Let’s face it: Today’s world can easily cause information overload. When equipment dealers develop marketing strategies, they’re still categorizing media as traditional and digital. Marketing has become multi-screened, and media channels are becoming intertwined.

Two rural equipment manufacturers, Ariens and Excel Industries, recently faced crises that put the companies — and their leaders — in the national spotlight. Ariens faced scrutiny for an employer/employee rights issue and Excel faced the tragedy of a mass shooting at its facility by an employee.

I’m a huge fan of using video for marketing. I was hooked the day I went online to find information about how to fix cracks in asphalt driveways. A how-to video popped up in the search and I’d much rather watch someone show me how to do something than read about it. I used the product in the video and applied it just the way I was shown and it helped me fix my problem.