Earning Industry Trust: 12 Articles, 580,000+ Decision-Makers Reached
See how The Harbinger Group turned Powering Chicago’s expertise into placements in publications facility managers could trust
OVERVIEW
Every electrical contractor claims safety, reliability and skill—Powering Chicago needed a way to stand out and prove their expertise to facility managers. To help build trust, we created a contributed content program, placing articles in trade publications our audiences already relied on. Our strategy reached more than 580,000 industry professionals and helped establish Powering Chicago as a trusted authority in a crowded electrical contractor market.
POWERED BY RESULTS
580,000+
Industry professionals reached through contributed content
12
Contributed articles placed across 11 publications
94
Maximum publication domain authority
1
Consistent expert voice behind every piece
Topics Covered
NFPA 70B compliance, electrical safety, workforce development, infrastructure modernization and more
THE CLIENT
Powering Chicago is a partnership between IBEW Local 134 and the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Chicago. Since 1900, their members have built the city as it grew—from wiring its first telephone system and subway to helping build landmarks like the Willis Tower and Wrigley Field. Today that same partnership trains the next generation of electricians and connects skilled contractors with the people who need them.
THE PROBLEM
Every electrical contractor competes for business while offering the same guarantees: superior safety, reliability, quality and skill. For facility managers, owners and operations leads, knowing who to trust—and what sets an electrical contractor apart—can make all the difference when choosing which contractor will complete their next electrical project.
This was our challenge: in a crowded market, we needed to demonstrate exactly what made Powering Chicago the industry expert—all while building awareness among their most important audiences.
The goal was to become an industry authority before the contractor decision-making process even started. If we could offer valuable industry insights by answering questions facility managers, developers, engineers and construction professionals face every day, we could become the trusted Chicagoland resource—and earn more business for Powering Chicago.
THE STRATEGY
We turned away from traditional marketing campaigns and embraced content as our #1 promotional tool. By publishing educational articles in prominent industry publications, we could demonstrate Powering Chicago’s expertise in an environment their audiences already used to gain advice, answer questions and solve problems.
HOW WE DID IT
Publishing Where Audiences Already Are
In the skilled trades and other industries with specialized audiences, where you publish matters as much as what you publish. THG set to work identifying publications that spoke to the audiences Powering Chicago wanted to reach. We then developed relationships with editors, tailored pitches and adapted article content to meet publication requirements, leading to more placements in important locations.
Total Articles Placed
12
Answering Questions & Solving Industry Problems
We conducted research to make sure every article answered real questions and solved problems facility managers faced. THG provided practical guidance, project examples and technical insights on topics audiences cared about most, including:
- Electrical safety and NFPA 70B compliance
- Preventive maintenance and reliability
- Workforce development
- Infrastructure modernization
- Mission-critical facilities
- Contractor selection
- Regulatory compliance
By zeroing in on content our audiences most wanted to see, we expanded our reach and gained industry trust.
Adding a Clear Next Step
Where allowed, we included a direct CTA to Powering Chicago’s Find a Contractor Tool, giving facility managers a clear next step for evaluating a qualified electrical contractor. In publications that didn’t allow promotional efforts, we offered a link back to the Powering Chicago site, giving audiences a way to continue exploring educational resources and contractor info.
One Trusted Author
By primarily running content under one author—Powering Chicago Executive Director Elbert Walters III—we were able to put a face, name and consistent voice to Powering Chicago’s expertise, cementing our message across every publication.
Making Every Article Do More
We made sure every published piece got a second life. We used Powering Chicago’s website, social media, email, newsletters and more to reach our most important audiences long after initial publication.
THE OUTCOME
Two birds, one stone. Our contributed content strategy allowed us to position Powering Chicago as an industry expert in a crowded electrical contractor market and help facility managers, owners and operations leads rely on Powering Chicago to compare and choose a qualified union electrical contractor. We did this while answering questions on important industry topics and establishing audience trust.
For labor-management organizations, construction contractors and trade associations, this is what The Harbinger Group can do: create standout content that goes beyond visibility by reaching the right audiences and giving them a reason to trust and choose your business, again and again.