5 Ways U.S. Manufacturers Can Reap the Rewards of Election Season
by MGB2B
As we all know too well, election season is upon us. And whether you’re a staunch conservative, an unbending liberal, or anything in between, manufacturing is an important part of the conversation. In fact, according to Pew Research, the economy is the top issue for Americans in this election. If you watched the first debate, manufacturing came up at least once or twice in the conversation. That’s because, while the U.S. may face obstacles when it comes to manufacturing, it is still one of the most important drivers of our economy.
So how can you capitalize on this?
The key is for manufacturing companies to show Americans what they do for the economy, how they are creating jobs, coming up with new innovations, and driving America forward. A candidate for local, state, or even U.S. office might pick up your positive story and bring it to the public as an example of success (which can be good or bad depending on how people feel about the candidate). And if you’re really lucky, a national news organization may even cover your story.
Here Are 5 Storytelling Tips for Manufacturers during Election Season:
- Blog About It. Brainstorm the ways you contribute to American progress and get a blog post about it (or even a series) up on your website as soon as you can.
- Promote Those Blogs. Once you have them written, distribute your blogs on your social media sites and email them out to your database. Twitter allows you to promote them frequently and use appropriate hashtags so that industry people (and others) will take notice.
- Shop Your Story Out to Trade Pubs. Send a good old fashioned press release to the publications you deal with most, especially the ones who run your ads regularly.
- Shop Your Story Out Beyond Your Own World. A good, human story about the economy is valuable not just to people in your industry, but to bigger news organizations. If it’s a strong story and it’s written well, they might just pick it up.
- Make a Video. Obviously, time is running out to get in on this election, so this may not be an option for you unless you have an in-house team or an agency that can pull off a great video before November. But a video that shows your company’s progress and tells the story about how you are contributing to the American economy can go a long way. And it’s something that can live online long after the election is over. Sending a video to accompany your press release increases the likelihood that your story will grab the attention of news organizations. Who knows? They may even want to use a clip on TV.
You won’t know the possibilities until you try it. So if you truly have a great manufacturing story, and you think it’s time for America to hear it, put it out there. At this point, voters are aching to hear a positive story. You might as well be the bearer of good news.
Continue ReadingB2B Monday Myth: I Don’t Need Twitter Because I’m Already on LinkedIn
by MGB2B
The Myth: I don’t need Twitter because I’m already on LinkedIn.
The Truth: When used correctly, Twitter can be an amazing marketing tool for expanding your business.
Twitter and LinkedIn are easily two of the biggest social media platforms utilized by expanding businesses. However, some believe that LinkedIn is the only platform you need to make lasting connections with potential customers. They simply aren’t aware of the benefits of Twitter for B2B brands. The truth is, Twitter and LinkedIn have different pros and cons, and when you use both, they complement each other quite nicely.
According to the Content Marketing Institute’s report: 2016 B2B Content Marketing Trends, 55% of B2B brands found Twitter to be effective, while 66% found LinkedIn to be an effective social media platform. The difference in number may be rooted in the approach that businesses take on Twitter. Twitter is not a “set it and forget it” platform – it requires planning and attention. When you put the effort into it, Twitter opens you up to a whole new world of users that may not be available to you on LinkedIn at all.
Here Are the Benefits of Twitter for B2B Brands:
- You Can Post As Often As You Like. We don’t recommend that companies post content on LinkedIn more than twice a day, max. On Twitter, you can have several posts a day. In fact, it’s smart for your brand to do so. Especially with the accompanied use of hashtags to grab audiences searching for topics that are related to your business.
- It’s a Great Listening Tool. Twitter is the perfect spot to listen to both your customers and your competitors. The platform makes it very easy to make lists and categorize users (i.e. competitors, industry experts, prospective customers) that post content that is useful to you. You can more efficiently find out what’s going on in the industry, see what your competitors are doing right or wrong, and what your target audience values most – all in real time.
