Category: Industrial Content Marketing

Industrial Marketing Strategy vs. Plan
I’m sure you’ve heard marketing consultants like me talk about the importance of creating a marketing strategy and then following a plan for success. But what exactly is the difference between an industrial marketing strategy and a plan? I can assure you they are not just consulting jargon.

In this article, I will delve into the nuances of these two concepts and explore how they contribute to the growth and profitability of industrial businesses. However, it is important to understand that industrial marketing strategies and plans go hand in hand.

Understanding the difference between an industrial marketing strategy and a plan

While the two terms are often used interchangeably, a marketing plan and a marketing strategy are distinct from each other. A marketing strategy is the broader framework that defines a brand’s overall direction and positioning. It defines the target audience, the value proposition and the key messages that differentiate a company from its competitors.

It sets the stage for the marketing plan by providing a clear understanding of the market dynamics and opportunities.

A marketing plan, on the other hand, is a comprehensive document outlining the objectives, tactics, and resources needed to achieve a company’s marketing goals. It provides a roadmap that guides all marketing activities and ensures a focused approach.

While a marketing plan focuses on the specific actions and tactics to be executed, a marketing strategy provides the overarching vision and direction that guides those actions.

To summarize the differences into short sentences—Strategy is about answering the Who and the Why questions. While planning is about answering the What and the How questions.

Key components of an industrial marketing strategy

The marketing strategy provides the overall direction and positioning of the brand. The key components of an industrial marketing strategy include:
- Target market identification: Clearly defining the target market and understanding their needs, pain points, and buying behaviors. This helps in developing targeted marketing messages and campaigns.
- Competitive analysis: Conducting a thorough analysis of the competition to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning. This enables manufacturers and other industrial businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors and identify market gaps.
- Value proposition development: Developing a compelling value proposition that clearly communicates the unique benefits and advantages of the product or service. This helps in positioning the brand effectively in the market. (See Content Can Differentiate Industrial Companies When There’s Parity in Value Propositions)
- Brand positioning: Defining the desired brand image and positioning in the market. This includes determining the brand personality, messaging, and visual identity.
- Measurement and evaluation: Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the marketing strategy’s success. This includes tracking website traffic, leads generated, conversions, and ROI.
When it comes to industrial content marketing, the strategy can not only be in someone’s head. It needs to be documented and refined over time using measurement and analysis. The survey results published by the Content Marketing Insitute show that only 32% of manufacturing marketers having a documented content marketing strategy.

They also said, “…too many content marketers are creating content for the sake of creating content – in many cases, this could mean responding to ad hoc requests.” I couldn’t agree more with that statement.

Key components of an industrial marketing plan

A comprehensive industrial marketing plan comprises of several key components that work together to achieve the desired marketing objectives. You’ll find some overlap between a plan and a strategy.
- Market research: Involves analyzing market trends, customer demographics, and competitor strategies.
- Target market segmentation: Identifying and segmenting the target market allows industrial businesses to tailor their marketing messages and strategies to specific customer groups. This ensures that marketing efforts are more focused and effective.
- Marketing objectives: Setting clear and measurable marketing objectives is crucial for tracking progress and evaluating the success of marketing efforts. Objectives should be specific, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- Marketing tactics: Determining the specific tactics and activities that will be used to achieve the marketing objectives. This may include content marketing, email marketing, social media, digital and print advertising, public relations, and trade shows, to name some of the typical industrial marketing tactics.
- Budget and resources: Allocating the necessary budget and resources to support the marketing plan. This includes determining the marketing budget, staffing requirements, and technology investments.
- Implementation timeline: Creating a detailed timeline that outlines the specific tasks and milestones for implementing the marketing plan. This ensures that all activities are executed in a timely manner.
Measuring the success of your industrial marketing strategy and plan

Measuring the success of an industrial marketing strategy and a plan is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of the efforts and making necessary adjustments. Here are some key metrics to consider:
- Website traffic: Monitor website traffic to determine the effectiveness of various marketing channels in driving visitors to the site. Track the number of unique visitors, page views, and time spent on the site.
- Lead generation: Measure the number of leads generated through various marketing channels. This includes form submissions, email sign-ups, and downloads of gated content.
- Conversion rate: Calculate the conversion rate by dividing the number of conversions by the total number of visitors. This helps determine the website’s effectiveness in converting visitors into leads.
- Return on investment (ROI): Calculate the ROI by comparing the revenue generated from marketing efforts to the cost of those efforts. This helps in determining the profitability of the marketing activities. This is a complex process because of long sales cycles and multiple stakeholders involved in the buying decisions. See Manufacturing Content Marketing Distribution and Measurement.
- Customer satisfaction: Monitor customer satisfaction through surveys, feedback forms, and customer reviews. This provides insights into the effectiveness of marketing efforts in meeting customer needs and expectations.
- Brand awareness: Measure brand awareness by tracking brand mentions, social media followers, and search engine rankings. This helps in evaluating the effectiveness of marketing efforts in increasing brand visibility.
A well-defined marketing strategy and a detailed plan are essential for success in industrial marketing, especially in a globally competitive market(s). While a marketing plan provides a roadmap for achieving marketing objectives, a marketing strategy sets the overall direction and positioning of the brand.

By understanding the differences between these two components and effectively implementing them, industrial companies can reach their target audience, differentiate themselves from competitors, and achieve their business objectives. So, invest the time and effort in developing a comprehensive marketing strategy and a plan and propel your industrial marketing efforts to new heights.

Need help developing your industrial marketing strategy? Let’s discuss how I can help you with our industrial marketing consulting service.
September 5, 2023
Manufacturing Content Marketing Survey Results [2023]
I recently downloaded the report Manufacturing Content Marketing – Insights for 2023. The results are from the survey done and published by the Content Marketing Insititute. They do this survey every year.

I’m not going to rehash the entire report in this post. Instead, I’ll highlight some of the important findings and share my thoughts based on working with manufacturers every day. I encourage you to download the full report from the link above.

Understanding the audience for the manufacturing content marketing survey

Let me first talk about the respondents for this survey. It will help to understand some of the findings in the proper context.

1,104 people responded to the survey. They were from around the world, from different industries in varying job functions, and working within companies ranging in size from Micro (1 – 9 employees) to Large (1,000+ employees). So it was a reasonably large sample and representative.

Manufacturing content marketing is still a one-person show

Even though 78% of the manufacturers in the surveys were from Medium to Large sized companies, 61% said one group (or person) is responsible for handling all types of content in their organization (including advertising, thought leadership, brochures, SEO content, etc.). Yes, the percentage was lower at 47% for large-size companies.

