Marketing for Manufacturers is NOT a DIY Project

America is a country built by a series of thinkers, dreamers and, most importantly, doers. People who went out and created some of greatest innovations the world has seen – especially in the manufacturing sector. Unfortunately, over time, we have seen a lot of that innovation dissipate and the momentum that carried our great nation through nearly two centuries of growth, began to slow.

However, recent manufacturing statistics from the Institute for Supply Management have indicated that the American spirit is alive and well – and growing! While the numbers there show manufacturing has slowly begun to show signs of improvement, achieving real, sustained growth isn’t going to happen by itself. It’s going to take an effort on the part of manufacturers to help drive new business through marketing.

Effective marketing for manufacturers takes time and a consistent, sustained effort.

An unfortunate byproduct of our industrious American spirit has been the persistent belief in DIY or “do it yourself” – the idea that one can go it alone and that outside help isn’t necessary. That couldn’t be any further from the truth when discussing marketing for manufacturers. In today’s complex web of buyers, reps, purchasing agents and various other “decision-makers”, it is even more important for manufacturers to have a firm, strategic plan for marketing themselves. As noted consumer behaviorist Steuart Henderson Britt once said:

“Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does.”

When attempting to operate in what is now a global marketplace, even with support from both state and federal governments (as well as some major corporations), manufacturers still need to make a concerted effort to actively market themselves to potential customers. Below are some tips to help get your manufacturing marketing plan started:

STRATEGY – Establish the objectives, opportunities, and overall goals of your marketing initiatives. This strategy should be unique in some way to your brand. while imitation is thought to be the sincerest form of flattery, there is no formula that works for everyone. Attempting to copy exactly what your competition is doing is a sure-fire recipe for failure.

MARKETING MIX – Once you have your strategy laid out, then you can start focusing on the nuts and bolts needed for the actual execution. This can include things like:
- Website Design for Manufacturers (HINT: it should be mobile-friendly)
- Effective B2B Blogging
- B2B Email Marketing
- Social Media
- Lead Generation Campaigns

OPTIMIZATION – This is often where marketing for manufacturers can fall flat. Consistent refinement and optimization is critical to ensuring that your marketing efforts are not just bringing in leads, but the right leads.

Remember: Rome was not built in a day – nor was it built by any one man. Get the marketing assistance you need to help your company succeed. Oh – did I mention we can help you out with that? Well, we can. Contact us today to learn how.