The Thomas Blog

4 Social Media Best Practices Industrial Marketers Need to Know

With 68% of industrial businesses already actively participating in social media activities, you can't afford to not have a social media presence. But if you're like many, you may be uncertain how to get the most out of these platforms. Here are some key best practices to social media that should help you get started:

Press Release: PennEngineering Improves Customer Service, Receives Record Number of New Business Inquiries

PennEngineering is a global leader of industrial fastening solutions headquartered in Danboro, PA, with manufacturing operations in the U.S., China and Ireland. They make specialty fasteners, including nuts, studs, standoffs, panel fasteners and other hardware. The company was founded in 1942 with a single, revolutionary product: a self clinching fastener that secures to metal in one piece, without the need for additional loose hardware.

Your Secret Weapon to Influencing Decision Makers throughout the Buying Process

The industrial buying process can be long and complex, often with numerous decision makers involved. Constraints with time and resources increase complications in the buying process. This is further aggravated by efforts to reduce risk. Two recent Industrial Purchasing Barometer (IPB) surveys, conducted by Thomas Industrial Network, dive deeper into the minds of industrial buyers and decision makers and provide insight into what suppliers can do to better understand the buying cycle and help close more sales.

Social Media Influences Industrial Buying Decisions

The social media landscape is firmly entrenching itself among industrial businesses looking to source, buy or sell products/services. While many still see these tools as recreational or consumer-focused, two new surveys conducted by Thomas Industrial Network in July and August 2011, show the exact opposite to be true.

“Nudge” Website Visitors into Becoming Buyers

It happens more than most industrial suppliers realize or would like to admit. Your website succeeds in holding a visitor for the critical first 6 to 8 seconds needed to keep his or her attention. He or she reads an overview about your company and your products/services, etc. You know you're a great fit. But the visitor doesn't make contact. No sale happens. What went wrong?

4 Tactics of Successful Sales People and How to Apply Them to Your Website

The best and most successful sales people today are those that go far beyond a good pitch. They are the ones that know their market and their products inside and out. More importantly, they speak to a customer's main question: "What's in it for me?" Many times, though, your website is the first "sales person" a potential customer will encounter. Below are four tactics that your website can employ to help make your website a highly effective, 24-7 sales channel.

Develop the Right Online Strategy for Recovery

In my view, it's time to take a deep breath, and like the phoenix, rise from the ashes and spread your company's wings on the Internet to take advantage of this upswing. It's time to rebuild your momentum by diversifying into new markets and attracting more buyers for your products or services.

Many of your competitors are likely doing this already — and building an edge for themselves in anticipation of better times. How are they doing so?

Industrial Companies Use Online Marketing to Improve Business

The stock market is up, the job market is expanding, and consumer and corporate spending have touched above record highs. NBC Nightly News, The Washington Post and NPR have all touted the signs.

At the forefront of the bounceback: U.S. manufacturing. ThomasNet.com's Industry Market Barometer survey finds that more than half of American manufacturers (53 percent) grew in 2011, and 75 percent expect to grow this year.