"Are you out of your gourd?", we can hear you say. Wasting our time on Facebook or Tweetster, or whatever they call those things? I’ve got real customers expecting my phone call and real manufacturing orders to fill.
Well, we won’t argue that the manufacturing field is a step or two behind the digital marketing revolution – what today is called “inbound marketing.” And you’ve likely got good reasons, ranging from “this is how we’ve always done business” to “our customers don’t care about the Internet.”
But hey, you’re in the business of creating complex structures, so doing inbound marketing should not be an intimidating prospect. In fact, it’s a rather easy-to-understand strategy that plays right into your wheelhouse, as it were.
Inbound marketing has its roots in a handful of tactics that, taken together, help prospective and current customers identify you, trust you and want to know more about you. It imparts a similar sense of credibility that you might enjoy now when you phone your most loyal clients – but if you’re looking to expand that B2B base, you need to be where the prospects are: online.
So put down the cold-call list, stow away the Yellow Pages ad contract, rethink the costly direct mail and ponder four questions that can help you transition your campaign into the digital age.
Will Optimizing Your Website Help Your Business?
- YES ... when you work with a web strategist/design partner who can show you how a good business site is based on a compelling homepage, easy navigation, tons of contact opportunities and a landing page or two that helps you identify qualified leads to follow-up on.
- NO ... if you insist that your 20-year-old web design – you know, with the picture of your building across the front, and the “contact us” hidden out of the way. Or maybe you have “flashy” graphics that auto-play videos or audio, which is more an annoyance to visitors than an attraction.
- CONSIDER ... you have maybe 5 seconds to engage a visitor to your website’s homepage, so that page better have what they find compelling – answers, help, reassurance and easy ways to get around. Stock your site with bona-fides like Terms of Service, About Us and copyright info to further assure visitors that you’re on the same level.
Will Using SEO Keywords Help Your Manufacturing Business?
- YES ... once you know what those words are and how to use them. In every business – yes, including manufacturing – some 90 percent of B2B prospects search Google first. If you have great content that includes the compelling “search engine optimization” (SEO) words that customers search on, you have a better chance of ending up near the top of the Google results – where you need to be.
- NO .... if you choose words that are so vague they produce millions of results, or ones so complicated that virtually no one would think of searching on such a term. Your web partner can help you determine what words and phrases work best in your content and website to attract Google’s attention.
- CONSIDER ... Google’s algorithms change constantly to make searches more intuitive. Today, people can type in complete sentences and the search engine will know what they’re talking about!
Will Blogging and Making Videos Help Your Manufacturing Business?
- YES ... because great content is at the core of inbound marketing. Remember, you’re competing not only on a local level, but a national or even global one. You’re playing with the big boys, so you have to show you have as much to offer (at your own scale) as they do. And that means “giving it away” sometimes – creating blogs, videos, articles, whitepapers and more that demonstrate you know what is important to your target audience without the pressure of a sales pitch. (That comes later.)
- NO ... if your content is “me-centric.” At the early points of the inbound sales funnel, nobody wants to hear about your company’s history, your awesome new office building, or anything else that bears no relation to real-world manufacturing concerns. Make every piece of content all about the customer – educate, engage and even entertain them, and you’ll be in a good position to have them coming back for more. At that point, your call-to-action helps them convert from casual visitor to qualified lead.
- CONSIDER ... working with your inbound consultant to create an editorial calendar that helps you determine what to publish and when, so you can meet specific needs based on season, fiscal year or change in the economy.
Will Getting on Social Networks Help Your Manufacturing Business?
- YES ... if you do it right. Remember that the foundation of inbound marketing is information, advice and industry insight – not sales pitches. A social presence is a great way to hold two-way conversations and show other customers and prospects that you have an active community of fans and followers.
- NO ... if you dress up your social site as a thinly disguised ad or demand that your visitor make a decision right off the bat. And once you are committed to a network, stick with it …post just once a month, and you may as well not post at all.
- CONSIDER ... businesses are so often going on social networks that if you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn presence, people may wonder if you have something to hide! And remember to give as good as you get …become active on the networks of your customers, vendors and other associates to get your name out there even more.
Get Found First!
Even the most loyal customer likely spends part of his day online. Don’t miss out on any chance to stay in touch. Talk to your inbound marketing specialist about the steps it takes to get you found online by the people who matter most.
