresham, STLE’s director of professional development. Bob’s columns on Lubrication Fundamentals have been an integral part of TLT for more than a decade and receive consistently high ratings from readers. In recognition of his work for TLT and his many other contributions, Bob was recently named as an STLE Fellow by the Board of Directors. He becomes one of fewer than 200 members who hold this designation.

The best news about Lubrication Fundamentals is that it’s available for free to industry professionals who manufacture, market and support lubricants, lubricant additives, lubrication systems and other lubricant-related products. Go to www.stle.org to download the digital reprint.

There’s no doubt that free digital products are going to help the people who download and read them. But a membership commitment by individuals and organizations brings our Connect. Learn. Achieve. value proposition to life.

We can pull you close enough to STLE to experience the value of an outstanding professional society. Push yourself to get fully involved through membership and the benefits will come alive for you and your company.


You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.