Industrial Marketing Today

FEBRUARY 12, 2012

They are not quite sure what if anything they can create beyond case studies, product data sheets and application notes. Those are great but your customers are going to demand more than that if you sell to OEMs, system integrators and design engineers. Manufacturers find it difficult to produce good lead nurturing content.

Lead Nurturing 60

Lead Nurturing Sales Management Top of Funnel Sales Qualified Leads 60

Industrial Marketing Today

MARCH 3, 2012

It is difficult for these companies to shift their mindset to think like “publishers” when their entire library of content is strictly product-focused. Pull key points out of Product Selection Guides and make them into short blog posts. Highlight customer applications under their own operating conditions.

Trade Show 60

Trade Show B2B Thought Leadership FAQ Thought Leadership 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 20, 2010

by Achinta Mitra on July 20, 2010 in B2B Marketing Collateral , Content Marketing , Industrial Marketing Strategies , Integrated Industrial Marketing , Sales Strategies To be successful in industrial and B2B marketing, one has to engage with prospects and customers in a meaningful manner. The four steps are: 1.

Creativity 60

Creativity B2B Marketing Lead Ranking Lead Scoring 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 7, 2011

Websites of most industrial distributors follow the same basic format – the focus is on their product line card. You will find little evidence of best practices in content marketing – relevant, valuable and compelling content for customers. In other words, the online content is very product-centric. Grainger, Inc.

Enterprise Management 60

Enterprise Management Effectiveness Content Marketing Marketing Management 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 12, 2011

Nobody buys product features, they want solutions. However, if you are a manufacturer or an industrial services company, ask yourself this question, why would anyone buy your products or services if they don’t know they have a problem? Then talk about how your solutions provided real relief to the customer. I get that.

Marketing Management 60

Marketing Management Paid Search Agency Comparison Inbound Marketing 60

Industrial Marketing Today

AUGUST 27, 2012

Manufacturers and industrial companies often use solutions or consultative selling to add value for their customers and transform themselves from suppliers into trusted partners. There are many ways that digital marketing can help industrial companies make their consultative selling process more productive.

RFP 60

RFP Peer-to-peer High Quality Lead Lead Scoring 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 2, 2012

Design wins lead to prototype and production orders. Saving customers time and shortening their time to market. Attracting new customers by offering CAD drawings to OEMS, distributors and other channel partners. There are several benefits to offering 3D CAD models and 2D CAD drawings on an industrial website.

Lead Ranking 60

Lead Ranking Top of Funnel Sales Qualified Leads Buying Cycle 60

Industrial Marketing Today

APRIL 2, 2012

For top of the funnel content, infographics are very effective because of their focus on educating the reader rather than being product-centric. Even though suspects may not fit your ideal customer profile, they may be people who will share your content if they find it worthwhile and interesting. Videos that are non-product oriented.

Top of Funnel 60

Top of Funnel Ideal Customer Profiles Content Marketing Planning 60

Industrial Marketing Today

OCTOBER 20, 2011

Traditionally used as customer support tools by manufacturers and industrial distributors, the discussion threads were primarily text-based. Community members ask questions relevant to their needs, seek answers from others like them, users express their opinions and experiences with your industrial products, teach and learn from one another.

Communities 60

Communities Paid Search Agency Peer-to-peer Companies 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 25, 2011

That’s why I say more power to the manufacturer if it can successfully use a B2C marketing tactic to help its customers select the right industrial product(s) quickly and easily. Choosing the right colors is not just a matter of aesthetics for the manufacturer’s customers who are metal building owners, contractors and architects.

Tactics 60

Tactics Online Marketing B2B Thought Leadership Merchandising 60

Industrial Marketing Today

MAY 1, 2012

The other half is all about converting that traffic into leads and customers. Don’t assume that detailed product features are sufficient to move the needle. For example, “We have XX years of customizing solutions for the ABC industry and offer the lowest price.” Congratulations! Prove it – are you always the lowest bidder?

Traffic 60

Traffic Marketing Analytics Tools Buying Cycle Lead Scoring 60

Industrial Marketing Today

DECEMBER 1, 2011

It also includes downloadable whitepapers, eBooks, product datasheets, application notes, technical articles, how-to and best practices guides, FAQs, videos, webinars, podcasts, presentation slides, blog posts and content for use in social media. Myth: Our customers are only interested in product specs and datasheets.

