Looking to increase your sales? Although successful, well-executed B2B marketing strategies take time to build and require ongoing, consistent effort, there are some things you can do today to help drive sales for your manufacturing company this year.
In combination with a long-term marketing strategy, these quick tips can go a long way in getting new leads and increasing sales for your manufacturing business.
A study from Forrester found that 43% of CEOs believed that misalignment had cost them sales.
To improve your company's sales, your marketing and sales teams must be cohesive and collaborative. Take the time to foster relationships between these teams; this will help ensure your marketing team's efforts are actually helping the sales team close deals. Also, be sure to facilitate face-to-face time between teams and consider implementing tools that will help your staff work together and communicate more easily.
The goal behind bringing your marketing and sales teams together is to create complete transparency and a clear understanding of their goals and needs. One team can't work well without the other.
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Thousands of manufacturers and industrial companies have all increased leads, sales opportunities and revenues by advertising on Thomasnet.com — and that first sale starts with just a free company profile. Why does it work? The Thomas Network connects B2B buyers and engineers with 500K+ North American suppliers on the platform where more than 1.3 million B2B buyers do their job every day.
More B2B buyers are turning to business listing platforms to fulfill their sourcing needs and 93% of the Fortune 1000 has buyers using Thomasnet.com to source new suppliers.
Here's Tiodize's experience with Thomasnet.com:
"We started our internet marketing with Thomasnet.com at the suggestion of our largest customer, Boeing. They assured me that Thomasnet.com was where their engineers went first to find information on suppliers.
Our sales have gone up exponentially compared to our increases in our ad budget. Because we manufacture and sell specialty coatings and composites, we are always looking for ways to be in front of decision-makers when they need our products. Thomasnet.com is an efficient and effective way for us to do that and perfect for companies that do not have national sales forces. Thomasnet.com acts as our sales force."
Another manufacturing success story (there are thousands across North America!):
Aero Industries is an Orlando, Florida metals distributor specializing in raw materials. This woman-owned small business has earned a reputation for being a sourcing expert – often going beyond its core offerings of metals to source and deliver plastics, rubbers, composites, and manufactured parts.
Once very reliant on serving NASA’s space shuttle program, Aero needed to reach a new audience when the shuttle program ended. Company president Nancy Simmons wanted to limit her reliance on aerospace/military customers, and branch out into medical, automotive, marine, and other industries.
“Thomas has allowed me to not only grow my company but help other companies too. Now we’re able to take our products and sell overseas. They all found me through Thomas,” said Nancy Simmons, CEO Aero Industries.
Aero Industries' high-profile online presence attracted diverse, quality customers from around the globe, and today Aero serves various industries in North America, South America, the Caribbean, and China.
"I wouldn’t have a business today if it weren’t for Thomas. They changed the playing field completely."
— Aero Industries
Videos supplement your traditional marketing efforts and increase your brand awareness. They are particularly effective for demonstrating unique processes or capabilities — a whopping 95% of a message is retained after watching a video versus reading text!
Through video marketing, potential customers can actually see your facility, manufacturing processes, and final products, all in just a few minutes or even seconds.
💡 Thomas Fact: Suppliers advertising with video content on Thomas increased engagement & requests for quote for their business by 32% - with some seeing increases as high as 70%!
Increase Your Sales With Video Advertising
Thomas offers video content production for FREE for OEMs, Distributors, and Service Companies With An Advertising Program
In fact, many businesses shoot videos with mobile phones; these videos can then be instantly uploaded to company social media accounts and Thomasnet.com company profiles. Videos are shared more often than any other type of post on social media and can serve as a highly effective tool for connecting with fellow industry professionals, getting users to spread the word about your company, and establishing yourself as a cutting-edge brand.
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When it comes to industrial marketing, a lot of manufacturers spend their time waiting — for visitors to come to their site, for visitors to convert into prospects, and for prospects to turn into buyers. Fortunately, there are some tools and resources you can use to speed things up.
A free In-Market Buyer Report from Thomas can show you the exact company names and locations of companies looking for the products and services you offer right now.
"As a small machine shop, it’s critical that every effort I do attracts the right kind of customers — those that I actually want to do business with. Partnering with Thomas does exactly that," said Richard Barnard, President of Eaglestone Technology, Inc.
With today's global shortages, the last thing you want to do is take a break. There are still customers looking for your services and there are still contracts to be won. If it's not you, someone will be calling on them. Be sure to position yourself as a business partner through thick and thin, ready to fulfill their requirements as soon as possible.
Learn More: How To Sell Amid Global Shortages
Even better, if you want to continuously identify the buyers that visit you online, track them throughout their buying journey, and engage them with more meaningful content and outreach calls, you can use our free Lead Intelligence tool — Thomas WebTrax.
More than 11,000 manufacturers are already using Thomas WebTrax to get more leads and strengthen their sales conversations. It provides continuous data on buyers' names and companies browsing your products or services, making it easy for your marketing and sales teams to connect with them — no matter how far along they are in the buying process.
"WebTrax lets us see what our target customers and target industries are looking at on our website so we can be prepared to answer their questions on those issues and even order advanced inventory," said Julia Mace, Marketing Leader at SUS America, Inc.
According to Forrester Research, companies that take the time to properly engage and nurture leads improve their sales outreach at a rate of 50% while spending 33% less.
Regular email communications keep your business top of mind to prospects and customers who are more likely to repeat business with you. Focusing on existing accounts can help you build better relationships and increase sales. Stay in touch regularly with email newsletters, welcome emails, and re-engagement emails — not just the basic transactional emails that confirm when someone completes a purchase or submits an RFI. When you've done something new, let them know!
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"A key thing about emails and sharing content is the ability to generate a lot of leads across various industries. We wanted to help educate our customers. Through eBooks, blogs, a revamped website — they actually drive our own knowledge out and customers appreciate the insight," said Jeff Collins, VP of Renown Electric.
Companies often create social media accounts but rarely, if ever, update them after initial setup. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the three main social media channels for businesses; if your company already has accounts, be sure to post frequent, relevant content tailored to each channel’s audience.
Learn More: The Difference Between Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
Are you a small manufacturing business owner that has one person wearing the same hat of marketing and sales? Looking for even more ways to redefine your B2B marketing strategy and grow your manufacturing business? Using digital channels is the single best way to grow your business today. According to Pew Research & Merit, millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. workforce, with 73% involved in purchasing products or services for their companies — and they're doing so online.
The team at Thomas is here to help with custom solutions for every company's need and budget size. Our team is supported by degreed engineers just like you so we understand the complexities of your manufacturing business. We'll go through some growth options with you like:
Get in touch with our experts today to discuss strategies for your specific needs or if you need more convincing, check out our reviews page to hear directly from the manufacturers we've helped.