Category: manufacturing marketing strategy

  • Your 2026 Industrial Marketing Plan Starts Now—How to Finish 2025 Strong and Set Up for Growth

    Your 2026 Industrial Marketing Plan Starts Now—How to Finish 2025 Strong and Set Up for Growth

    Are you working on your 2026 industrial marketing plan?

    As 2025 winds down, many manufacturers are still focused on closing the year strong—wrapping up campaigns, meeting sales goals, and managing budgets. But this is also the ideal time to shift your attention forward. The most successful industrial companies don’t wait for January to plan; they start in Q4, using lessons from this year to fine-tune their approach for the next.

    A solid industrial marketing plan for 2026 isn’t just a checklist of tactics. It’s a roadmap built on data, aligned with sales, and grounded in what truly drives results—high-quality leads and measurable growth.

    That’s especially critical now, when engineers and technical buyers spend about 60% of the buying process online before ever contacting a vendor, according to the 2025 State of Marketing to Engineers Report by TREW Marketing and GlobalSpec.

    For manufacturers, this means your digital presence—your content, website, and credibility—often speaks long before your sales team does. That’s why now is the time to review your strategy, assess what worked (and what didn’t) in 2025, and lay the foundation for stronger alignment between marketing and sales next year.

    Finalize and Measure Your 2025 Efforts Before Planning Ahead

    Before you start sketching out next year’s goals, take a step back to measure what’s already been done. Many manufacturing marketers skip this critical step, focusing on next year’s tactics without analyzing this year’s data.

    Yet, according to the Content Marketing Institute’s 2025 Manufacturing Marketing Outlook, only 45% of manufacturing marketers say they measure content performance effectively, and 64% struggle to attribute ROI to their efforts.

    That lack of measurement makes it hard to identify which campaigns, platforms, and content types actually deliver results. So, start your 2026 planning with a marketing audit.

    If you find yourself without good data, that’s a signal to improve your tracking and reporting infrastructure in 2026—something our Industrial Marketing Strategy and Fractional CMO services can help with.

    By closing out 2025 with a performance-based mindset, you’re not just wrapping up the year—you’re setting measurable baselines that will make your 2026 industrial marketing plan far more strategic.

    Surface and Solve Last-Minute Marketing Friction

    Even the most experienced manufacturing marketers run into friction points late in the year—things that hold campaigns back or prevent marketing and sales from working in sync. Ignoring them now only carries those problems into 2026. This is your opportunity to diagnose and fix what’s slowing down performance.

    That disconnect between sales and marketing is one of the most significant sources of marketing friction I see when working with manufacturers.

    Engineers don’t want marketing fluff—they want practical, technically relevant information they can trust. When that content isn’t aligned with their buying process, it fails to move leads from awareness to consideration.

    Here’s a short checklist I often use with clients during Q4 to identify and remove friction:

    • Audit content alignment: Map your top-performing content to each stage of the buyer’s journey. Where are the drop-offs?
    • Review handoffs: Look at how Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) are passed to Sales. Are definitions consistent? Are leads nurtured properly before being handed off?
    • Check your digital sales assets: Ensure your sales team has updated product sheets, case studies, and application stories to help them close end-of-year deals.
    • Refine your messaging: Eliminate jargon (Don’t dumb it down either) or outdated positioning that no longer resonates with technical audiences.

    Sometimes these fixes are simple process updates. In other cases, you might need structural improvements—like tightening your analytics, automating lead scoring, or overhauling an outdated website.

    That’s where a Fractional CMO engagement or a strategic website redesign can help establish a stronger foundation going into the new year.

    The goal is to clear the roadblocks now so you’re not wasting valuable Q1 momentum solving previous year’s problems.

    Laying the Foundation: Your 2026 Industrial Marketing Strategy

    A successful 2026 industrial marketing strategy begins long before January. The groundwork you lay now determines whether next year’s industrial marketing plan delivers measurable results or just more busy work.

    According to Gartner’s Marketing Predictions 2025, nearly 70% of CMOs say they’re under increasing pressure to demonstrate ROI from marketing investments.

    Yet, fewer than half believe they have the right data to do it. In manufacturing, this challenge is even greater because long sales cycles make it difficult to connect marketing activities directly to revenue.

    That’s why your 2026 strategy should be built on three pillars: clarity, data, and alignment.