These findings match what I see on the ground. Many industrial companies I talk to don’t even have one person dedicated to manufacturing content marketing. It’s all done ad hoc by whoever has some time. That’s why they contact me for help in the first place. 😊

Help is on the way for manufacturing marketers

Don’t panic, at least not yet. Decision-makers in many manufacturing companies have realized that their marketing departments are severely understaffed, and those few are wearing too many hats.

Manufacturers plan to hire or contract out more in 2023, and 42% of respondents think their content marketing budget will increase in 2023. Unfortunately, that’s down from 2021, when 64% expected their marketing budget to increase the following year.

Content creation is not the same as content marketing

That is my mantra, and I repeat it often to whoever will listen. Let’s be serious for a minute, I’ve had too many conversations where stakeholders in industrial companies have unrealistic expectations about manufacturing content marketing.

What do I mean by that? Here’s a typical example, “We want you to write blog posts for us that will show up on the first page of Google, so our target audience (engineers and industrial buyers) will find us easily, visit our blog and contact our salespeople.”

If it were that simple, everyone would be doing it.

Only 32% of manufacturing content marketers have a documented content marketing strategy in place. This lack of strategy often leads to content creation without clear objectives or alignment with business goals.

Little to no thought is given to developing a content marketing strategy, clearly defining the audience, and writing about their pain points. Just creating content for the sake of content marketing will not move the needle. Your content needs to be more about them and less about you.

“Manufacturing marketers who want to differentiate their content should focus on quality and unique stories.”
Manufacturing Content Marketing Survey – 2023

Eighty percent of those who always/frequently differentiate their content said they do so by producing better quality content than their competitors.

Goals achieved by manufacturing content marketers in the last 12 months

You’d think this would be a no-brainer. Of course, lead generation is the number #1 goal, right? Well, take a look at this chart.

Surprised by the findings? You shouldn’t be. Let me explain based on my hands-on experience working with manufacturers.

Raising brand awareness, earning the audience’s trust (engineers are naturally skeptical), and educating them with content relevant to their work-related challenges, all play a critical role in generating better quality leads that have a good chance of converting into sales opportunities.

Refer to my earlier post, Industrial Lead Generation for Sales – It’s Complicated!

What is working and what is not

The report has a whole section dedicated to discussing the various channels. I don’t want to repeat them here. Let me highlight a few of them.
- Sixty percent reported using in-person events, compared with only 28% the previous year (The pandemic had a big impact on this)
- The use of videos increased to 90% from 86% the previous year
- Manufacturing marketers said videos produced the best results for their content marketing in the last 12 months (57%)
- The use of guest posts increased to 47% from 26% the previous year
- The use of Facebook decreased by 7 points (79% this year vs. 86% the previous year). Linkedin remains at the top with 95% usage
- The use of paid content distribution decreased to 73% from 85% the previous year
- The use of Facebook advertising decreased to 63% from 76% the previous year
- The top challenge manufacturing marketers face with measuring content performance is difficulty integrating/correlating data across multiple platforms (48%)
Manufacturing content marketing challenges and looking forward

Manufacturing marketers continue to face challenges in content marketing, including maintaining consistency in measurement, accessing subject matter experts, and aligning content efforts with business goals. However, the survey results indicate a positive outlook for the future.

In looking ahead, manufacturing marketers must prioritize developing comprehensive strategies and invest in the right people and technologies to manage and streamline processes.

Let’s talk if you have questions or need help with your manufacturing content marketing.
August 14, 2023
How to Craft Compelling Manufacturing Content that Resonates with Engineers and Attracts Industrial Buyers
When it comes to creating manufacturing content for engineers, it is crucial to understand their unique needs and challenges. Engineers are problem solvers by nature, and they seek content that provides practical solutions to their work-related issues.

It is important to focus on the value proposition of your product or service when writing compelling content for industrial buyers.

Know thy audience

Without understanding their unique needs and challenges, one can’t create compelling manufacturing content for engineers. By identifying their challenges, you can create content that resonates with your target audience and addresses their specific needs.

I cannot emphasize this point enough. I recently wrote a whole post on this topic. See Industrial Marketing Challenges: Identifying Roadblocks and Developing Effective Solutions.

Take the time to understand your target audience. What are their job functions, responsibilities, pain points, and their roles in the buying decision? You can then tailor your content to provide the most value by understanding their needs.

Create manufacturing content that addresses their pain points

One common pain point in the manufacturing industry is the need for efficient production processes. Engineers are constantly looking for ways to streamline their operations and reduce costs. By addressing this pain point in your content, you can provide valuable insights and solutions that will attract the attention of engineers and industrial buyers.

Another challenge is staying up to date with the latest technologies and trends. With advancements in automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, engineers are constantly seeking information on incorporating these technologies into their operations. By providing content that educates and informs on these topics, you can position yourself as a trusted source of industry knowledge.

Engineers and industrial buyers also want to work with reliable suppliers and partners they trust. They look for companies that understand their unique needs and can provide high-quality products and services. By showcasing your expertise and highlighting your track record of success, you can build trust and attract industrial buyers to your brand. So earning their trust with content that is more about them and less about you will go a long way towards your success with manufacturing content marketing.

Crafting compelling and informative manufacturing content

Once you have identified your target audience’s pain points and challenges, it is time to craft compelling and informative content that addresses these issues. Here are some tips to help you create content that resonates with engineers and industrial buyers:
- Use storytelling: Engineers and industrial buyers are humans too! They are more likely to engage with content that tells a story. Obviously, I’m not referring to fairytales (😊). Use real-world examples, case studies, and success stories to illustrate how your products or services have helped other companies overcome challenges and achieve success. There are ways to write success stories without violating NDAs.
- Provide actionable insights: Your content should inform and provide actionable insights that engineers and industrial buyers can implement in their operations. Whether it’s a step-by-step guide, best practices, or tips, make sure your content provides practical value.
- Communicate clearly: When targeting a technical audience, providing value through informative and educational content is essential. Simplify complex concepts without dumbing down the content. How-to videos are great for this. It’s okay to use industry-standard jargon and acronyms sparingly.
- Optimize for search engines (SEO): Your content needs to be easily discoverable to attract industrial buyers. Optimize your content for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords, writing informative meta descriptions, and ensuring your content is properly formatted and structured. My take on this is to write for human visitors first and let the search engines follow. Not the other way around. Another thing to remember is that conversion is not automatic; just because someone found your content and visited your site or blog doesn’t mean they’ll become a lead. (See Industrial Marketing is Not Just for ToFU).
Different strokes for different folks

So what kinds of content should you create? One thing is for sure, one size fits all won’t cut it. You need to use different formats to target various stakeholders in the buying decision and the stage of the buying journey.

