Ron Widup
Marketing & Industry Awareness Committee Chair
Shermco Industries

How are your marketing efforts related to the latest changes in the National Fire Protection Association's electrical safety standard, NFPA 70E® Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace? The NFPA 70E® has a specific purpose, and it never mentions marketing. After all, these are two entirely different subjects. Or are they?

We should always think about safety. It needs to be top of mind every day for every task, whether you are standing in front of an energized piece of high-voltage equipment, driving through a school zone or cleaning the gutters on your roof. We all  agree that safety is important, but where is the connection to marketing? 

The NFPA 70E® (Article 90.1) says: 

The purpose of this standard is to provide a practical, safe working area for employees relative to the hazards arising from the use of electricity.

Let's apply the following five points to the latest changes found in NFPA 70E® and how they relate to marketing. You can apply these principles to similar thought streams, including new government rules and regulations, customer-specific requirements and ANSI/EASA AR100.

People Trust Subject Matter Experts
Competition is fierce. The more value and technical expertise you bring to your customers, the more likely they will choose  you over the “other guy.” When you deliver on your promises and showcase your value, you are more likely to gain a strong reputation in the marketplace and earn repeat business. Trust is essential and rewarded.

Trained & Educated Employees Generate More Value for Your Business
Your customer has a problem and calls your company to solve it. When you send out skilled, qualified technical talent and educate the customer on the root cause, the customer will most likely call you again. Think about the plumber or HVAC company that comes to your house and impresses you with its service or expertise. Don't you recommend them and provide them with repeat business? If the provider exceeds your expectations, do you concern yourself with the price? Likely not. This same idea can apply to your services as well. 

Incidents & Injuries Are Morale Busters
No one wants equipment to fail. More importantly, nobody wants their people to get hurt. When either of those happens, it can often create a general feeling of despair and affect how the entire organization operates.

While you should never let your guard down, in the absence of incidents and injuries, focus more on other imperative aspects of the business like your employees. 

We Care About the Health and Well-Being of Our Employees & Their Families
People are our most important asset. We invest a lot of time, effort and money to make sure our people are happy, trained, and engaged.

Have a complete understanding of the hazards around you to avoid incidents and injuries at work or home. As business owners and managers, we should spend time educating our employees on the risks they face every day and how to mitigate those hazards, which ultimately leads to a healthier and safer existence. 

Sales Ain't Marketing. Marketing Ain't Sales. Huh?
Sales involves activities to close the deal, which then turns products and services into cash.

Marketing involves laying the groundwork for the sales process, attracting leads and prospects to your business, so you meet your customer's needs, and they are satisfied. 

When you weave your technical expertise and skills into your marketing activities, the results lead to market differentiation, which leads to more sales. 

We are providers of technical services. Differentiate your company and your employees from the competition by having a more comprehensive understanding of our industry's relevant standards and required expertise, such as NFPA 70E®. 

Changes to the latest edition of NFPA 70E® only matter if you take the time to understand them. Learn what has changed and how those changes impact the industry, our companies and our people. 

Maybe if we add a statement regarding the scope of NFPA 70E®, it all ties together. 

“The purpose of this standard is to provide a practical, safe working area for employees relative to the hazards arising from the use of electricity.” And by understanding the changes to the document, you will provide value and organic marketing of your services to your employees, your customers, and all of those around you.

Be safe out there – and turn it off before you work on it.

Categories: Technical topics, Miscellaneous, Standards

Tags: Standards National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Marketing

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