    1. Define Clear, Measurable Goals

    Generic goals like “increase website traffic” or “grow leads” won’t cut it anymore. Set specific objectives tied to revenue or pipeline metrics—for example, “increase Marketing Qualified Leads from target accounts by 15%.” Your Industrial Marketing Strategy should define these KPIs upfront, along with how they’ll be tracked and reported throughout the year.

    2. Make Data Your Competitive Advantage

    The latest NetLine 2025 State of B2B Content Report found that 65% of B2B marketers plan to rely more heavily on first-party data for campaign personalization in 2026. Yet many industrial marketers still operate with siloed systems or incomplete analytics. Integrating your CRM, marketing automation, and website analytics will give you the visibility to measure what’s actually working—something that separates strategic marketing from tactical execution.

    3. Align Marketing and Sales Around the Buyer’s Journey

    That means your digital presence must educate, build trust, and position your company as an expert long before a salesperson enters the picture.

    This requires tight collaboration between marketing and sales—ensuring that messaging, lead scoring, and follow-up are seamless. (Refer to Bridging the Gap Between Industrial Marketing and Sales for Better Lead Conversions.)

    When these three elements come together, your industrial marketing plan becomes more than a collection of tactics—it becomes a roadmap for revenue growth.

    If your in-house team needs help building that roadmap, that’s where a structured engagement like our Industrial Marketing Strategy service comes in. It gives you a clear action plan, complete with priorities, timelines, and performance metrics to execute confidently in 2026.

    Fractional CMO: Strategic Oversight Without the Full-Time Cost

    Once your strategy is defined, success in 2026 depends on disciplined execution. That’s where having the right leadership, infrastructure, and systems in place makes the difference between another year of “good intentions” and one that produces measurable growth.

    For many small to mid-sized manufacturers, hiring a full-time CMO isn’t realistic. But without experienced oversight, marketing efforts often drift—projects start strong and fade due to a lack of direction or accountability.

    A Fractional CMO engagement bridges that gap. You gain senior-level strategic guidance, oversight of ongoing campaigns, and the discipline to ensure marketing stays aligned with business goals.

    It also helps maintain momentum between sales, content, and digital initiatives, ensuring everyone is working toward measurable outcomes rather than just activity.

    Think of it as adding executive horsepower without the full-time overhead.

    Industrial Website Design: Your Most Valuable Sales Asset

    Your website is often the first—and most influential—touchpoint in the industrial buying process. Engineers and technical buyers spend about 60% of their research phase online, and 73% rely on vendor websites and technical publications for information. (Source).

    A poorly structured site or outdated design doesn’t just hurt credibility—it slows down sales. A high-performing industrial website does much more than look good.

    If your current site isn’t built with this purpose, 2026 is the year to redesign it around your buyer’s journey. (See: Industrial Website Design).

    Marketing Systems and Data Integration

    Even the best strategy will stall if your tools don’t talk to each other. Yet, as the CMI Manufacturing Marketing Outlook found, 58% of manufacturers lack the ability to automate repetitive workflows or consolidate marketing data.

    By integrating your CRM, marketing automation, and analytics platforms, you can:

    • Improve lead scoring and qualification accuracy.
    • Enable closed-loop reporting between marketing and sales.
    • Identify high-value accounts for ABM-style targeting.
    • Simplify performance dashboards for executive visibility.

    With these systems in place—and guided by a Fractional CMO—you’ll have both the leadership and infrastructure to execute your 2026 industrial marketing plan efficiently and confidently.

    Generative AI in Your 2026 Toolkit (Dose of Realism)

    There’s no denying that generative AI will continue to reshape how we create, distribute, and optimize content in 2026. But as manufacturers rush to integrate AI into their marketing workflows, it’s worth remembering that AI is a tool — not a replacement for expertise or strategy.

    Engineers want to know that the information they read is factually accurate, not machine-generated. They value credibility, transparency, and subject-matter expertise over speed or volume.

    Still, AI has practical uses in your marketing plan — when applied with purpose:

    • Content ideation and optimization: Use AI to generate topic ideas, reformat existing content, or test alternative headlines based on engagement data.
    • Audience insights: Analyze CRM and campaign data to uncover behavioral patterns and inform lead scoring or account segmentation.
    • Efficiency and repurposing: Automate repetitive production tasks, such as converting webinars into blog summaries or creating variations of email copy.

    According to Gartner’s Marketing Predictions 2025, 93% of marketing leaders report positive ROI from responsible AI adoption, particularly in areas like content optimization and personalization. But Gartner also warns that without proper oversight, AI can produce “formulaic” content that undermines credibility and brand voice.