SIC 60

SIC Peer-to-peer Buying Cycle Copywriting 60

Industrial Marketing Today

MAY 22, 2012

Manufacturers have used e-commerce to sell components, spare parts and off the shelf industrial products for a long time. Build-to-order features and the ability to custom configure products with different options, trims, materials and operating conditions. Grainger – E-commerce business currently accounts for about $1.5

Advertising Channels 60

Advertising Channels Cable BtoB Distribution 60

Industrial Marketing Today

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

Make sure online datasheets include ratings, classifications, sizes, operating ranges and material options for all your industrial products. 42% of engineers and specifiers said they couldn’t find complete and detailed product or capabilities information on suppliers’ websites ( Source: ThomasNet’s Industry Market Barometer™ ).

Marketing Websites 60

Marketing Websites Wiki Content Buying Cycle 60

Industrial Marketing Today

NOVEMBER 14, 2010

Setting aside emotions, the key takeaway is and I’m quoting Pragmatic Marketing here, “Ideally, you should use architecture to free yourself from the technical and refocus on how the product solves problems for buyers. Or as Adele would say, “Got a great product? Now that’s a[n] architecture I can believe! Get over it.&#

Advertising Agencies 60

Advertising Agencies Paid Search Agency Work Management CMO 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JUNE 22, 2012

I have had many conversations where I have heard the other person tell me that they’ve never had to actively market their products and services before. They are accustomed to customers calling them for RFQs/RFPs. Industrial companies are having a difficult time adjusting their mindset to the new realities of buyer behavior.

Top of Funnel 60

Top of Funnel BtoB Buying Cycle Advertising Funnels 60

Industrial Marketing Today

APRIL 14, 2012

I owe a big debt of gratitude to the late, great Steve Jobs and his innovative products. I learned my business in the early years by doing production work for other ad agencies and printers around town. It’s good to meet someone who understands our engineering and industrial customers and won’t be learning at our expense.”

Paid Search Agency 60

Paid Search Agency Work Management Marketing Management Companies 60

Industrial Marketing Today

AUGUST 1, 2011

These are all great at soft selling without irritating the customer. However, have we gone too soft with content marketing when it comes to selling industrial products and services? At the end of the day, every content marketer must help sell more industrial products and services. No complaints there. It is as simple as that.

Sales Qualified Leads 60

Sales Qualified Leads Content Marketing Planning Paid Search Agency 60

Industrial Marketing Today

AUGUST 20, 2010

You need to move beyond the free Google Custom Search tool for websites. For example, segment your products and services by application and/or industry. Give them hardcore specifications typically found in product spec sheets. Design wins lead to production volume orders.

Web 2.0 60

Web 2.0 Planning Buying Cycle Lead Scoring 60

Industrial Marketing Today

AUGUST 16, 2011

Many engineers, specifiers, users and buyers of industrial products regularly use social media in their personal lives but work-related usage is limited among this audience. I’ve read a few articles and blog posts about how some manufacturers are using Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to listen, engage and market to their customers.

Social Media 60

Social Media Effectiveness Media Work Management 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JUNE 12, 2010

You are not alone, most business purchases, especially industrial products don’t lend themselves to a simple Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). This was second only to downloading product data sheets. Have you struggled to answer that question?

Sales Management 60

Sales Management Pricing Price Marketing Websites 60

Industrial Marketing Today

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Wikipedia defines it as “A bill of materials (sometimes bill of material or BOM) is a list of the raw materials, sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies, sub-components, components, parts and the quantities of each needed to manufacture an end product.”. To manufacture an industrial product, you need a complete BOM.

Design 60

Design Wikipedia Content Sales Qualified Leads 60

Industrial Marketing Today

MARCH 8, 2011

The company behind this social community success story is Farnell (part of the Premier Farnell Group ), a UK-based distributor of electronic, electrical, industrial and maintenance, repair & operations (MRO) products and Newark , their U.S. Instead it found a genuine way to connect and engage with its customers. distribution arm.

Communities 60

Communities Peer-to-peer BtoB Sales Qualified Leads 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JANUARY 14, 2011

Just as publishers start by learning everything about their target audience and what information they want, content marketers must realize it is not about them but about their customers. That was the advice from Joe Pulizzi (founder of Junta42 and co-author of Get Content Get Customers ) at a Content Strategy New England meetup last year.

Content Marketing 60

Content Marketing High Quality Lead Planning BtoB 60

Industrial Marketing Today

APRIL 15, 2011

For a while now, manufacturers have been using online searchable product catalogs to generate new leads and sales. Their unique CAD technology allowed manufacturers to put 3D CAD models of their products directly into the hands of more than 100,000 engineers and architects who had registered on their site. That was back in 2005.

