Not Going with the Flow

One of the best things about working in the communications industry is that we’re constantly meeting innovative people and learning about new products or services we wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to.   

Enter David Lake, an unassuming automation specialist with a pretty revolutionary idea. After working on industrial and construction sites for many years, he realized there was a better and simpler way to monitor and control industrial pumps. So he built it.

While he knew exactly how to create this technologically advanced, precision pump controller, he wanted help branding and sharing it with the world. Enter Estipona Group.

Whadya call this thingamajig? 

Lake’s pump controller is a niche product, designed for particular pumping systems. But when considering names for his company, we needed to consider future product expansion as well. We focused on the unique attributes his product provided (and future models would provide) which led us to these benefits: 

• Less reliance on skilled labor and reduced training time

• Improved precision and reliability

• Improved safety

• Cost savings

• Time savings

Developing a name for a new business is no easy feat. When you hear a great name, sure it seems obvious – that’s what makes it good. But getting to that unique and natural feeling name can be a very labored process. We experimented with many words and phrases for Lake’s pump controller related to liquid, control and tech, but we kept running into roadblocks — similar names in the same industry, no available urls or concerns from the trademark attorney. 

When we arrived at Vigilant Controls, we knew we had something special. It spoke to the product’s ability to monitor 24/7, as well as its control function. And to our surprise, VigilantControls.com was available. We knew it was meant to be. The trademark was also available.

With a company name that required a little explaining, we developed a tagline to help paint the picture — smart pump technology.

Creating a Not-So-Secret Identity

Lake wanted his brand identity to feel high-tech. It also needed to stand out in the industrial landscape where he was competing with well-known, established brands with large marketing budgets. Our logo solution illustrates dynamic movement to represent what the company does – controlling the flow of liquid. The color and font were also chosen to be modern, yet classic – so his brand won’t look dated in five years. The logo symbol can appear as an outlined version with the water imagery flowing through as shown above or without as its full color version shown below.

Worldwide Web, Meet Vigilant Controls

The website needed to convey some highly technical information in an easily digestible manner — after all, the site might be viewed by a engineers, foremen, salespeople or or a corporate purchasing agent. We needed both to see the value of the product. We worked with Lake to identify three core differentiators and shared those benefits throughout the site: superior function, cost savings and ease of use. 

A request for information button sits in the header in a prominent orange bar and is repeated in content throughout the site, making it easy for prospects to connect with Lake. When a user selects that they’re interested in superior function, cost savings or ease of use, they’re taken to a contact page with that benefit pre-selected for them, helping Lake gather additional info and alleviating a step from the user.  

Simple movement and on-page icon animation give a lively flow to the webpages. 

Tools To Support Sales

Lake was going to be face-to-face with his potential customers at trade shows and sales events, so he needed some marketing pieces to help him sell his product. Business cards, retractable display signs, and flyers were developed — simple, engaging graphics and messages to spark inquiry.

We worked with Lake to choose promotional products to hand out at conferences that would capture the interest of his potential customers. Three items were chosen: 1) A 6-in-1 pen (including screwdriver, LED light and compass – pictured below) that’s functional and useful for busy professionals on the go; 2) a retractable straw that offers a positive environmental message and a way to connect with people who work in fluid management; and 3) a blue-haired stylus/screen cleaner/pen that’s just plain fun (also pictured below).

What’s Next? 

As David Lake and Vigilant Controls continue to take the pump world by storm (Get it? Storm!?), we’re conceptualizing the next wave (see, we did it again!) of marketing efforts to help even more companies benefit from this revolutionary new product.