Instead of writing hundreds of words describing every content format, let me make you a shortlist of commonly used manufacturing content.
- Product datasheets
- Blog posts (Published on your own blog, as well as guest posts in industry portals)
- In-depth technical articles
- Whitepapers and e-Books
- Case studies and application notes
- How-to videos
- Content for webinars
What content do engineers prefer in making work-related decisions? This chart from the report Manufacturing Content Marketing – Insights for 2023, published by the Content Marketing Institute, is a good reference.

For parts and components manufacturers, I suggest creating content that I refer to as sales enablers. They convert very well. Read my earlier post, Using CAD and BIM Files in Manufacturing Content Marketing.

There are other types of manufacturing content I have used with good results because they help move the buyer forward in their buying journey. They are:
- Online product configurators
- “How to Order” part number builders
- Parametric part number search applications
- Valve sizing programs
- Online maintenance data management, tracking legacy installations, and managing spare parts inventory
- Online interactive and real-time design tools
- Cross-reference guides
- Evaluation and engineering kits
One final thought, what about using Generative AI for creating manufacturing content? Ah, it’s a hot topic worthy of a few blog posts. Whatever your opinion is about using AI in content marketing, you can’t escape it. Stay tuned. I’ll publish posts soon, where I’ll share my thoughts and personal experiences using AI.

Okay, now that you’ve reached the end of this post and I thank you for it, it’s time to summarize. Crafting compelling content that resonates with engineers and attracts industrial buyers is essential for successful manufacturing marketing. Get to know your target audience well, especially their pain points, and use different formats for different roles and stages of the buying journey. Earn their trust with relevant educational content that is technically accurate and up-to-date.

Need help crafting compelling manufacturing content? Let’s talk.
August 1, 2023
Industrial Marketing Challenges: Identifying Roadblocks and Developing Effective Solutions

As an experienced industrial marketer with 35+ years of hands-on experience, I have witnessed first-hand the unique challenges manufacturing marketers face. In this article, I’ll discuss the most common ones and suggest practical solutions to overcome them. Manufacturers and industrial companies can achieve their marketing objectives by understanding and overcoming these roadblocks.

Let’s look at some of the unique challenges in manufacturing marketing.

Lack of industry-specific knowledge

The manufacturing industry presents a set of distinct challenges that marketers must navigate. First, the target audience in industrial marketing is often niche and specialized. Unlike consumer marketing, where the target audience is broad and diverse, industrial marketers must reach a specific group of professionals with industry-specific knowledge and expertise. This requires a deep understanding of the industry and the ability to communicate effectively with professionals in those fields.

Without a deep understanding of the industry and the challenges faced by engineers and technical professionals, manufacturing marketers may struggle to effectively communicate the unique value proposition of their offerings and engage with the target audience.

To overcome this roadblock, marketers need to learn about their target industries and the challenges engineers face in their daily work. I understand that not every marketer is an engineer. So how do you gain this expertise and knowledge?

One of the best ways is learning from your in-house Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Do some basic online research and reading before you approach an SME. They are busy doing what they do best, and that is not marketing. You don’t want to waste their time by being unprepared.

Try attending industry events and meetings and talking to external experts. Attend related webinars to understand what others in your industry are discussing and the challenges they are trying to overcome.

I’m not saying it will be easy, especially at first. Give yourself time to thoroughly understand the industry so you can effectively tailor marketing messaging to connect with the target audience on a deeper level.

Read my earlier post, Effective Industrial Content Marketing Requires Working Closely with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

Limited marketing budget and resources

Another significant roadblock in industrial marketing is the limited budget and resources. With limited funds, executing some of your more ambitious marketing plans can be challenging. However, this challenge can be overcome through strategic planning and prioritization.

One effective solution is to focus on targeted marketing efforts that reach the niche audience most likely to be interested in your marketing message. Note I did not say “Product Promotions.”

Of course, your marketing goals should align closely with business goals, meaning you need to help increase sales and revenues at the end of the day. However, making your marketing overly “salesy” is a sure turnoff.

“51% said they are challenged with creating valuable content instead of sales-oriented content as well as with overcoming the traditional marketing and sales mindset.”
(Source: Report published by the Content Marketing Insitute).

Overcoming the challenge of reaching a niche target audience

Reaching a niche target audience is a common roadblock in industrial marketing. Unlike consumer marketing, where mass media channels can be used to reach a broad audience, industrial marketers need to identify the specific platforms and channels where their target audience is active. This can be challenging, as the industrial sector often has its own unique communication channels and platforms.

Try leveraging industry-specific publications, attending trade shows and conferences, and utilizing online platforms catering to manufacturing industry professionals.

Don’t just rely on organic SEO for your audience to find your content. Remember, industrial buyers are not searching every day for engineered systems and components. Use other channels to drive your audience back to your industrial website and blog.

By understanding the communication habits of the target audience, marketers can develop a targeted approach that ensures their message reaches the right people at the right time.

Here’s a handy chart showing social media channels engineers use for work-related purposes. (Source: 2023 State of Marketing To Engineers, published by TREW Marketing and GlobalSpec)

Buyer personas: The specifier vs. the functional buyer

Here’s something unique and different in industrial or manufacturing marketing. As a manufacturer of industrial components, you have to deal with two different types of buyers—Specifiers and Functional Buyers.

A specifier is often a staff engineer tasked with gathering all the specs and ensuring they meet the design requirements.

The Purchasing Department is the functional buyer that issues the RFQ or the PO only to suppliers on the Approved Vendor List (AVL) or whose parts are specified in the bill of materials (BOM).

Unless the specifier “designs in” your part, you will not likely get that RFQ or a PO. The specifier may not have the final buying authority but ignore him/her at your peril.

Consider creating an online library of 2D/3D CAD files. This is a proven manufacturing marketing strategy for parts manufacturers. See my earlier post, Using CAD and BIM Files in Manufacturing Content Marketing, for more on this topic.

Building trust and credibility in the industrial sector

Building trust and credibility is crucial for success in industrial marketing. Industrial buyers typically make decisions based on a combination of technical specifications, reputation, and trust in the supplier. This presents a unique challenge for marketers, as they must promote the features and benefits of their products or services and, at the same time, establish trust and credibility in the industry.

This is probably the biggest challenge faced by manufacturing marketers that I’ve seen. You can’t build strong relationships based on earned trust with short-term marketing campaigns.

A good solution to this challenge is to focus on thought leadership and educational content. Marketers can position themselves as trusted advisors in the industry by providing valuable insights and expertise through blog posts, whitepapers, and webinars. This approach helps build trust with potential buyers and establishes the company as a credible source of information and expertise.

See How Industrial Marketing for Manufacturers Helps in Building New Relationships.

