Manufacturing sectors are one of the most important parts of an economy as most of the income and labor is generated in these sectors. That being said, due to change in customer behaviors and new technological innovations the competition in these sectors has increased.

Millions of websites deliver new content every day and making an impact in the industry, even in niche markets, has become a huge obstacle for manufacturing companies.

According to the IHS GlobalSpec “Trends in Industrial Marketing” report, 54 percent of industrial marketers spent more on digital marketing in 2013 than they did in 2012. With online industrial marketing delivering rapid ROI, better-qualified sales leads, and numerous opportunities for brand exposure, it is easy to conclude that this trend will continue in 2018 and beyond.

Online marketing is not a magical process that will instantly generate revenue or boost sales 100 per cent. It is a valuable tool and untapped resource that brings about new ways of thinking and new ways of doing business in this modern age.

Manufacturing companies that want to succeed in today’s online marketplace are ones that take time to develop clear and comprehensive strategies. However, with a ton of marketing platforms to choose from, online marketing is bound to become a daunting and overwhelming task.

Here are a few guidelines for digitally market manufacturing sectors:

1. Keep your goals clear
2. Increase brand awareness
3. Provide excellent content
4. E-mail marketing
5. Improve customer loyalty
6. Nurture leads
7. Keep strategies dynamic

1. KEEP YOUR GOALS CLEAR:

Your best bet is to design a strategy that focuses on your needs and the needs of the customers in your industry. Your digital marketing strategy should fit in with your business plan. Define exactly what you want your marketing efforts to achieve.

Keep it simple, yet relevant because by simplifying your strategy you get a clear indication of what you are working towards. It is wise to take time to get your goals right as the goals you focus on will govern which methods you should use.

1. INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS:

One of the best ways to improve lead generation and direct sales numbers is to increase brand awareness and strengthen the image of your company. You can achieve this by building your site and ranking well for important terms.

To build up your brand’s awareness you can:

1. Invite current and past customers to follow you on social media
2. Host social media groups or build conversations using hashtags
3. Employ a quality content development and SEO program
4. Build an email list from forms filled out on your computer
5. Create a PPC strategy that complements your organic and social efforts.
6. PROVIDE EXCELLENT CONTENT:

An effective lead generation plan comes down to one thing: content. If you can offer valuable content that potential customers are eager to consume, you will be able to generate more interest in your products and more leads for your business.

Content can be offered to customers in two ways:

1. Blogging- Well-written and informative blog posts will always generate leads as they have become the content currency of the internet. Having a regularly updated blog also reassures new prospects that you’re a successful and thriving enterprise.
2. Lead Magnets- “Lead magnets” are downloadable content that people will exchange their email address for. This can be an eBook, PDF guide, or short video series that can be emailed to the customer or downloaded directly.
3. E-MAIL MARKETING:

According to a report by GlobalSpec, industrial companies spend 11 percent of their annual marketing budgets on email marketing. In this modern age, e-mail still is one of the most effective online marketing tools with click-through rates of over 4 percent in the manufacturing sector according to email marketing leader MailChimp.

Once you have a decent-sized, targeted email list, you can start using email campaigns to turn these leads into customers.

1. IMPROVE CUSTOMER LOYALTY:

As they progress, customers are extremely likely to engage with brands online. 95 percent of online adults between 18 and 34 follow a brand on social networking sites and seventy-one percent of customers who report having a positive social media experience with a brand say that they are likely to recommend the company to others.

This presents you with the perfect opportunity to engage with prospective customers and build strong relationships.

1. NURTURE LEADS:

Using various platforms, you can take advantage of the power of marketing automation. When customers visit your website, you can track their behavior on your site, particularly when they utilize the resources you provide. When they convert to a lead and provide you with their information, you can nurture your lead through the rest of the sales cycle with marketing automation.

1. KEEP STRATEGIES DYNAMIC:

No matter what tools and platforms you use to promote and market your business consistency and results will always remain important. The market and customer behavior is subject to constant change and thus you need to ensure that your online marketing strategy is flexible throughout all your digital platforms.

As the competition for domestic and international sales increases, online marketing has transcended from being an option to being a need for manufacturers. Global Infocloud can help manufacturing industries to build relationships and establish their organization at the forefront of their field.