Automating the Manufacturing Sales Process with Inbound Marketing

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Let’s face it, the manufacturing sales process needs a refresh. While manufacturing has evolved tremendously over the last 20 years, the manufacturing sales process has remained stagnant. Manufacturing sales managers are still using cold calling and door-to-door sales methods that are not only time intensive but also have little return-on-investment. Learn how inbound marketing can automate the manufacturing sales process and close sales quicker and more efficiently.

Real Time Analytics

Inbound marketing software allows manufacturers to get real time analytics about the visitors on their website. You can view a prospect’s log of every page they’ve viewed, every email they’ve opened (and every time they’ve opened that email), and every content offer to which they have subscribed. The insight sales managers can get from inbound marketing is powerful. Based upon a prospect’s behavior, you can learn what products or services they needs, gauge how seriously the prospect is considering your company, and determine where that prospect is in the sales process. Then, sales managers can tailor the sales tactics to the customer and have a more successful close rate.  Check out How to Convince Your Manufacturing CEO to Invest in Inbound Marketing for more information on the insight you’ll receive from implementing an inbound marketing platform.

Automating the Sales Process

Automation is a powerful tool that saves sales managers valuable time during the sales process. As your prospect continues to visit your website and read your content, they can automatically be enrolled in what we in the marketing world call “workflows”. A workflow is a series of content that is sent to that prospect that they are enrolled into based upon doing a certain action. We do a variety of workflows for our clients.

Sometimes, they are triggered by the prospect’s job title and industry, other times they are based upon a prospect visiting a certain page more than once or a series of pages on related products or services. Once the prospect completes a workflow or continues to visit your website many times and we are fairly certain that the prospect is in the decision making stage of the sales cycle, we can create “triggers” to tell a sales manager to pick up the phone and call a prospect.

Inbound Methodology

Inbound marketing works and saves sales managers time and money that they would have wasted pursuing prospects that weren’t ready to buy. However, the inbound marketing process isn’t as easy as it seems. There is considerable research required to develop engaging content that leads prospects through the sales funnel and learn the nuances of each individual buyer and how they liked to be engaged with by your company. On top of a need for constant keyword research and content development to keep attracting prospects to your website.

Long gone are the days of cold calling and door-to-door sales. Inbound marketing and automation give sales managers insight on who that prospect is and where they are in the sales process. Interested in learning more about inbound marketing? Check out our blog The 5 Biggest Inbound Marketing Mistakes Manufacturers Make for more information on how to avoid inbound marketing blunders.

Download Here Industrial Manufacturer's Guide to Inbound Marketing

What Manufacturers Can Learn from That Poppy About Branding and Social Presence

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Internet sensation “That Poppy” is a branding genius who has created a defined, unique presence unlike anyone else online. Everything, and I mean literally everything that this internet star posts to YouTube gets millions of views. You do not really know what she’s talking about, to whom or even why. That is until you dig deeper. Like a Netflix original, you cannot help but binge on Poppy. Let’s take that deeper dive into how manufacturers can create intriguing content, like That Poppy that leaves your audience wanting more.

Headline Begs For Attention

That Poppy knows how to craft a great title for her videos, which we in the marketing world refer to as “click bait”.  Her videos range in title from “The Queen of YouTube” to “I Am Not In A Cult” and creates buzz that makes viewers click on her videos.

Like That Poppy, we use strong, compelling titles to get people to read or watch our content.  How to Convince Your Stubborn Manufacturing Customers to Participate in Case Studies showed our readers just how it easy it is to let your customers take part in promoting your brand. Our article How to Convince Your Manufacturing CEO to Invest in Inbound Marketing went right at the heart of our best prospect, Sales Managers at manufacturing companies and their timeless battle for budget to invest in worthwhile marketing tactics. Both of the examples above showcase strong, targeted titles that make our prospects want to click and learn more.

Messaging

That Poppy has a strong, consistent message and has found her voice on the internet. Her innocence, the way she makes fun of fame seeking wannabe stars and even mass media is uniquely hers. She talks about pop culture, politics, the illuminati and most of all, understands the content resonates with her viewers.

