The Evolution of Sales & Marketing for Manufacturing

The original format of marketing existed in a straightforward, clear progression: consumers saw an ad, developed an interest in the advertised product and made plans to purchase it.  Unfortunately, that simple path is no longer common anymore.  Now, buyers find information through external sources and their own research to make decisions, meaning that a manufacturer’s approach to marketing must evolve.

This evolution flips the entire order of manufacturing sales on its head: instead of sales representatives approaching potential customers, buyers are coming to sales reps with their extensive research in hand. To stay relevant and in demand, manufacturers must consider the minds of their customers and how they can find the right products during their search for a solution to their problem.

Below are two areas to consider when updating your sales and marketing strategies for the new age:

Search Engine Optimization:  93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and these searches bring more people to business websites than all other online channels combined. Search engines like Google and Bing use intricate, exclusive algorithms to determine which websites are most relevant to the words that users type into a search box.  Organizing your website’s homepage so that it contains phrases that describe your product (e.g. “metal stamping,” “medical,” etc.) as well as qualifying buzzwords (e.g. “reliable,” “premium,” etc.) will help draw the eye of the researching buyer.

Social Media: Most manufacturers think of social media as a platform best suited for B2C, but B2B marketing can benefit from this area, as well. Social media should be used to stoke the promotional fire by delivering content to the masses and engaging with potential buyers. Having one’s company social media accounts open to questions also streamlines the research process for the consumer: if they are interested in doing business with you, sending a quick question over the platform’s messaging system gives you the opportunity to engage and build rapport.

With these strategies in mind, manufacturers will have a leg up on their competition in the marketing space.  For more tips and insights into the future of manufacturing marketing and sales from experts in the field, join PMA in Milwaukee, WI, for the Manufacturing Sales & Marketing Summit on September 26 and 27.  More information and registration details can be found here.

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