It’s easy to see EVERYTHING THAT IS UNIQUE at Harvey Water Softeners when you visit their ‘softer water innovation centre’ in Old Woking, Surrey. Look at the detail of their factory, watch them working out how to constantly improve their products and observe a management team that is turning the 40-year legacy into a long-term brand strategy to deliver balanced prosperity that adds value locally and across the whole country. That’s the Harvey way - showing other business sectors what really works and what makes the best manufacturing mindset.
And that is why we’ve named Harvey our Member of the Month in March 2019.
Martin Hurworth, managing director, Harvey Water Softeners told us “We’re really proud to be appointed Made in Britain MotM, just weeks after being awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise, presented by the Duke of Kent. The story of Harvey is the story of quality, longevity and impeccable customer service. That extends through all our family of staff here in Old Woking the network of installers and partners around Britain that serve our customers.”
The team at Harvey Water Softeners were delighted to host MiBs first factory-tour workshop of 2019, where the marketing masterclass was on social media strategies and how to make small steps in targeted free media and a big difference to the engagement levels across all social channels. Specialist marketer Alison Tarry of Citypress presented a ‘pop-up’ masterclass for Made in Britain members, followed up with a social media ‘AMA’ (ask-me-anything) session that produced plenty of debate and lots of insights for members wanting to sell more with the MiB marque.
“ Manufacturers have a unique and highly valuable opportunity to become vertically integrated - social media can very effectively support that move, as long as it’s part of a broader plan of engagement directly with end customers. The costs don’t have to be huge but the rewards can be! ” John Pearce, CEO Made in Britain
Social media sales are an important component of the Harvey strategy for selling water softeners, but targeted leaflet flyers focusing on hard water areas are equally important, as are ‘live’ appearances and demonstration events that literally ‘wash the hands’ of potential customers to prove what a difference soft water can make in every home.
Team Harvey showed all our MiB member delegates that you can have a soft sell, based on the hard facts about your target audience and what they need from your business and your product. The marketing team at Harvey should know. They’ve been promoting the benefits of soft water filters for more than 40 years and have ambitious plans and new investment to take their incredible story onwards for decades to come.
Everyone learns something at a Made in Britain workshop. We understand how manufacturers that want to be the best in their sector balance growth with longevity and focus on their core purpose as a business. We learn how to manage a growing factory by evolving and developing the personnel as well as the premises. And we always, humbly, learn how manufacturers in Britain are managing to thrive and prosper in these challenging political and economic times. That’s exemplary in many ways and business like HWS prove it with every single softener they make and sell in Britain.
Our next workshop is on 27 March at Fracino with a focus on export sales growth.
By Made in Britain 5 years ago | By Made in Britain