Leveraging digital marketing strategies for manufacturing marketing

Today’s buyers are in self-serve and self-select mode. Leveraging digital marketing strategies is essential for success in this environment.

Your digital marketing strategy should include search engine optimization (SEO) to improve visibility in search engine results, paid advertising campaigns targeted at industry-specific keywords (I’ve seen my clients have limited success with PPC), advertising on industry portals, and social media marketing to engage with industrial professionals.

Additionally, email marketing can be a highly effective strategy for nurturing leads and maintaining relationships with existing customers. By providing valuable content and personalized messaging, industrial companies can stay top-of-mind and drive repeat business.

Utilizing content marketing to overcome industrial marketing challenges

Industrial content marketing plays a crucial role in overcoming industrial marketers’ challenges. Manufacturers can attract and engage their target audience by creating and distributing relevant and valuable content. This can include blog posts, case studies, industry reports, and educational resources.

Your content must convey that you understand their challenges and can provide effective solutions. Don’t produce content that is nothing more than thinly disguised product features. It must be more about them and less about you.

While industrial marketing presents its own set of challenges, you can overcome them with the right strategies and tactics. Manufacturers can drive success and achieve their marketing objectives by understanding the unique characteristics of the manufacturing industry, identifying roadblocks, and implementing effective solutions.

Let’s talk if you are facing some of these challenges and need help with industrial and manufacturing marketing. I’ll first listen to your concerns and then try to provide tailored marketing solutions to address your specific needs instead of serving up cookie-cutter theories. Together, we can overcome challenges and pave the way for your success in industrial marketing.

July 20, 2023
The Power of Digital Marketing for Manufacturers: Strategies and Tactics
I am often asked to explain the differences between digital marketing for manufacturers and B2B marketing. I don’t assume anything and start from the basics. You may already know some of this stuff.

As a manufacturer, you are always looking for ways to grow your business and increase your bottom line. One of the most effective ways to achieve these goals is through digital marketing. In this article, I will share some strategies and tactics that can help you leverage the power of digital marketing for your manufacturing company.

Differences between digital marketing for manufacturers and B2B marketing

When it comes to marketing, there are several differences between digital manufacturing marketing and B2B marketing.

One of the fundamental differences between digital marketing for manufacturers and B2B marketing lies in their target audience. Industrial digital marketing caters to the needs of manufacturers and suppliers of industrial products and services. It involves creating content that speaks to this specific target audience’s unique challenges and needs. In contrast, B2B marketing targets businesses in a wide array of industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, and more.

While B2B marketing focuses on selling products or services to other businesses, digital marketing for manufacturers is a more specific type of B2B targeting the industrial sector. Industrial digital marketing involves promoting products and services such as machinery, equipment, and materials used in the manufacturing industry.

Another key difference between the two is the target audience. B2B marketing often targets decision-makers, such as CEOs or managers, while digital marketing for manufacturers targets engineers, procurement personnel, and other technical professionals involved in the buying process. As such, the messaging and content used in each type of marketing may differ to appeal to each specific target audience.

In short, while digital marketing for manufacturers and B2B marketing share some similarities, they are two distinct concepts with different applications and target audiences. Understanding these differences is essential for businesses to develop effective marketing strategies catering to their needs and goals. Industrial marketing is a subset of the broader B2B marketing, but they are not the same.

The specifier vs. the functional buyer

Here’s something unique in industrial or manufacturing marketing. You may be dealing with two different types of buyers—Specifiers and Functional Buyers. Let’s say you are a manufacturer of industrial components or parts. A specifier, often a staff engineer, is tasked with gathering all the specs and making sure they meet the design requirements.

The Purchasing Department is the functional buyer that issues the RFQ or the PO. They do so only to suppliers on the Approved Vendor List (AVL) or whose parts are specified in the bill of materials (BOM).

Unless the specifier “designs in” your part, you will not likely get to the RFQ or a PO. The specifier may not have the final buying authority but ignore him/her at your peril.

Consider creating an online library of 2D/3D CAD files. This is a proven manufacturing marketing strategy for parts manufacturers. See my earlier post, Using CAD and BIM Files in Manufacturing Content Marketing, for more on this topic.

Why digital marketing is important for manufacturing companies

In today’s digital age, consumers increasingly turn to the internet to research products and make purchasing decisions. This trend is no different in the manufacturing industry. As a result, manufacturers with a strong digital presence are more likely to be found by potential industrial buyers and generate more leads. Digital marketing for manufacturers is also more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods, such as print ads and trade shows.

Understanding the manufacturing audience

Understanding your audience is essential to market your industrial products or engineering services effectively. Your target audience may include engineers, procurement managers, or other decision-makers in the manufacturing industry. Understanding their pain points, needs, and preferences can help you create targeted marketing programs that resonate with them. Each stakeholder will have different content needs as they move forward in their buying journey.

Developing a marketing strategy for manufacturing companies

Developing a marketing strategy is important before you start your digital marketing efforts. Your marketing strategy should include your business goals, target audience, marketing channels, and budget. This plan will guide your marketing efforts and help you stay on track.

Notice that a marketing strategy is not the same as a list of marketing tactics. This is a common mistake or an area of confusion. Since manufacturing content marketing is the most significant component of industrial marketing today, let’s focus on that. 88% of manufacturing marketers said they used content marketing successfully to achieve various goals – Source: 2022 Manufacturing Content Marketing, published by the Content Marketing Insitute (CMI).

Key tactics for successful manufacturing marketing

Several strategic tactics can help you succeed with digital marketing for your manufacturing company. These include:
- Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimizing your website for search engines can help you rank higher in search results and drive more traffic to your site. (Keep in mind, a visit to conversion is not automatic).
- Industrial content marketing: This is by far the most effective marketing strategy for manufacturers in the current environment where industrial buyers are in self-select and self-serve mode (It is difficult to reach invisible and anonymous buyers with cold calling and email blasts).
- Email marketing: Email marketing is very much alive despite all the buzz about social media. It continues to be the most effective way to reach engineers and industrial professionals. Targeted email marketing is very different from “batch and blast” emails of the past. (51 percent of engineers prefer their initial salesperson interaction to be by email. Eighty-nine percent of engineers subscribe to at least one newsletter, while 54 percent subscribe to at least three newsletters. Source: 2023 State of Marketing To Engineers).
- Video marketing: Video marketing is very popular with the industrial audience. Videos were the top content type produced and the top area of content marketing investment in 2022. The top three types of content created in the last 12 months were videos (86%), short articles/posts (83%), and virtual events/webinars/online courses (70%). Videos also were the content type manufacturing marketers said produced the best results. (Source: The CMI report cited earlier).
- Social media: You must be realistic about social media and manufacturing marketing. Most engineers and technical professionals tend to be passive participants in social media. I’m not suggesting you ignore it, but use it judiciously to promote new content, be it blog posts, how-to videos, events, or announcements. LinkedIn is the organic social media platform that manufacturing content marketers used the most for distributing content (93%), followed by Facebook (86%) and YouTube (80%). (Source: CMI report).
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: This tactic is contentious. I’ve heard some of my clients complain loudly that it is a “money pit” that produces minimal results. 51 percent of engineers avoid paid search ads at all costs (Source: 2023 State of Marketing To Engineers). In my experience working with industrial companies, PPC can work if you manufacture and sell standard industrial products and consumables. However, if you make custom-engineered systems, PPC is an expensive tactic for driving traffic.
Measuring the success of your industrial digital marketing efforts