Lead Ranking 60

Lead Ranking Work Management Lead Scoring Marketing Management 60

Industrial Marketing Today

OCTOBER 1, 2011

This is when I have to take a step back and start talking about how the job of inbound marketing does not end with lead generation but extends into setting the table for sales so they can be more productive. However, it is sales that actually hears how customers describe their products and services.

Top of Funnel 60

Top of Funnel Inbound Marketing Bulldog Solutions Lead Scoring 60

Industrial Marketing Today

MARCH 23, 2012

That’s because the way your industrial customers interact with you during their buying cycle has changed significantly over the past few years. Your industrial website must be a true reflection of your company, its products and services. Get together with your sales team, channel partners, product engineers and sales support people.

Marketing Websites 60

Marketing Websites Marketing Budget Creation Budget Programs Marketing Proposals 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 1, 2011

Make it easier to weave in your product(s) within the text without making it too salesy. Demonstrate how others (their peers/your customers) are using your industrial product. Guide in selecting the right component/parts/products based on design parameters and requirements.

Peer-to-peer 60

Peer-to-peer Planning Marketing Analytics Tools CTR 60

Industrial Marketing Today

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Marlin Steel in Baltimore, MD manufactures Custom Wire Baskets, Mesh Baskets, Stainless Steel Products, Custom Wire Forming and Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication for the Automotive and the Ammunition industries and a range of other industrial applications.

Youtube 60

Youtube Video Marketing Trends Advertising Channels 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JANUARY 3, 2011

Getting found by more prospects that are actively looking for solutions that your products/services can provide. Showcasing in-house subject matter experts with blog posts written by your engineers, product designers and customer support people. It is easier and quicker to get your blog posts indexed than adding more Web pages.

Top of Funnel 60

Top of Funnel Business Blogging High Quality Lead Business 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JULY 18, 2011

Nearly 9 out of 10 “Outperformers” credited their websites for helping them increase revenues, open new sources of business, compete more aggressively in core markets and serve customers better or more efficiently. There were a total of 3,370 survey respondents from North America, primarily the US.

Marketing Websites 60

Marketing Websites Buyer Personas Customer Surveys Advertising Mediums 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JANUARY 21, 2011

It is a balancing act to create content that solves real problems for your readers (prospects and customers) without hawking your products and services. Pushing out blatant product-centric sales messages are sure to turn off your audience. National Semiconductor Corp. billion of sales in 2010.

Sample 60

Sample Content Sales Qualified Leads Sales Cycle 60

Industrial Marketing Today

SEPTEMBER 3, 2010

The big hurdle they face is in engaging and converting readers into prospects, leads and ultimately customers. They are: Buyer Personas – deep insights on the people who buy your products and services Buying Process – the steps buyers go through to acquire your products and services Buyer personas go a lot deeper than just demographics.

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Buying Cycle Buy Marketing Budget Web 2.0 60

Industrial Marketing Today

SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

Most manufacturers of industrial products agree that digital marketing is essential for their success now and going forward. Existing marketing collateral focuses primarily on the company and its products. I have been asked a few times to scan old product datasheets because that’s all that a particular manufacturer had for collateral.

Paid Search Agency 60

Paid Search Agency Marketing Management Content Buying Cycle 60

Industrial Marketing Today

JUNE 11, 2011

On-site search engine optimization (SEO) is much easier to do by adding new posts using long tail keywords and deep linking to specific product pages within your company’s site. With a built-in content management system (CMS), it is much easier to add new content and pages. Does your current industrial Website include a blog?

Marketing Websites 60

Marketing Websites Ad Building Long Tail Marketing Cross-Selling 60

Industrial Marketing Today

OCTOBER 25, 2011

According to the recent MarketingSherpa’s B2B Marketing Benchmark Survey (June 2011) of more than 1,700 B2B marketers: 52% of the companies reported, “Converting qualified leads into paying customers” (MoFU) as their biggest challenge. This was followed by Lead Generation (ToFU) at 48% and Lead Nurturing (MoFU) at 40% (See chart).

Top of Funnel 60

Top of Funnel Marketing Funnels Content Marketing High Quality Lead 60

Industrial Marketing Today

AUGUST 20, 2012

I agree that SEO is a very important goal of content marketing; after all, your website needs to be found by the right people when they are searching for industrial products and services that you provide. Because search engines don’t convert into customers, people do. Why do I say that? We don’t want to give away free information.

SEO 60

SEO Content Marketing Copywriting Content 60