The first step to making sure that you meet your sales targets is to put an effective marketing strategy in place.
However, you can't just sit back and watch the money roll in once you're done. Successful businesses review their marketing strategies regularly to ensure that they're using the latest marketing techniques and taking account of industry developments. So, how often should you review your marketing strategy?
You might think your current marketing strategy is working beautifully, especially if you are getting all the enquiries and sales that you currently need. All it takes, however, is for one of your competitors to launch an innovative product or for a new piece of machinery to be developed, and everything could change. If your marketing activities and materials don't show potential customers that you can meet their changing needs, they'll go elsewhere and your existing customers may well do the same. Therefore, when manufacturing companies ask me how often they should review their marketing strategies, I tell them that, in general, the answer is at least every two years. However, if they're working in a fast-moving sector, or one where technological development can suddenly turn the entire industry on its head, I advise them to do so far more frequently. If you haven't reassessed your marketing strategy for a while, make it a priority this year, especially as the pandemic has changed the investment priorities for many businesses – and marketing messages need to reflect this.
Of course, your review will only yield optimal results if you approach it in the right way. That means considering your marketing efforts strategically, rather than tactically. Many manufacturing businesses prioritise the operational minutiae of marketing, such as whether their brochures need tweaking or how many social media followers they want to attract and that's an expensive mistake to make. If you only focus on internal issues, you could miss new business opportunities. You could even find that the manufacturing world has changed, and you've been left behind.
Consider what's happening outside of your business. Examine the current trends and think about what the future could bring. What might your clients be searching for (on Google) in the months and years to come? Are there any opportunities that you could take advantage of? How would your business need to adapt to make the most of these? Use your answers to shape your business and marketing strategies, and then identify the perfect tactical approach to take.
JDR Group specialise in marketing for manufacturers. This includes web design, social media, and marketing strategy.
You can see how we help with our manufacturing case studies, including:
To find out more, download a free copy of our FREE guide How To Get More Customers In The Manufacturing Industry.