    In other words, generative AI can support your strategy — but it can’t think strategically for you.

    See What Are the New Rules of Manufacturing Marketing in an AI-Driven World? .

    End 2025 Strong — Start 2026 Smarter

    Q4 isn’t just the end of the year; it’s the bridge between lessons learned and opportunities ahead. The manufacturers that outperform their competitors in 2026 will be the ones who use this time to plan intentionally, not reactively.

    A documented, data-driven marketing strategy—supported by the right website infrastructure and guided by expert oversight—can help your company move from tactical execution to measurable growth.

    Whether you need to build a strategic roadmap, strengthen sales and marketing alignment, or modernize your digital presence, this is the moment to prepare—not in January, when the year is already underway.

    Partner with Tiecas for Your 2026 Industrial Marketing Success

    If you’re ready to plan smarter, not just work harder, I can help you develop a customized industrial marketing roadmap that connects strategy, execution, and results.

    At Tiecas, we bring over 35+ years of experience helping manufacturers and industrial companies turn complex technical products into meaningful conversations that drive qualified leads and measurable ROI. Let’s make 2026 your strongest year yet. Start a conversation today.

  • Industrial Marketing Strategy vs. Tactics: What Manufacturers Often Get Wrong

    Industrial Marketing Strategy vs. Tactics: What Manufacturers Often Get Wrong

    Industrial marketing strategy is often confused with implementing tactics, especially in manufacturing companies under pressure to deliver quick wins. I’ve seen this firsthand in my 35+ years of working exclusively with manufacturers, distributors and engineering firms.

    Too often, what is labeled as “strategy” is really just a list of disconnected activities, such as blogs, email campaigns, trade shows, or ads. That confusion isn’t harmless—it leads to wasted resources, short-lived results, and frustration when marketing doesn’t translate into sales opportunities.

    Understanding the difference between industrial marketing strategy and tactics has become even more critical today, as many manufacturers face a steep decline in organic traffic due to Google’s AI Overviews.

    I touched on these problems in my earlier posts, “What Are the New Rules of Manufacturing Marketing in an AI-Driven World?” and “Why Manufacturing Marketing Strategy is More Than a Checklist”.

    In this article, I’ll go deeper and answer the key question: What’s the difference between an industrial marketing strategy and the tactics to implement it?

    What is an Industrial Marketing Strategy?

    An industrial marketing strategy is not a list of marketing activities. It’s a roadmap that defines where you want to go and how marketing will help you get there. That’s my short definition.

    Here’s one from Forrester:

    “Marketing strategy is a long-term vision that provides a blueprint for how the marketing function will create value, drive growth, and achieve a competitive edge. It’s developed in tandem with sales and product strategy, forming the basis of annual marketing planning.”

    A solid strategy looks beyond individual campaigns and connects marketing to your company’s long-term business objectives.

    For example, if your goal is to expand into the renewable energy sector, the strategy should outline how marketing will raise awareness, build trust with engineers in that industry, and generate qualified leads for your sales team.

    This is exactly the focus of our Industrial Marketing Strategy service, where we create a customized roadmap for manufacturers. Without such a strategy, companies risk confusing “busyness” with “effectiveness,” making it nearly impossible to measure ROI.

    What are Industrial Marketing Implementation Services (Tactics)?

    If strategy is the roadmap, tactics are the vehicles that move you forward. These are the day-to-day executional activities that bring the strategy to life and generate measurable and tangible results.

    Typical industrial marketing implementation services include:

    • Creating technical content such as blog posts, white papers, application notes and news (product) releases
    • Using industrial content marketing to distribute content, build trust, generate new leads and nurture them into Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)
    • Publishing CAD and BIM files to attract design engineers
    • Running SEO campaigns and paid advertising
    • Executing email marketing and lead nurturing workflows
    • Managing trade show promotions and product launches

    While these tactics can deliver immediate results, they are most effective when guided by a strategic roadmap. Otherwise, you risk spreading resources too thin and producing content that doesn’t resonate with engineers or support sales goals.

    Why Do Manufacturers Confuse Strategy and Tactics?

    In my experience, manufacturers often blur the line between strategy and tactics for three main reasons:

    1. Pressure for quick wins. Leadership wants leads now, so marketing teams jump straight into campaigns without a guiding strategy.
    2. Tactics feel tangible. A new website, a trade show booth, or an email campaign looks like progress, even if it isn’t tied to business goals.
    3. Strategy sounds abstract. Without a clear roadmap, it’s easy to mistake a collection of tactics for a comprehensive plan.