- You Can Use Twitter to Build Relationships. Use retweeting as a conversation starter. If you agree with something a prospect posted or have something to add, you can retweet their post, mention them with the “@” and use that retweet to talk to them about what matters to them (and you) most.
- Or to Fix and Solidify Relationships. Address the concerns of your followers on Twitter to show the world that you are willing to help them out as quickly as possible. This shows that you are interested in remaining completely transparent. Twitter also offers great tips for both addressing customers’ concerns and harnessing the power of their positive reviews on the platform.
- Lead Generation via Ads. While you may attract a few more bots than you would with a LinkedIn ad, Twitter ads can actually be very effective. That’s because you can use keywords to target ads based on relevant conversations people are having on Twitter. You can also use ads for event targeting to grab the attention of prospects when they are the most actively engaged on what’s going on in your industry.
For the most part, you can think of Twitter as bottom-floor networking. Once you get to know someone through Twitter, then you can take the relationship to the next level — LinkedIn. The trick is doing it in a way that is subtle, friendly, and engaging. Plan out your Twitter presence carefully, and it can be a very lucrative part of a full B2B campaign.
Continue Reading8 Tips to Nail Your Next Trade Show
by MGB2B
A trade show is a great opportunity to spread awareness of your product or service, network with others in your field, and make a name for your company within your industry. However, trade shows can also be tricky; you walk into a chaotic room packed with 1,000+ vendors touting their own products and services. How do you stand out?
Follow these tips from pre-show right through the end and you’ll be sure to make an impact.
Pre Trade Show
Tip #1. Get Creative With Your Booth Design. Stand out in the crowd with original booth messaging and design that aligns with your current campaign. This is also your chance to employ some humor in your booth’s messaging. If yo make it funny, make sure it’s also relevant to your product or industry.
Tip #2. Utilize Social Media. Share posts from the event sponsor’s social platforms and start networking with the attendees online before you’re even there. Join the trade show community and share your company voice. Need to work on social? Check out these tips to get your social media rolling.
At the Show
Tip #3. Swag Is Your Friend. Make sure visitors to your booth aren’t walking away empty handed. Don’t just provide a brochure or one-sheeter; give them something they’ll hang on to like a keychain, stress ball, or a thumb drive that’s clearly branded so they won’t forget where they got it.
Tip #4. Host a Contest Or a Giveaway. Engage your booth visitors! Give your sales team the opportunity to interact those who stop by by offering a valued giveaway item such as a free sample of your product or a free consultation. Bonus: if you do this right, it will be a great opportunity to gather contact information from interested attendees and send them right into your sales funnel.
Onsite Promotions
Tip #5. Place Ads in the Show Program Book. Expand your presence outside of the physical event space. Placements in the program book will let those planning their day at the trade show know where you are and will establish your company as a leader in the industry. If you have enough money in your budget, splurge for a little something extra on/in the publication like a belly band or a gatefold. You’ll stand miles apart from your competitors.
Post Trade Show
Tip #6. Enter New Contacts Into Your Database Immediately. It’s important to nurture the contacts you made at the trade show. Create a list of all the emails, business cards, and contacts you gathered and send out a follow-up email 2-4 weeks after the trade show with new insights and a hook encouraging them to do business with you.
Tip #7. Connect on LinkedIn. Similar to the previous tip, continue to grow those new contacts by connecting on LinkedIn with a personalized message referencing your shared trade show experience. Always continue networking after the event is over.
Tip #8. Blog about it. Not everyone got to go to the show, so share your experience. Talk about what you learned, who you met, and what your biggest takeaways from the show were. Establish yourself as an expert with the inside scoop as a starting point for social media conversation.
Trade shows are a lucrative source of new leads for your business. Don’t just set up a booth and hope they come to you, get proactive and turn your experience into a list of qualified leads and ultimately, new customers.
Continue Reading