The manufacturing industry is undergoing a transformation, especially in the realm of sales and marketing. With traditional tactics like trade shows and cold calls losing their effectiveness, manufacturing companies need to use digital marketing to remain competitive.
Digital marketing for manufacturers is about more than just generating leads, though. It’s helping you reach high-quality, targeted leads to help your sales teams close more deals and build long-term relationships with clients.
If you’re looking for figures to measure performance against, here’s what the statistics show. According to the latest benchmark report from Databox, B2B companies are converting about 22 leads per month. That’s the median number in the chart below. The highest-performing companies are converting 145 leads per month. Where does your company fall in the range?
If you’re closer to the median and want to reach the high end, digital marketing can help you get there. Our comprehensive guide will explore how manufacturers can use digital marketing strategies and tactics to support sales, create more conversions, and grow revenue.
Why Digital Marketing Matters for Manufacturers
Manufacturers operate in a highly competitive B2B landscape. This means longer sales cycles, highly informed buyers, and complex decision-making processes. Buyers in the manufacturing industry often research extensively before they even contact a sales rep.
It is up to manufacturing companies to ensure their digital presence answers the needs of these buyers at every stage of the buyer’s journey. By implementing effective digital marketing strategies, you can:
- Generate more qualified leads for your sales teams.
- Educate and nurture prospects with content designed for their pain points.
- Build trust and credibility through case studies and positive customer experiences.
- Streamline sales processes by aligning marketing efforts with sales goals.
Integrating digital marketing into your sales and marketing process will help you build momentum and set you on the path toward more conversions every month. So, where do you start?
Steps to Build a Digital Marketing Program for Manufacturers
Let’s explore some of the most impactful digital marketing strategies and tactics for the manufacturing industry.
1. Capture Each Buyer Persona
Every successful digital marketing campaign begins with understanding who you’re marketing to. A great starting point is creating a buyer’s journey that captures each buying persona, the stages of their decision-making process, and how to help them advance toward a decision.
A buyer persona represents a segment of your customer base, which is created from data, research, and customer interviews. Once you have a firm grasp of these personas, you want to capture their decisions from awareness to consideration to decision to success. You also want to pinpoint the exact challenges and needs of your target market at each stage.
How to Create an Effective Buyer Persona
- Gather data about existing customers through sales teams, surveys, and customer feedback.
- Identify common pain points, goals, and decision-making factors.
- Segment customers based on revenue sources, roles, industries, and/or company size.
- Map out the buyer’s journey for each persona and stage.
- Use these insights as a roadmap for all of your digital marketing efforts.
Want to win over your ideal customer? Tailor your content and campaigns to fit the buyer’s journey framework, ensuring your message consistently hits the mark.
2. Optimize Your Website for Search Engines (SEO)
Your website is your digital homefront. But just having a website isn’t enough – it needs to be visible on search engines like Google. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. SEO ensures your site ranks higher for relevant searches in your industry so that you can get in front of your ideal customer.
Quick SEO Tips for Manufacturing Companies
- Use industry-specific keywords in your content that fit your industry and your audience’s search intent.
- Optimize on-page elements to be SEO-friendly.
- Create content – such as blog posts and case studies – that provide information on the most searched topics in the manufacturing industry.
SEO helps you attract the right kind of traffic to your website to increase the likelihood of conversions. Don’t miss out on prospects because they couldn’t find you online.
3. Leverage Content Marketing
When buyers are researching products and services in your industry, they want valuable information that helps them make informed decisions. By investing in content marketing, manufacturers can position themselves as thought leaders in the industry.
Types of Content Manufacturing Companies Should Create
- Blog Posts: Write about industry trends, common challenges, and solutions.
- Case Studies: Highlight how your products have solved specific problems for clients.
- Whitepapers and E-books: Provide in-depth resources that require an email sign-up, helping generate leads.
- Video Content: Showcase your products, manufacturing processes, or customer success stories.
- Newsletters: Keep your audience engaged with updates, tips, and exclusive deals.
The more value your content offers, the more trust you build with your prospects. Consistency is key for successful industrial marketing.
4. Use Email Marketing to Nurture Leads
Every manufacturer can use email marketing as part of their digital strategy. As you generate leads through your content marketing strategy, you can follow up with relevant email communication that keeps the prospect engaged.
A well-managed, structured email marketing program can be a powerful tool for lead nurturing and guiding potential buyers down the sales funnel until they’re ready to make a purchase.
Email Marketing Tactics
- Send personalized emails tailored to different buyer personas.
- Share updates about your latest products, services, or presence at upcoming trade shows.
- Offer exclusive content, such as product demos or special discounts for subscribers.
- Use automation tools to send targeted follow-ups based on user behavior.
