During the 2020 PSNI Global Evolve Marketing Summit, we sat down with the organization's Preferred Vendor Partners to hear about their latest offerings for integrators.
Interview with Megan Knedler, Director of Marketing, Legrand AV.
AVN: Tell us about your latest product.
MEGAN KNEDLER: We never stop the new at Legrand AV. Our brands and teams are always on the pulse of the opportunities and innovating. Vaddio is really in position to shine right now as their solutions help companies, schools, healthcare, and more be prepared for whatever happens—they are actually pulling launches forward to help more people stay connected.
Vaddio launched the new AV Bridge 2x1 recently, which is perfectly sized for lecture capture and streaming to support the shift to distance learning. Schools and teachers are loving the ability to brand their content as they stream. These little touches are helping brands and organizations stand out amidst a flood of virtual content.
Vaddio has also launched a new EasyIP EcoSystem of solutions that includes PTZ Cameras, mixers with Dante Audio, Decoders, Switches and Controllers. A full suite of PoE solutions that deliver an amazing AV experience at an amazing price point.
AVN: What resources are available to your integrators to market their business?
MK: Our focus has changed since COVID-19. Legrand AV’s marketing team has been cranking out content to support the key verticals and applications in the AV industry since the onset. Our latest tools and content are designed to help tell the stories of our solutions—how they work together, the problems they solve. We’d love to co-market and partner on content development with our integrators. To partner and amplify the message of how AV can help solve the challenges of today is a win/win for everyone.
AVN: How can integrators partner with you on case studies?
MK: Give us a call! I was just speaking with an integrator last week working with a major University. They were describing some of their marketing bandwidth constraints: funding and people. The reality is that we can totally help. Give our teams a little time to gather the download, send us pictures—or even better, video—and we can pull the story together.
AVN: What is the number one thing integrators can do to market their business?
MK: Consider marketing around the key applications from two perspectives: stop-gap solutions versus maximizing an investment. Showing your customers either scenario will showcase your abilities to work with them wherever they may be on that spectrum.
I just can’t say it enough: Solving the challenges today has actually been more about delivering what’s relevant than what’s new. In our industry we get so energized and inspired by the latest innovations, so this is uncharted territory. Get comfortable meeting customers where they are with what they need.
AVN: How is your company dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic?
MK: How hasn’t it? Some of our core markets have dwindled, halted, or pivoted. As the age-old book describes: our cheese has moved. We’ve done what everyone else has done and adjusted our marketing, sales, and product strategies to align to the demand and needs of our marketplace.
We’re incredibly grateful to be in an industry that is positioned to make a difference in today’s climate. Our operations teams have been instrumental in keeping our employees safe and helping get product out the door, our sales team has offered up their demo gear to help local churches deliver their weekly service without skipping a beat, our marketing team had developed a suite of system diagrams as cheat sheets to help end users get started—it’s honestly been a beautiful response to a crisis that has united us and made us stronger. Feeling more connected to our markets and customers than ever before.
For more information on the PSNI Global Alliance, visit psni.org.