Measuring the success of your digital marketing efforts is critical to understanding what’s working and what’s not. Unfortunately, it is often ignored other than a cursory look at Google Analytics to measure website traffic, email open and click rates, and other top-of-the-funnel statistics. You won’t know if your marketing strategy and tactics are working or not if you don’t measure. So take the guesswork out of the equation when it comes time to refine your strategy and/or abandon certain tactics that fail to produce results.

This chart from the CMI report illustrates the problem of lack of measuring for proving marketing’s ROI.

Benefits of working with a manufacturing marketing company

Digital marketing is an ever-evolving field, and staying up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies can be challenging. Working with a specialized manufacturing marketing agency can help you stay ahead of the curve and ensure your digital marketing efforts are effective. In addition, an experienced manufacturing marketing expert can provide valuable insights into the latest strategies, tactics, and tools to help you reach your goals.

You can maximize your digital marketing ROI by leveraging the agency’s specialized expertise, resources, and technology. With the right industrial marketing agency, you can create a robust digital presence that drives results for your business.

To summarize this long post, digital marketing is a powerful tool for manufacturers to connect with their target audience of engineers and technical professionals and grow their businesses. Following the strategies and tactics I’ve provided in this post, you can develop an effective digital marketing strategy and use proven tactics that drive results for your manufacturing company.

Let’s talk if you have questions about getting started or need to improve your digital marketing for manufacturers.
June 1, 2023
5 Manufacturing Content Marketing Hurdles and How to Overcome Them
Are you a manufacturing or technical content marketer struggling to create good content that is seen and used by your target audience (Engineers and industrial buyers)? If so, you’re not alone.

Many manufacturers face hurdles when it comes to content marketing, from gaps in knowledge and skillset to challenges with budgets and organizational buy-in. However, there are ways to overcome these challenges.

In this blog post, we’ll explore five common manufacturing content marketing hurdles and suggest solutions for each one. By the end, you’ll have a plan of action for moving forward with your own content marketing efforts. So let’s get started!

Before diving into the details, let’s examine what independent research shows about where engineers and industrial professionals seek information for work-related purposes.

“82 percent of engineers go right to the source: supplier/vendor websites.” (Source: 2023 State of Marketing to Engineers)

Let’s first talk about the elephant in the room—the lack of resources and/or budget. It is no secret that most manufacturing content marketers are asked to do more with the same resources. However, the good news is that a larger portion of the budget is now going to digital marketing.

Okay, now that you know you are not alone in facing these challenges, let’s identify the major hurdles and how to overcome them.

Defining your audience—who are you trying to reach with your content marketing efforts, and what do they want to see from you?

Understanding your audience and their needs is crucial to manufacturing content marketing success. As manufacturing companies increasingly turn to this industrial marketing strategy to reach potential customers, it is essential to develop a good understanding of the target audience. This requires going beyond the basics—industry, company size, and job function. Digging deeper to get a better understanding of the audience you are trying to engage will give you a clear direction on the type of content you should create and how it should be presented.

Taking the time to survey current and potential customers can help manufacturers determine the messaging that resonates with their core audience. That will solidify their understanding of who they are trying to reach, craft relevant content to engage them, and motivate them to take action. That’s how manufacturers can achieve their marketing and sales goals with content marketing.

Developing a manufacturing content marketing strategy—what will be your voice and cadence?

Developing a content marketing strategy is no easy feat. First, industrial companies must identify topics for the content they wish to create, how often they plan to publish it, and what they expect their readers to do after reading it. This requires careful consideration of the target audience’s preferences and the company’s business goals.

“66% of manufacturing marketers reported that their organization has a content marketing strategy. Of those, 60% said their strategy is moderately or slightly different now versus pre-pandemic.” (Source: Manufacturing Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends with Insights for 2022)

While it might be tempting to anticipate trends to remain relevant, manufacturing brands should ensure that their content aligns with their core values and remains consistent over time. They may run into hurdles when launching their content marketing program, but proper research and understanding of the target audience will help them refine their content marketing strategy and improve their chances of success significantly. It is time well spent and undoubtedly worthwhile.

Creating quality content—is the content well-researched and accurate?

Crafting technical content regularly can be challenging. However, quality content is essential for engaging your engineering audience, who likely have expertise in the areas you want to write about. In addition, your audience expects to take away accurate information based on current trends and technologies they can apply in their daily work.

Manufacturing marketers said their top three content marketing challenges were:
1. Creating valuable content instead of sales-oriented content (51%),
2. Overcoming the traditional marketing and sales mindset (51%)
3. Accessing subject matter experts to create content (50%).
(Source: The same 2022 Benchmark Report cited earlier).

To overcome the hurdle of creating quality manufacturing content, it’s essential to spend time researching the technical aspects of the topic, use trusted and reliable sources to cite, create detailed checklists, and establish a review process with in-house Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can provide feedback and identify errors before publishing. Just don’t expect your SMEs to write the content for you.

With the right level of preparation, accuracy, and compelling content, most manufacturers should be able to engage with their target audience effectively.

Promoting your content—once you’ve created it, how will you get it in front of the people who need to see it?

Once you’ve created high-quality content, the next step is to put it in front of your intended audience. A successful content promotion campaign should involve social media, industry portals, email campaigns, and more.

It can be difficult for businesses to manage all these promotion channels on their own–social media alone can take up a lot of time and attention. For example, scheduling posts on social media should generally occur 2–3 times per day for at least a week after publishing new content. This will ensure that your followers in different time zones and in various parts of the world see your message when they are online.

Despite the challenges posed by content promotion, there are ways to help manage the workload. Automation tools can save time and effort—these free-up resources to focus on the most important aspect: creating highly engaging, relevant content designed with their target audiences in mind.

“Among the respondents who used paid social media platforms, the majority chose Facebook (76%) and LinkedIn (62%). Respondents said LinkedIn produced the best results.” (Source: The 2022 Benchmark Report).

