Spindustry Blog

Michael Bird

Michael Bird is President and a co-founder at Spindustry Digital. Michael’s high level of engagement and enthusiasm in solving business problems is felt by clients and team members alike. He instinctively works well in all team environments and he bridges the gap between business and the marketing and technology solutions we provide. Michael develops creative, strategic ideas for client’s marketing programs, including those for Iowa Economic Development Authority, Brownells and Kuder. Michael was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Finalist in 2000, Technology Association of Iowa IT Leader in the Community in 2002 and is a member of the Business Record’s 40 under 40 class. Michael has a BA in Marketing and Computer Information Systems from the University of Colorado.
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Recent Posts

Getting on Board with E-Commerce

Posted by Michael Bird on May 7, 2020

The world exists online now more than ever as humanity combats the COVID-19 pandemic. People are purchasing everything from groceries to pet supplies on e-commerce platforms. Consumers and businesses have been forced to adapt to this rapidly changing online landscape, and manufacturers have to be ready to do the same. 

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Topics: ecommerce, web development

5 Strategies to Improve E-Commerce Conversion Rates

Posted by Michael Bird on March 31, 2020

Having 1,800 shopping carts full in your e-commerce store sounds like a dream, but what if I were to tell you that only six of those carts turned into actual purchases?

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Topics: ecommerce, web development, website design

3 Privacy Compliance Priorities for Manufacturers in eCommerce

Posted by Michael Bird on February 28, 2020

Manufacturing leaders aren’t exactly diving into the world of ecommerce headfirst. Instead, they’re cautiously dipping one toe at a time into the waters. Several things keep them from going “all in,” so to speak, but one of the most serious is compliance with privacy regulations.

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Topics: ecommerce, web development, website design

5 Must-Have Features of Enterprise eCommerce

Posted by Michael Bird on November 13, 2019

E-commerce is everywhere — unless, of course, you look in the B2B space. Unfortunately, one segment lags behind all the rest when it comes to online sales: manufacturers. Just 38% of manufacturers have e-commerce websites, and only 6% of all manufacturer sales come through this particular channel.

Assuming your e-commerce site comes equipped with all the basics like browse, add to cart, checkout, email confirmation, etc., there are a few features to look out for at the enterprise level. Those often include the following: 

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Topics: ecommerce, web development, website tips, website design

Reaching Customers Through SEO

Posted by Michael Bird on October 22, 2019

For manufacturing and other B2C organizations, the ability to connect with customers is critical. But e-commerce customers can slip through your hands. When they search on Google for your products, they might never make it to your website because it doesn’t rank well. And if a prospective customer does find your site, he or she might not get results with the search feature — even though the desired product is in stock.

The good news? You have solutions. Here are four ways to make your content stronger and start fixing your e-commerce search issues:

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Topics: SEO, marketing strategy, ecommerce, web development, website tips, website design

How Manufacturers Can Pursue eCommerce to Stay Ahead of the Competition

Posted by Michael Bird on October 8, 2019

While setting up an e-commerce platform for direct-to-consumer sales brings about obstacles including time, money, and the hassle of learning new technological systems, manufacturers can't let those hurdles stop them. If they decide not to develop e-commerce, their competitors will. According to research from the International Data Corp., about half of manufacturers will have direct-to-consumer capability by the end of 2020, and that number will only grow. 

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Topics: manufacturing, ecommerce, web development

Getting Over the eCommerce Hump

Posted by Michael Bird on August 28, 2019

The internet has quickly become the go-to marketplace for every industry. E-commerce sales grew at their fastest rate ever and topped $1 trillion in 2018 — and most experts predict that the rate will continue to rise sharply in the coming years.

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Topics: ecommerce, web development

Why Your Rival’s eCommerce Setup Might Not Be as Perfect as You Think

Posted by Michael Bird on August 19, 2019

It’s natural to feel energized when you see your competition making improvements — you want to drive growth for your company, too. Remember: you don’t know if their great advertising got clicks, if their landing page led to conversions, or if that sleek-looking email generated any leads.

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Topics: ecommerce, web development

Resources for Iowa Manufacturers

Posted by Michael Bird on October 24, 2017

Iowa Manufacturers make up a very important part of the state economy. We know you are busy and also looking to grow. While many Iowa manufacturers know about many of these resources, there may be some you have missed. We want to do what we can to keep everyone connected and talking and thus wanted to create this list of valuable resources. Did we forget one you find valuable? Great, let us know and we will add it to the list. Reach out at info@spindustry.com and let us know.

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Topics: manufacturing, business development

Why Skipping the RFP Process Can Yield Better Results

Posted by Michael Bird on January 22, 2014

We understand that sometimes you feel compelled or are even required to use a Request for Proposal (RFP). We understand the need to talk to several potential partners. We just do not believe the RFP process helps you find the best partner. We have found that ultimately, most selection processes comes down to finding the partner that meets the basic requirements and then has the right…feel. So, why not try to find that out upfront before putting yourself through the development of a complicated RFP (likely with the wrong questions), the vendors through the long response process (with the best ones likely not responding) and yourself again through the difficult process of parsing the responses. We recommend the following process:

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Topics: business development