With a well-planned email marketing strategy, you can stay top-of-mind with your prospects while helping them learn about your latest offerings.
5. Engage on Social Media Platforms
Social media can be a powerful lead-generating channel for manufacturing companies. Platforms like LinkedIn allow you to connect with industry professionals, showcase your expertise, and promote your products to interested customers.
How to Get Results on Social Media Platforms
- Share case studies, blog posts, and success stories to build credibility.
- Post engaging video content, such as behind-the-scenes footage of your manufacturing processes.
- Join relevant industry groups or forums to participate in discussions. You never know where a prospect might be!
- Use paid media ads on LinkedIn to target decision-makers in your industry.
By maintaining an active and professional presence on social media, you can develop connections that support your sales efforts.
6. Invest in Display Ads and PPC
Display ads and PPC campaigns (pay-per-click) are excellent digital marketing tools to reach a particular audience. Manufacturers can use online advertising to get in front of decision-makers who may not yet know about your brand (awareness stage) or who may be ready to convert (decision stage).
Tips for Effective PPC Campaigns
- Use targeting to promote ads to specific industries or job roles.
- Highlight the unique aspects of your manufacturing products and services.
- Incorporate strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs) like “Get a Quote” or “Download Our Product Guide.”
- Monitor ad performance and adjust based on ROI.
Targeted ads can drive high-quality traffic to your website while providing measurable results that grow the ROI from your marketing spend.
7. Highlight Your Expertise with Case Studies
Case studies are one of the most effective digital marketing tactics for building trust in the B2B space. These in-depth success stories demonstrate how your solutions have made a tangible difference for similar companies who may also be interested in working with you.
What Makes a Great Case Study?
- A clear explanation of the problem, challenges, solution, and results.
- Metrics that highlight measurable results.
- Testimonials from satisfied clients.
Share your case studies on your website, in sales meetings, or through email campaigns to support your sales teams. Your sales team can use these case studies in the latter stages of the buyer’s journey (such as consideration and decision) to help close more sales.
8. Fuel Collaboration Between Marketing and Sales Teams
Digital marketing and sales should work hand-in-hand, not be separate entities. When aligned, they form a seamless hand-off to help convert more leads into customers. Encourage collaboration by:
- Sharing sales data with marketing to refine and focus marketing campaigns.
- Equipping reps with sales-enablement content like digital brochures, blogs, whitepapers, and case studies.
- Hosting regular check-ins to ensure alignment on goals and progress.
When marketing supports sales (and vice versa), the results benefit the entire organization:
- Leverage the insights and data from marketing to help sales teams better understand the target audience and tailor their approach to close more deals.
- Provide sales teams with valuable content to better engage with prospects at different stages of the buyer’s journey and address any objections they may have during the sales process.
Let’s Get Started on Digital Marketing for Manufacturers
The days of relying solely on traditional B2B tactics like trade shows are over. Digital marketing for manufacturers is now a competitive advantage, allowing you to generate leads, build lasting relationships, and support your sales efforts.
If you’re ready to take your marketing to the next level but aren’t sure where to start, partnering with a digital marketing agency specializing in the manufacturing industry can help. At Marketing Refresh, we work closely with manufacturers to select digital marketing services that can support the growth of your business.
Our team is ready to get to know your company and help you craft a winning digital marketing program to support sales goals. Get in touch with our team today to start moving the needle toward more conversions.
– We invite you to join our Databox Benchmark Group created specifically for manufacturers. In our group, “Marketing Metrics for B2B Manufacturing Companies,” you can measure your performance against other companies in your industry. Join today!
FAQs
- What digital marketing strategies are most effective for manufacturers?
Some of the most effective digital marketing strategies for manufacturers include content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC ads), email marketing, and social media marketing.
- How can digital marketing help manufacturers generate leads?
Digital marketing enables manufacturers to reach a wider audience. You can showcase expertise through valuable content, capture leads through targeted campaigns, and increase conversions.
- What role does SEO play in the digital marketing strategy for manufacturers?
SEO plays a crucial role in increasing visibility and driving organic traffic to your website. Manufacturers can improve their search engine rankings and attract quality leads by optimizing website content, improving site structure, and targeting relevant keywords.
- Why is content marketing important for manufacturers?
Content marketing allows manufacturers to establish thought leadership, educate their audience, and build trust. Manufacturers can attract and engage their target audience by creating informative and valuable content, such as blog posts, whitepapers, and case studies.
- How can a digital marketing agency specializing in manufacturing help my business?
A digital marketing agency with experience in the manufacturing industry can provide valuable insights to support sales. Agencies develop tailored strategies, execute effective campaigns to help manufacturers reach their target audience, and generate leads to maximize your marketing budget.