    The problem is that tactics alone rarely deliver sustainable results. You may see a short-term spike in leads, but without alignment to a larger industrial marketing strategy, those efforts lose momentum and fail to support long-term growth.

    This is why manufacturers often complain that “marketing doesn’t work.” The reality is that marketing without a strategy is merely a random activity, rather than a structured plan for generating high-quality leads.

    Do Manufacturers Really Need Both?

    The short answer is yes. Strategy and tactics are not interchangeable—they’re interdependent.

    An industrial marketing strategy provides the long-term direction. It defines the target audience, sets goals, and aligns marketing with business and sales objectives. Without it, you’re essentially navigating without a map.

    Tactics, on the other hand, are the actions that bring the strategy to life. However, if you focus solely on tactics without a plan, you risk chasing random opportunities that don’t contribute to growth.

    This is where a Fractional CMO for manufacturers can add tremendous value. Acting as an extension of your leadership team, a Fractional CMO can develop a custom strategy or, if you already have one, ensure the strategy is sound while overseeing tactical execution.

    That balance keeps day-to-day campaigns aligned with long-term objectives, something many small and mid-sized manufacturers struggle to achieve on their own.

    How Do You Decide Where to Start?

    The right starting point depends on your current situation. For most manufacturers, it makes sense to begin with a clear industrial marketing strategy—a clear and focused roadmap. That foundation prevents wasted effort and ensures every marketing dollar supports business objectives.

    At the same time, I understand the pressure many companies face to show immediate results. In those cases, a blended approach works best: begin building the long-term strategy while also executing a few high-impact tactics to generate early momentum.

    Examples include publishing technical blog posts, optimizing your website for niche keywords, or launching a targeted email campaign.

    This phased approach mirrors how we deliver our Fractional CMO service for manufacturers. Phase 1 focuses on strategy development, and Phase 2 ensures ongoing tactical execution—giving you both direction and results.

    Key Takeaways for Manufacturers and Industrial Companies

    • An industrial marketing strategy is your roadmap—it defines direction, goals, and alignment with sales.
    • Tactics are the short-term executional activities that deliver measurable actions and results.
    • Relying on tactics without a strategy leads to wasted resources and short-lived gains.
    • A Fractional CMO for manufacturers can bridge strategy and execution to ensure long-term success.
    • Sustainable growth requires both a clear roadmap and consistent implementation.

    If you’re struggling to balance strategy and execution, you’re not alone. Many manufacturers face the same challenge. The good news is you don’t have to choose between long-term planning and short-term results—you need both, working together.

    That’s where I can help. Let’s talk about building your Industrial Marketing Strategy, implementing effective Industrial Content Marketing and Technical Content Writing, or leveraging a Fractional CMO for manufacturers to guide it all. Together, we’ll create a roadmap that drives high-quality leads and measurable growth.

  • AI Alone Won’t Fix Your Manufacturing Marketing—But a Fractional CMO Can

    AI Alone Won’t Fix Your Manufacturing Marketing—But a Fractional CMO Can

    AI alone can’t fix your manufacturing marketing. AI tools are powerful, but without direction, they create noise.

    Manufacturers risk chasing shiny tools without measurable ROI. According to McKinsey’s 2024 State of AI report, a majority of companies report revenue gains in business units where AI is deployed—especially in marketing and sales.

    But those gains don’t happen automatically. Without leadership and strategy, AI remains underused, fragmented, and disconnected from business goals.

    In manufacturing, where budgets are lean and sales cycles are long, AI must be guided by strategy. That’s where a Fractional CMO comes in—providing the roadmap to turn AI experiments into a competitive advantage.

    Read my earlier blog, What Are the New Rules of Manufacturing Marketing in an AI-Driven World? for more on how AI is reshaping the landscape.

    Why AI Alone Isn’t Enough in Manufacturing Marketing

    AI is a productive tool and improving every day. It enhances brainstorming, speeds up analysis, and automates routine tasks. But without direction, it lacks impact.

    Manufacturers face unique challenges:

    • Complex, technical sales cycles with multiple decision-makers.
    • Niche audiences like engineers, technical buyers and MRO professionals.
    • Long buying journeys require trust and credibility.

