For manufacturers, trends in online marketing and sales that have transformed B2C commerce may seem to be an interesting but largely irrelevant development. Traditionally, businesses selling to other businesses have relied on lead generation from their sales staff, cultivating relationships with potential business partners and keeping advertising tightly focused within their industry. After all, when you don’t offer the kind of product or service that an individual is going to purchase directly from a website, it may feel like online marketing isn’t the best use of your resources.
However, in a competitive environment, manufacturers can’t afford to rely on referrals alone, especially if they are trying to grow their business. Online marketing strategies designed to meet the challenges manufacturers face in identifying and cultivating new customers can help generate leads and close sales when effectively paired with your existing sales strategies.
In marketing targeted directly to a consumer, the buying process tends to be simpler, with fewer potential decision-makers to convince (maybe just one individual). Depending on the product and the target market, improving sales may be a matter of increasing traffic to a well-designed website. The manufacturing sales cycle is much more complex, and the tactics that can boost consumer sales are unlikely to move the needle in most B2B contexts.
When you’re selling to wholesalers, downline supply chain manufacturers, retailers, or business end users, you will likely not be dealing with just one decision-maker with the authority to choose your product over a competitor’s. The more complex and costly your product, the more likely it is that the procurement process will involve multiple steps and myriad people, such as managers, accounting and finance professionals, purchasing agents, and corporate executives. If someone isn’t ever going to click a “buy it now” button on your website to purchase a product, does that mean that your website and online presence don’t matter? Absolutely not. It simply means that your marketing goals and strategies must be aligned with the purpose of supporting your sales process.
Key challenges in landing manufacturing sales are getting prospective customers to engage and convincing them that you’re the right company to meet their needs. The right marketing gives you a golden opportunity to build connections with your target audience. First, online marketing is a proven strategy for building brand awareness. This type of name recognition helps to put your company top of mind when a company has need of your products. It can also help when purchasing decisions are being made by stakeholders, because buyers tend to purchase from companies they know.
Online marketing is also a great way to build your company’s reputation as a trustworthy source of information and advice. Positioning yourself as a thought leader in your field builds trust with your clients, which is especially valuable if you are selling high-end or complex products. Case studies, white papers, blog articles, and social media posts can all be used to educate your target audience and nurture prospects.
Building a culture of trust in this way, along with brand recognition, helps to enhance customer loyalty and lead conversion. When clients know who you are and are confident in your expertise, they’re more likely to buy from you. Content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure that you’re turning up in relevant online searches, and a website optimized for a seamless user experience can all be integral parts of a marketing plan that spurs increased sales—if it is done correctly. If your previous online marketing efforts have produced disappointing results, you might be missing a critical piece of the puzzle.
Many businesses have concluded that online marketing doesn’t work for them because their past efforts have generated tons of website traffic without producing any change in sales. But that’s because not all traffic is equal. If your marketing strategy doesn’t start with the fundamentals—that is, the ideal profit strategy that will drive growth in your business—then you could potentially waste time and money on efforts that don’t improve your bottom line.
At Iffel International, we understand how to turn your online presence into an effective lead generator for your manufacturing business, using our unique SEO2Sales™ process. We start with a sales analysis that determines the best strategy for increasing your profit and build our solutions from there, working with your sales team to deliver high-quality leads they can turn into successful sales.
In a competitive market, you can’t afford to leave any advantage on the table. To learn more about how Iffel can help you capture market share and unlock your growth potential, contact us here to schedule a consultation today.
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