Read our latest article in Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce Connected Magazine: https://issuu.com/connected-magazine/docs/connected_issue_85/40 Often relying on long-term relationships and reputations, more proactive marketing can be unfamiliar to manufacturers and engineers, despite its increasing importance. Sarah West, of B2B experts Full Mix Marketing, looks at some effective tactics for the ever more competitive manufacturing and engineering sectors.
Define Your Customers
For your marketing to reach the most profitable customers you need to have a clear idea of who they are. Many manufacturers and engineers have a diverse range of potential clients and each may value different qualities. It’s important to identify an accurate customer profile, breaking down simple information like discipline and industry, but also psychological factors like attitudes, preferences and objectives. You can then use direct marketing including email, mail and social media to individually target them.
Become a Thought Leader
To stand out, customers need to see that you offer innovation and trusted expertise. To demonstrate thought leadership, you can write blogs or features on industry specific topics, publish white papers which showcase your knowledge and offer support when attending industry events or trade shows. A steady stream of content also ensures priority in search engine results and provides information to share.
Engineer Social Media
In an industry not known for flair, social media can give you something extra. Social media is about people, and decision-makers for B2B clients are just as likely to use it as consumers. LinkedIn is a great place to start as it’s dedicated to professionals. It allows you to connect with potential clients and demonstrate your industry insights and specialist knowledge. Consider the tone and design of your posts and how they reflect your brand. Because manufacturing and engineering are visual industries, videos and images work well and are more engaging than words alone.
Invest in Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
Beyond referrals and existing reputations, search engines remain the next port of call for most businesses seeking manufacturing or engineering services. Paid search and digital advertising can quickly target them and drive them to your website. A small budget can go a long way, particularly if you carefully target only the users, locations and keywords relevant to your specific products or solutions. Remember, the effectiveness of PPC is only as good as the website you direct them to, so insure it communicates the right information. For more support visit www.fullmixmarketing.co.uk.
