Technology is everywhere you look and whether you agree with it or not, the internet is one of, if not THE most powerful tool on the planet.
Many manufacturing companies are slowly starting to recognise that in this day and age they can't afford to not actively participate in online marketing. Not too long ago a large portion of manufacturers didn't think lead generation applied to them, and relied solely on existing clients and word of mouth to accumulate sales. Oh how times have changed!
The internet has changed the way people find, shop, share and connect, meaning all businesses, whatever the industry, need to be present on multiple search engines and discovery databases. Lead generation helps companies instantly connect with buyers and speeds up the purchasing process, with every customer connection made, is a chance to grow and make a profit.
According to statistics, 80% of manufacturers are now posting articles, 73% are engaging in social media, 48% are using videos, and 46% are planning to increase their online marketing budget within the next year.
Generating leads requires a strategic marketing process, but is very worth it as leads often become official customers.
Here are 4 Ideas for generating leads In the Manufacturing Industry:
1) Buyer Profile
The more you know about your customers, the more you will be able to attract them, therefore it is crucial to have a well mapped out and detailed buyer profile. This is essentially your target market and who you are trying to engage. The profile should include age, interests, associations, job titles and objectives.
2) Responsive Site
An up to date website that functions across all platforms and search engines is absolutely crucial to achieving a successful online marketing campaign for any industry manufacturers. The three main features of a strong website are easy reading, easy navigation and minimal scrolling. On average, sites should be updated around every three years to keep up with technology and competitors. An old site will cause any company's marketing to suffer massively, so keep this in mind.
3) Good SEO
One thing all businesses should have in common, is to aim to have their website at the top of the search engine! It isn't easy to achieve by all means, however studies have shown that 60% of internet users choose the first result that comes up on Google. That's a lot of people! It is vital that businesses keep one eye on their competitors in order to keep up with their optimisation as well as their own as it is very easy to fall behind. To have good SEO, companies need to complete deep keyword research and identify the right topics to target within their content in order to watch rankings increase.
4) Offers
Manufacturers don't want to just educate, they need to motivate the leads to act. Just relying on contact forms in the hope that someone will get in touch is simply not enough. This will not bring in the customers you want nor will it maximise leads.
Alternative Call-To-Action ideas for manufacturers include “Ask an Engineer” or “Contact Customer Support.” This is a way to collect lead information in exchange for the firms fulfilling the requests, resulting in increased lead conversation.
A further lead generation idea for manufacturers could be “Download A Catalogue” in exchange for contact information to see if the visitors match the company's buyer profile. This option tends to be for customers who aren't ready to request a quote and that are just having an initial browse. This is a way of softly nurturing the lead without adding any outbound marketing pressure.
An EBook is always a great educational offer to have to gain lead information. It is perfect for people in the research process, but are not yet interested in browsing through any products or discussing any quotes yet. It's good to grab them and engage with people early as a way to understand who they are and what they're looking for.
Hopefully this article has helped you understand the importance of Lead Generation for manufacturers and its purpose. If you have any queries, please comment below or call us on 01332 343281 for an informal chat.
