What was your journey until taking on this role in the company?
I am an Aerospace Engineer so I come from a very different world than electromechanics. I worked as a designer for some time but I realized it wasn't for me, I prefer more operational jobs. So I decided to follow training courses and specialize as a Project Manager. Thanks to this role I had the opportunity to work in different sectors, from large works to the world of heat exchangers. Subsequently, about three and a half years ago, I joined Westrafo, taking over the entire product development part. Until a year ago I was also responsible for marketing management which, previously, was still in its embryonic phase. We now have a resource that deals with this entire area, including our presence at trade fairs. We are growing a lot by trying to participate in key events on the international scene.
What do you think about the use of social media in the B2B market segment?
At Westrafo we are using social media a lot even if not all of them align with the business. In the Vicenza area we have many competitors but the use of social media is not very widespread in this area. In other markets, such as the American and Turkish ones, they are also widely used tools in the electromechanical sector. In general abroad, especially LinkedIn, it is used a lot because it is a business-oriented platform and many opportunities are created. Italy follows closely behind: social media is used much more than some time ago and, in a few years, I think it will balance out.
Which social network is more in line with your business model and which is less?
For Westrafo, Facebook and Instagram are a sort of showcase where we try to publish different contents to show different sides of the brand. The former is mainly used for galleries while Instagram is used for communicating events and fairs. Our main social network is certainly LinkedIn, the one most in line with the sector and the method of communication. The power of Human Resources on this platform is fundamental and the spirit of this social network is purely work-related and institutional. Being able to communicate directly with customers and partners is very important to us. If I had to identify a social network on which we are not present as the most distant from Westrafo, I would certainly say TikTok which, at the moment, we have not even taken into consideration as a platform on which to invest time and resources. Facebook, on the other hand, isn't really on target with us but we decided to use it anyway.
The data shows that having a low number of followers damages the brand image, what do you think?
I agree even if at Westrafo we don't consider it to be such a significant aspect at the moment. I believe that it fundamentally depends on the dynamics of the sector in which you operate: there are niches in which making your brand known through social media is not yet necessary. To this we must also add the issue of budget investments: LinkedIn, for example, is a very expensive platform on which it is difficult to invest large amounts of money.
Have you ever collaborated with professionals regarding the social sphere?
We rely on external professionals with regards to the coordination of very large and important events. The management of the Westrafo website is internal, with some exceptions for external consultancy related to the code. We prefer collaborations with partners who train our resources rather than someone to whom we are tied due to lack of knowledge. One day we would like to expand the marketing office, differentiating communication even more. Obviously we do not exclude collaborations with external resources.
What are the future corporate communication projects?
For Westrafo the key next year will certainly be sustainability. We would also like to focus on the projects we have underway in the States and, for which, a supporting marketing strategy will absolutely be needed. At the same time as these ideas, we wish to continue to expand the marketing office in such a way as to dedicate more resources, energy and budget to this aspect, especially with a view to the US market.