Manufacturers can learn from Poppy by developing strong branding guidelines and developing a persona for the company. Ask yourself what makes my company unique, what do my manufacturing clients want, and how can I share my expertise. Everything from your website, to your social media, and white papers should be cohesive and written in a relatable, consistent voice. Difficulty determining your branding and differentiating factors? The Felber PR & Marketing team would be happy to talk branding and messaging with you.

Consistency is Key

The greatest tip That Poppy has for manufacturers is that with consistency you can grow a significant following organically. Poppy established her YouTube Channel in 2011 and has worked her way up to receiving hundreds of thousands to millions of views per video.

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Have you seen this stare at a trade conference?

Whether it’s a short video about your company’s recent accomplishments or a list of top five lists of items to consider when specifying (insert your service/product), you can create amazing content if you set your mind to it. Manufacturers are posting to YouTube every hour. Trade publications and industry magazines search for news every day. And, like That Poppy, you can develop a loyal fan base that shows up virtually to your webinars and in person when you present at your industry’s must-see trade conference.

Maybe Poppy is just a reflection of who we think celebrities are or should be. What would celebrity status be for your manufacturing firm? Who would you love to read about your expertise?  Check out this article if you think you cannot develop content on your company or this one on how to get Why Manufacturers Still Need Traditional PR & Marketing in a Digital World

Warning: do not look up That Poppy at work. You will fall down the “Poppy rabbit hole”, miss deadlines, creep out your colleagues, and perhaps, if you are not careful, you will blog about her. Maybe Poppy told me to write this. Did she? Does Poppy know me at all? I think Poppy would smile if she read this…. wonder what she is posting today. What’s with Charlotte the mannequin? Will she marry computer.boy? Is Titanic Sinclair behind all this? Will Mars Argo return?

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The Biggest Mistake Manufacturing Sales Managers Make

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Why Connecting with Past Customers to Grow Manufacturing Sales Works

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Persistence, heart, effort pay off for Cleveland Indians in 2017

The key to manufacturing sales success that you’re probably missing is connecting with past customers. People, by nature are drawn to familiarity. It is much easier to sell to someone you have a previous relationship with than sell to a new prospect. You know that feeling when you run into an old friend at a restaurant? You went to high school, perhaps served in the same military unit or simply lived in the same neighborhood. We love to share past experiences and we all know what it’s like when you hear “You just had to be there!” When it comes to manufacturing sales, being familiar wins.

Customers relationships should be viewed the same way. You provide a reliable, memorable experience. Perhaps you spent weeks or months working on the sale, maybe another 6 months delivering your products and services. We also know that each experience with your customers, let’s call them ‘touch points,’ only further cements the relationship.

Past customers, like old friends, want to hear from you. Simply reaching out to tell them about your recent projects, sharing an article they might enjoy or announcing a new initiative (as we just did, click here), brings people back to the table.

Wait, you mean those folks who trusted you, gave you money willingly and occasionally return with more money in their hand? Create memories and build on familiarity. “You remember that time, Mr. Customer, when we went to the Indians’ game and they broke the record for the most consecutive wins in the American League?” How can you keep the same feeling alive with your customers?

When we announced our international marketing collaboration with Adexma, we received countless ‘congratulations, nice to hear it, way to go’ messages even from past customers who have not purchased in months or years. We, Felber PR & Marketing, are the familiar. We were established in 1993, so we have many past friends, shared experiences, and stories. Oh, do we have stories. Sharing our knowledge with our network, whether in an email, via social media, or even as a speaker for a colleague’s association, creates more ‘familiar’ touch points. Add up the points and you’re winning the relationship game.

So, then, why are we so fixated on always attracting shiny new prospects? Well, we all need new customers and they really do keep us on our toes. New customers help our companies grow and further develop our offering. Are you starting to see where I am headed? You have invested so much in the new customer relationship. And, just when they trust you and are comfortable with your service, billing and culture, you close the door. You can almost hear your mother now, “you don’t call, you don’t write, you don’t even like the photo of your father in his plaid golf shirt I posted to that book site…”

Keeping in touch with your network is simple in the digital age and one simple touch can make a huge impact.

Sending regular emails, a hand written now, commenting on their LinkedIn post, sending a “customer exclusive offer” are all examples of keeping in touch. Be the familiar, not the lost friend. Use the resources you have in social media and email communications to keep your family close. Keep the pressure on, now and throughout the season and you too can string manufacturing sales, win after win for your firm.