Measuring success—What metrics to track, and what goals to set?

When it comes to manufacturing content marketing, one of the essential steps in achieving success is having well-defined KPIs and metrics. It’s critical to take the time to define these clearly to accurately track and measure which elements are contributing to your business goals and identify those that need refining or eliminating.

Track items such as page views, click-throughs, and conversion rates. While you need a minimum number of leads in the pipeline, the quality of leads is far more important than just quantity.

Additionally, it helps to have realistic goals when measuring success; otherwise, you may be setting yourself up to fail even before your manufacturing content marketing gets off the ground. Measurable KPIs and realistic goals allow you to track the progress of your content marketing initiatives so you can refine them over time and increase your ROI.

Regarding lead generation, I’ve seen too many manufacturers focus all their attention and efforts on generating top-of-the-funnel leads (Getting found in major search engines). You won’t use the full power of content marketing if that is only the goal. (See 3 Content Marketing for Manufacturers Myths Busted).

Overall, manufacturing content marketing is a powerful way to reach potential customers in the manufacturing industry. The key is to create an effective strategy that can help you define your target audience, develop relevant content that meets their needs and interests, promote it effectively, and then measure the success of those efforts. Refine, rinse, and repeat!

If you’d like to learn more about successful manufacturing content marketing practices and how to create a unique strategy for your business, I encourage you to explore this blog or contact me for a consultation.
February 27, 2023
3 Content Marketing for Manufacturers Myths Busted
There are a few misconceptions or myths surrounding content marketing for manufacturers. I say this based on my hands-on experience working with manufacturers every day. In this post, I’ll mention the three most misunderstood concepts.

Myth #1: Content marketing for manufacturers is all about SEO

Manufacturing content marketing will certainly help in improving your organic SEO results. You may not be using the full power or the potential of content marketing for manufacturers if your entire strategy for content marketing for manufacturers is based on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as in getting “found in Google.”

Don’t get me wrong, high visibility in search results is crucial and challenging to achieve. After all, what good is your content if nobody can find it?

The problem is that not everyone who finds your site in search engines will click and visit, and those who do may not convert into leads. So don’t assume that visitor conversions are automatic just because your site appears in Google.

Remember, search engines don’t convert into customers, so create content for human visitors first and let the search engines follow. Not the other way around.

Myth #2: The number of leads is the best KPI for measuring the success of manufacturing content marketing

Every manufacturer I know wants to generate more leads from content marketing. However, you may be surprised by the goals achieved by manufacturers in the past 12 months. Here are the results from the most recent survey, Manufacturing Content Marketing – Insights for 2022, published by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI).

Lead generation was middle of the pack at a little over 50% (55%). Brand awareness, building trust, and educating the audience were all above that goal. The top three goals play important roles in creating good leads. They are interrelated. See How Industrial Marketing for Manufacturers Helps in Building New Relationships.

Converting visitors into leads happens only after engineers and industrial professionals begin to trust your content and find it relevant to their needs. Only then will they subscribe to your list and/or contact your salespeople.

That’s why your manufacturing content marketing strategy must be based on the entire sales funnel and not just ToFU (Top of Funnel) activities. Traffic by itself means zilch if you can’t convert it into real opportunities. Therefore, understanding the difference between discovery optimization (SEO) and conversion optimization (CRO) is very important.

Not all leads are the same. This is especially true in industrial sales, where sales cycles are long, and many stakeholders are involved in buying decisions. Turning new leads into sales is not straightforward. Read my earlier post, Industrial Lead Generation for Sales – It’s Complicated!

Myth #3: Industrial content marketing is just another campaign

This one is a biggie! The most common question I hear is, “Why does it take so long to produce results?”

You probably already know the answer, but it is worth repeating, “Industrial content marketing is a process and not a one-off campaign.” Let me expand on that a little bit to provide some clarity. It can take anywhere from 6 to 9 months, depending on the competition and the state of your marketing.

Unfortunately, that truth doesn’t sit well with executives at manufacturing companies. Their mindset is still very sales-centric. Fair enough, the bottom line does matter in any business.

Of course, you can improve interim results such as site traffic, new users, average session duration, and reduced bounce rate. Those are all good stats from Google Analytics but mean very little to the higher-ups if you cannot show how they relate to sales.

It is a constant struggle for Marketing to connect the dots between their efforts and sales. That’s not just my observation.

The same CMI report found that “Manufacturing marketers continue to face content marketing challenges within their organizations: 51% said they are challenged with creating valuable content instead of sales-oriented content as well as with overcoming the traditional marketing and sales mindset.”

I’m upfront with my industrial clients by telling them that content marketing for manufacturers is not a quick fix for slow sales. Instead, I recommend they consider other options if they are not prepared to invest the time and money to do content marketing correctly over the long haul.

As a corollary to myth #3, I’ll add that content creation is not the same as content marketing. It is not just a matter of copywriting and or clever wordsmithing.

Creating optimized customer-centric content that’s presented logically and validates claims requires additional skills such as:
- A deep understanding of the buyer’s journey (Engineers and industrial buyers)
- Skills to prepare for interviewing Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to extract the key talking points
- Keyword research and keeping up with ever-changing search engine algorithms
- Knowledge of white hat SEO and link building
- Being a ruthless editor to remove unnecessary filler words
- Taking the time to let SMEs review your content before publishing
- Content distribution that’s more than just social sharing
It is not just a matter of outsourcing technical content creation. 60% of manufacturers reported that finding partners with adequate topical expertise is their top challenge.

Now you know and can separate facts from myths regarding content marketing for manufacturers.
November 18, 2022
What Content do Engineers Want When Visiting Websites?

What content do engineers want is probably a question you’ve asked yourself many times. An industrial website is the hub for manufacturing content marketing. It is by far the most important digital asset you own. I don’t need to repeat all the reasons for having a robust website. Yet, I’ve seen content take a backseat instead of driving an industrial website redesign.

Where do engineers go to find information for making a purchase decision?

Let’s back up a bit to see the sources engineers use to find content when making a buying decision. According to the 2022 State of Marketing to Engineers research report published by GlobalSpec and TREW Marketing, 69% of engineers go right to the source—supplier/vendor websites when researching a product or service for a business purchase.

Now that we know the number one source of information, let’s ask ourselves, what content do engineers want to see and consume? Here’s another chart from the same research study I’ve cited above.

Surprised by #1? After all, datasheets are considered product-centric and not really customer-centric content.

If you manufacture industrial components, your product specs must meet the engineer’s design specifications. Otherwise, the conversation doesn’t even start.

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “We have plenty of those.” Then let me ask you, “When was the last time you downloaded and read one of your datasheets?”

