The people at Auburn Works, the Alabama Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), have created the future of MEP Center websites. The new website creates a community using the Ning platform and the integration of a traditional website and social media.
Don’t know who your local MEP Center is in your state? They are very helpful! Click the NIST MEP list to find yours.
8 Reasons Why Every MEP Center Needs This Type of Website
- Shows that manufacturers need more than just lean & quality. To paraphrase the great Blues Brothers movie – “Oh, we got both kinds of training. We got Lean *AND* Quality.” Manufacturers need innovation assistance (AKA Eureka Winning Ways assistance), sales training, and website marketing (in Arkansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and others).
- It creates a community. A big challenge for manufacturing companies & MEP Centers is establishing a strong community that can work together. There is so much duplicated effort and wasted resources. This waste can be reduced (lean gurus rejoice!) when there is a strong communications infrastructure – that is what this website configuration can provide.
- Improves communication. Communication issues continue to limit manufacturers' effectiveness – many do not even know about the resources they have in their own state. The Auburn Works website will greatly improve this communication for their group.
- Rapid needs analysis for manufacturers. Surveys are time-consuming and often do not gather the interest needed for valid data. By participating in a conversation between manufacturers, MEP Centers can dramatically improve their service levels for their clients. They will discover what is truly needed.
- It helps manufacturers compete. If manufacturers can see potential suppliers & customers in their state, that helps grow the manufacturing economy. If manufacturers can discover & implement best practices through a new website, that strengthens manufacturers.
- MEP Centers can better serve their clients. MEP Center field personnel love to help manufacturers. Now the centers can have a tool that identifies the needs of their manufacturers and helps their field staff to go help their clients.
- Improved sharing of best practices. Isn’t that the whole point of social media? We can share the BEST of what is available with our peers and strengthen everyone.
- It reduces the use of antiquated “push” marketing. If an MEP salesperson is sick of sending a blitz of emails on the next open enrollment Lean 101, be encouraged – the community can help. If you think push marketing is a good idea, shame on you – go read Seth Godin’s Permission Marketing and learn how the rest of the world markets effectively.