Every now and then I talk with a plumber who gripes about manufacturer ads in the trade press. Usually, the plumber believes the money could be better spent elsewhere, such as consumer advertising to make it easier for the plumber to sell the manufacturer’s products. Here are seven reasons why manufacturers advertise in the trade press.

1. Plumbers are the channel captains

No one has more influence over brand decisions than plumbers. If a plumber recommends “Brand X” and not “Brand Y” the lion’s share of the time, the consumer will follow the plumber’s recommendation.

It makes sense. Consumers believe (correctly) that the professional has more knowledge, experience and expertise. The plumber is also going to be tasked with standing behind the product if there’s a problem.

Plumbers do not always recognize their power in the channel of distribution. The manufacturers who do, and who care about the service and repair side of the industry, seek to influence plumbers.

2. The trade press offers better returns

It costs a lot of money to generate any kind of brand awareness among consumers. By contrast, an advertising campaign in the trade press costs a fraction of consumer advertising and can easily reach a significant share of the trade professionals. Moreover, the larger contractors are more likely to read the trade press.

Consumers buy plumbing products no more than a few times in a decade, if not a lifetime. Plumbers sell every single day.

3. Plumbing & Mechanical is a trusted trade brand

Plumbing & Mechanical is a storied magazine within the trade. Trust has been built over decades. When manufacturers advertise in the magazine, they are associating their brands with PM. Yes, they are paying for appearances, but the positive association remains.

4. Plumbers visit pmmag.com searching for solutions

Plumbing & Mechanical reaches out to plumbers through a variety of means, including email, eMagazines, eBooks, downloadable reports, social media and other digital avenues. The magazine draws plumbers to its website as a location for solutions to trade-specific problems and for trade-specific growth opportunities.

Growth-oriented plumbers self-select when they visit the pmmag.com website. They are the plumbers who manufacturers want to attract. They are the plumbers who are committed to business improvement.

When asked why he robbed banks, bank robber, Willie Sutton infamously said, “That’s where the money is.” Hockey legend, Wayne Gretzky said, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” PM’s website is where the plumbers looking to buy and invest are and will be.

5. Trade ads have a shelf-life

There is a shelf-life to trade advertising. When a manufacturer sponsors an eBook or report, their imprint hangs around as the downloads continue for years into the future. The ads live on. Moreover, they live in a less crowded field.

It costs a lot of money to generate any kind of brand awareness among consumers. By contrast, an advertising campaign in the trade press costs a fraction of consumer advertising and can easily reach a significant share of the trade professionals.

6. Most digital is ephemeral

Digital gets a lot of attention because it can be targeted. Of course, there is so much of it these days that it has become so much noise to many plumbers. When they fail to notice or fail to click, it vanishes into the ether.

7. Better coverage follows

No one in the trade press will admit this, but “friends” of the magazines get more frequent and more favorable coverage. It only makes sense. Trade magazines need to pay the bills, too. Think about your own business. Who do you respond better to, the lucrative, repeat customer, or the guy who rarely buys and always wants something for nothing?

My career spans manufacturing, contracting, contractor support organizations and events. My first choice for advertising has always been the trade press. As long as my messaging spoke to contractor needs and desires, it was a successful strategy. This is why I advertised in the trade press and why manufacturers continue to choose the trade press.