I’m not trying to be a smart-a** here. I’ve seen outdated datasheets that do not match current product specifications, added options, and features. You may lose a sales opportunity or, at the very least, damage your credibility when this happens. Do a complete audit of all your current product literature, update old ones, and create new materials if necessary.

Challenges in manufacturing content marketing

Okay, so all you need to do is create more datasheets, easy peasy lemon squeezy, right? Think again!

As a manufacturer or a distributor, your primary audience is engineers, MRO, and other industrial professionals. Creating technically accurate content that this audience will find relevant and moving them forward logically in their buying journey is a big challenge. I’ve read several research studies documenting this problem which has persisted for a few years.

It takes knowledge of the technical topic and preparing intelligent questions to ask of in-house Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to extract the key talking points. Then, add good copywriting, editing, and SEO skills on top of that. You must go back to the SME for his/her approval before publishing any content. Rehashing product features with clever wordsmithing won’t cut it.

“Respondents said their top three content marketing challenges are creating valuable content instead of sales-oriented content (51%), overcoming the traditional marketing and sales mindset (51%), and accessing subject matter experts to create content (50%).”

That’s a direct quote from the 2022 Manufacturing Content Marketing report published by the Content Marketing Institute.

It isn’t as simple as outsourcing technical content creation either. According to the same report, 59% of respondents said their organization outsources at least one content marketing activity. Their top challenge is finding partners with adequate topical expertise (60%).

Industrial blogging—benefits and difficulties

Industrial blogging is an essential and integral part of manufacturing content marketing. If you’ve been blogging for a while, you already know blogging’s positive impact on organic SEO. That’s not all. Consistently publishing posts your audience wants to read will help win the engineer’s mindshare and build trust.

However, industrial blogging is an underutilized content strategy and has its own challenges. Read my earlier post, Using Manufacturing Blogs for Lead Generation, to learn more.

Manufacturing marketing budgets

The average marketing spend increased from 6.4% to 9.5% of company revenue across almost all industries in 2022. (Source: Gartner).

However, manufacturers tend to lag as compared to other industries. According to the latest CMO Survey, the marketing budget for manufacturers averages 4.52% of revenue and 7.65% of the total company budget as compared to 8.6% of firm revenue and 12.1% of the total budget across industries.

Marketing to engineers is not easy

I’ve worked with many in-house marketers at manufacturing companies who know marketing but struggle with engaging with engineers and technical professionals. It is not just about creating content; they need help understanding how this audience makes buying decisions.

In addition, they have difficulties formulating effective strategies for marketing to a committee of stakeholders, some of whom may never visit their websites, and the sales cycle is usually long. They want me to coach and consult with them to overcome some of these hurdles of marketing to engineers.

My presentation topic at the 2019 Content Marketing World Conference was “The Unique Challenges of Marketing to Engineers and Industrial Buyers.” You can view the video recording here.

Don’t be a victim of the “shiny new toy” syndrome

As an industrial marketer, adding a new technology stack that will make you and your team more efficient and add cool new features to your website is tempting. Nothing wrong with that goal per se. However, you probably won’t get an increase in the marketing budget if technology is the primary focus at the next planning meeting.

I recently read an interesting article by Robert Rose, the founder and chief strategy officer of The Content Advisory, the education and consulting group for The Content Marketing Institute. He explains why technology alone is not the answer, and the initial subscription cost may just be the tip of the iceberg. Read his post, “Your 2023 Planning Shouldn’t Be All About That Tech,” for valuable insights.

Content should drive your website redesign plan and the strategy for manufacturing content marketing. Don’t try to retrofit content to a design or a strategy as an afterthought.

October 18, 2022
How Industrial Marketing for Manufacturers Helps in Building New Relationships
Job #1 of industrial marketing for manufacturers is to generate leads. Is that assumption valid? To me, that’s like putting the cart before the horse. So, before I explain why I said what I just said, let’s look at the goals manufacturing marketers have achieved by using industrial content marketing over the past 12 months.

(Source)

Let’s reverse engineer the above chart to understand the process of generating good quality industrial leads using industrial marketing for manufacturers.

Step 1: Raise brand awareness – Your target audience must know about you and find you (SEO) during the early stages of their buying journey.

Step 2: Earning trust – You have to win their mindshare by publishing content that helps your visitors gain confidence in your ability to understand and provide a solution for their challenges or applications.

Step 3: Be prepared – When a prospect contacts you, you must be ready to provide relevant and technically accurate content to help that industrial buyer make a more informed decision. They don’t want to hear a sales pitch without proof of concept.

In this day and age, when industrial buyers are in self-select and self-serve mode, the adage buyer beware has been turned on its head to seller beware.

Engineers were most annoyed by the “lack of technical knowledge” when interacting with a supplier’s sales team. That was one of the findings from the State of Marketing to Engineers, 2022 report.

Sales first mindset is a problem with manufacturers

I had a recent conversation with a manufacturer of micro injection molding machines. He wanted his target audience to find his site on Google and contact his sales team. He didn’t have an answer when I asked him, “Why should a site visitor contact you and not the competition?”

He assumed that his site visitors would be so impressed with his history of being in business for 50+ years that they would contact his sales team after the first visit.

51% of manufacturing marketers were challenged to create valuable content instead of sales-oriented content and overcome the traditional marketing and sales mindset.

Discovery optimization (SEO) is hard enough, but it is not the same as conversion optimization (CRO), even though they are related. It is not uncommon to find manufacturers who find it hard to wrap their heads around the concept of Marketing and Sales working together as a team. It has always been that the sales team generated leads, and Marketing only provided sales support as in trade show graphics, brochures, and PowerPoint presentations.

That is not just my experience. For example, the CMI report I cited earlier in this post found that 51% of manufacturing marketers were challenged to create valuable content instead of sales-oriented content and overcome the traditional marketing and sales mindset.

Build new relationships using industrial marketing for manufacturers

A related problem to the sales mindset is relying too heavily, in some cases exclusively, on old relationships. I understand that building new relationships is hard work and takes time. Most manufacturers have heard of the Pareto principle, which states that 80% of a company’s sales come from 20% of its customers. So why bother building new relationships.

As Bob Dylan’s hit song goes, “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” if you haven’t already realized that.

The retirement of aging engineers is a well-documented problem in the manufacturing industry. On top of that, there have been cutbacks from offshoring and downsizing. The shrinking team sizes have led to two significant issues. These problems have a bearing on industrial marketing for manufacturers.
- About 33% of engineers stated that employee loss due to retirement or layoffs/downsizing has increased or increased significantly over the past two years
- 58% of engineers indicated that knowledge and/or information loss as employees left the company was very or extremely important
Source: 2021 Pulse of Engineering Survey

In the first case, engineers say they are under tremendous pressure, more so than before, to do more with less.

