Case Study: O'Brien Engineering
O’Brien Engineering is a Sydney-based laser cutting and metal fabrication specialist supplying a wide range of engraving materials, metals, acrylics, and laminates to industries across Australia. From industrial engravers and sign makers to architects and large-scale manufacturers, O’Brien helps clients turn ideas into reality with services spanning laser cutting, folding, welding, engraving, and custom fabrication.
Achieving a 42% increase in online sales in 2 years.
When I first met O’Brien Engineering in 2023, they were already well-regarded in their industry. Their workshop in Silverwater was buzzing with activity - laser cutting, metal folding, welding, fabrication, engraving materials stacked floor to ceiling. They had the skills, the machines, and a loyal customer base.
But when it came to marketing, they were almost invisible. Their website was bare-bones, their social media modest, and most of their growth came from word of mouth. They knew they could be doing more, but they didn’t know where to start.
That’s when I stepped in.
The Challenge: Making Expertise Visible
O’Brien’s offering is vast:
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Supplying engraving laminates, acrylics, metals, and custom sheets.
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Delivering services like laser cutting, folding, welding, and fabrication.
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Working with clients ranging from engravers and sign makers to architects and large industrial companies.
The challenge was clear: how do you take such a broad, technical, and hands-on business and present it in a way that is engaging, modern, and human?
The Strategy: Content, Video, Connection
I proposed a bold but simple solution: turn their workshop into their stage. Instead of slick ads or generic messaging, we would put their people — especially their charismatic sales manager, Luke — front and centre.
Together, we launched a video-first content marketing push:
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Factory-floor videos showing processes like engraving, cutting, and fabrication.
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Product videos for sheets, laminates, and metals, giving customers more than just a spec sheet.
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Educational content explaining how different materials and services could solve real-world problems.
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Email campaigns and landing pages where videos became conversion tools, with interactive Wistia forms and incentive-driven hooks.
We also revitalised their website — adding detailed product pages with videos, improving the customer journey, and making the site a true sales asset.
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Creative Execution: Marketing That Feels Easy
For O’Brien, creating marketing had always felt like a chore. My goal was to make it seamless. I interviewed rather than scripted. I drew out authentic insights from Luke and the team, then shaped them into compelling stories.
We built promotions that not only grabbed attention but drove action:
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Product launches supported by video + email campaigns.
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Black Friday sales that produced huge spikes in orders.
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Ongoing incentives that encouraged customers to watch, learn, and buy.
The result was marketing that didn’t feel like marketing - it felt like O’Brien simply opening their doors and letting customers in.
Results: Growth You Can See
The transformation was immediate and measurable:
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Dozens of new videos and email campaigns created a steady drumbeat of content.
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Website sales increased 22% in year one.
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Website sales increased a further 42% in year two - and that’s just online orders for materials, not counting the big-ticket fabrication and laser cutting jobs.
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Clear spikes in sales tied directly to promotions like Black Friday.
Most importantly, customers were connecting with the people behind the machines - building trust, loyalty, and repeat business.
Conclusion: A Story Still Being Written
The partnership with O’Brien Engineering is ongoing, and the results keep compounding. Together, we’ve turned a quiet, word-of-mouth business into a confident, content-rich brand that drives its own growth online.
It’s more than just new videos or email blasts. It’s a shift in mindset: O’Brien now sees marketing not as an afterthought, but as a natural extension of who they are and what they do.
And for me, it’s been about making marketing effortless - helping them tell their story in a way that feels authentic, engaging, and impossible to ignore.