As an industrial marketer, you need to do all you can to alleviate some of this pressure. The most effective way is to make content marketing a core component of your strategy for industrial marketing for manufacturers. It will help you forge new relationships with younger engineers and win their mindshare and loyalty.

Offering downloadable CAD files, eCatalogs, and online design tools are enormous time savers and improve design consistency. Added benefit – 82% of CAD/BIM downloads turn into actual sales.

Read my earlier post, Using CAD and BIM Files in Manufacturing Content Marketing.

Engineers and other technical professionals constantly seek out and use content to help them perform their jobs better. Younger and less experienced engineers are increasingly looking to their suppliers to fill the knowledge gap as in-house resources shrink.

What can you offer them to build new relationships? Think about creating a robust online resource library of online training courses, webinars, eBooks, quick start guides, and white papers. Focus on making these assets more educational with judicious mentions of your solutions and products.

A word of caution here, don’t just pump out more product-centric content and thinly disguised promotional pieces. Engineers want technically accurate and current content written by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). This is another challenge for manufacturing content marketers. 50% of them said they are challenged with accessing subject matter experts to create content. (Source: CMI Report).

My solution and advice to others who have to overcome this hurdle is, do your own research, and then interview your SMEs with a list of relevant questions to ask based on your research. This will help you get the key talking points about the topic and then as a content marketer, it is our/your job to expand those points into cohesive customer-centric content. Don’t be in a hurry to publish before your draft is fully vetted by your SMEs.

The last point, publish your content under the SME’s name(s) for credibility, even though you did the heavy lifting.

Here’s something else I’ve observed working with manufacturers. Don’t just focus on getting in front of the key decision-makers and ignore strong influencers. Less experienced engineers are often tasked with gathering information in the early stages. They are the ones who are online, researching and creating the shortlist of vendors with possible solutions. You may never make it to the RFQ stage if you don’t build relationships with them.

Younger engineers may not have final buying authority today, but ignore them at your own peril.

Another strong reason for building new relationships is that people are promoted to new roles or move to other companies as part of their professional growth. Engineers stated they are, on average, only moderately likely to be employed at the same company five years from now. (Source: 2021 Pulse of Engineering Survey).

Since today’s engineers and technical professionals spend a good portion of their buying journey online before contacting a salesperson, it makes sense to use the full power of industrial marketing for manufacturers to start new relationships and build trust. This will pave the way for you to generate high-quality leads that turn into sales opportunities.
May 25, 2022
Industrial Marketing is Not Just for ToFU

Industrial marketing has become more digital now than in the past. (See Marketing to Engineers—Why Digital is the Dominant Strategy). ToFU stands for Top of the Funnel in marketing and not the edible kind. 😊 Manufacturers and engineering companies realize digital industrial marketing or industrial content marketing is more effective for lead generation than traditional marketing strategies. However, many are underutilizing it. I say that based on my daily conversations with industrial companies.

Many manufacturers are using content marketing, but few consider it effective in generating leads that turn into sales opportunities.

“75% of the manufacturing companies surveyed by the Content Marketing Institute said they are Moderate to Not at all successful with content marketing.” (Source)

The 2-part problem with industrial marketing

The way I see it, there are two parts to the problem of ineffective industrial marketing. First, most of my conversations with manufacturers start with some form of, “We want more leads from our website.” However, there is a serious disconnect here.

Their entire industrial marketing strategy focuses on the goal of getting found on Google and other search engines. The decision-makers at these industrial companies assume that their target audience will find them on Google, visit their sites and call their crack sales team after the first visit. As a result, their industrial marketing strategy is all about top of the funnel (ToFU) goals. Needless to say, that is not producing the results they want.

Assuming your marketing people have done a terrific job with organic SEO, not an easy task to begin with, you start to see an increase in traffic. Great! However, there is a big difference between discovery optimization (SEO) and conversion optimization (CRO). That is the second half of the equation, which is about converting those visitors into leads. This part is just as challenging as SEO, if not more so. Read more about this in my post, Industrial Content Marketing — Goals are Misunderstood and Misaligned.

The second problem I see is about the behavior of industrial buyers today as compared to just a few years ago. Most industrial professionals are in self-serve and self-select mode now, where they complete a large portion of their buying journey on their own while remaining anonymous. They will only contact your salespeople when they are ready. As a result, your sales team may be finding it difficult to get in front of or have conversations with decision-makers early in the journey.

A while back, I had read a quote by Laura Ramos, Vice President, Principal Analyst at Forrester. She said, “Business buyers can now access an abundance of digital information to research and shop for solutions on their own terms.” It is more relevant today than ever before.

Manufacturers are having a tough time accepting that reality. They expect industrial content marketing to produce quick results like traditional past campaigns. If that doesn’t work, resort to cold calling and/or email blasts. You don’t need me to tell you those don’t work very well either.

Understanding MQLs and SQLs in industrial lead generation

Generating Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs), which are typically new contacts from downloading a content asset, is only part of an industrial marketer’s responsibility. They need to be actively involved in nurturing those MQLs into Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs). This is another challenge in industrial marketing.

Sales and Marketing need to work together to define lead scoring and qualifying rules. Marketing can then qualify MQLs according to these preset rules. Once MQLs reach a certain threshold to become SQLs, they can then hand those leads over to Sales. This handover is usually called SAL. It stands for Sales Accepted Lead. This is a critical step in bringing together Sales and Marketing. Read my post; SAL is the Glue that Binds Sales and Marketing in Lead Generation. FYI: I published this post in 2010, and it is still one of my Top 10 posts visited consistently. That’s proof for you about the power of blogging.

Once Sales accepts a lead, they must take follow-up action to determine if a lead represents a real sales opportunity or not. They must provide feedback to marketing to refine these definitions over time as needed. That’s how you create an efficient lead generation system.

For more information about MQLs vs. SQLs, read Industrial Lead Generation – MQL vs. SQL.

Creating relevant industrial marketing content for various stages of the buyer’s journey is not an easy task. Many manufacturers struggle with it.

Manufacturers who responded to the CMI survey I mentioned earlier said their top three content marketing challenges were creating valuable content instead of sales-oriented content, overcoming the traditional marketing and sales mindset, and accessing subject matter experts to create content.

Let me sum this up by saying that industrial marketing for manufacturers and engineering companies cannot be restricted only to ToFu. You must utilize the full power of content marketing for all phases of the buyer’s journey and address the different needs of various stakeholders involved in the buying decision. Your content must be found when and where the target audience is searching for solutions to their problems.

April 25, 2022