    AI alone can’t address these. Without a strategy, you risk:

    • Generating generic content that misses the mark.
    • Disconnected marketing and sales objectives.
    • Wasted budget on pilot tools without cohesive planning.

    According to Gartner’s research, 27% of CMOs report very limited or no adoption of generative AI within their teams. That signals not just caution—but capability gaps.

    Manufacturers need more than tools. They need strategic guidance, measurable alignment, and leadership direction.

    AI as a Tool, Not a Manufacturing Marketing Strategy

    AI accelerates tasks. It can generate outlines, create drafts, suggest keywords, analyze data, and even predict buyer behavior. But it can’t set direction on its own.

    For manufacturers, that’s critical. Tools must align with sales goals, technical messaging, and the buyer’s journey. Otherwise, they produce activity without outcomes.

    Here’s where AI can help when guided by a manufacturing marketing strategy:

    • Content Marketing: Drafting outlines, creating variations, and speeding technical blog development.
    • SEO: Discovering niches, long-tail keywords missed by traditional tools—especially important with Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and SearchGPT.
    • Lead Nurturing: Supporting personalization in email sequences and marketing automation workflows.
    • Analytics: Offering predictive insights for sales pipeline trends.

    But there are limits. AI lacks:

    • Context of your company’s unique value proposition.
    • Understanding of complex technical details that engineers demand.
    • The judgment to decide where marketing should invest next.

    A manufacturing marketing strategy must come first. Otherwise, manufacturers risk generic campaigns that fail to resonate with industrial buyers.

    The Role of a Fractional CMO in Maximizing AI for Manufacturers

    AI can enhance manufacturing marketing, but it needs leadership to deliver results. That’s where a Fractional CMO makes the difference.

    A Fractional CMO provides:

    • Strategic Oversight: Ensures AI tools align with business objectives, not just short-term campaigns.
    • Sales Alignment: Bridges marketing and sales so AI-driven insights actually help in creating sales opportunities.
    • Measurement: Defines KPIs and tracks ROI from AI-powered initiatives.
    • Experience: Brings manufacturing-specific expertise you won’t find in generic marketing hires.

    For small and mid-sized manufacturers, a full-time CMO with deep AI knowledge may be unrealistic. A Fractional CMO offers senior-level guidance at a fraction of the cost.

    The impact is tangible:

    • Choosing which AI tools truly fit your needs.
    • Preventing wasted budgets on disjointed experiments.
    • Creating a roadmap where AI supports—not replaces—strategy.

    Want more context? Read my earlier blog, Fractional CMO for Manufacturers: Answers to Common Questions.

    Practical Examples: How a Fractional CMO Helps Manufacturers Leverage AI

    A Fractional CMO turns AI from isolated experiments into structured, measurable initiatives. Here’s how it works in manufacturing marketing:

    1. Content Marketing & SEO

    2. Sales Enablement

    3. Marketing Automation

    • Uses AI to personalize emails, recommend content, and optimize campaigns.
    • Tracks lead behavior across the buyer journey to improve nurturing.
    • Ensures automation is part of a bigger roadmap—not a disconnected tool.

    4. Competitive Edge for SMB Manufacturers

    • Helps smaller companies compete with larger rivals.
    • Provides senior-level leadership without full-time cost.
    • Directs AI adoption where it has the highest impact.

    With guidance, AI becomes more than a tool. It becomes a competitive advantage.

    Risk Management: Avoiding AI Pitfalls in Manufacturing Marketing

    AI is powerful, but it comes with risks. Without oversight, manufacturers may face serious challenges.

    1. Intellectual Property

    • AI models can reuse data without clear ownership.
    • Risk of sharing proprietary product details in prompts.

    2. Brand Reputation

    • AI-generated content may contain errors or “hallucinations.”
    • Inaccurate technical claims can damage credibility with engineers.

    3. Compliance

    • Manufacturers often operate in regulated industries.
    • AI-generated messaging may not meet legal or safety requirements.

    4. Data Security

    • Sensitive customer or product data can be exposed if entered into public AI tools.

    A Fractional CMO reduces these risks by:

    • Establishing clear guardrails for AI use.
    • Reviewing outputs for accuracy, tone, and compliance.
    • Building processes where AI supports, not undermines, your marketing.

    The result: confidence that AI is advancing your goals without creating new vulnerabilities.

    Why Manufacturers Can’t Afford to Delay

    AI adoption in marketing is accelerating fast. Waiting too long creates competitive risk.

    For manufacturers, the danger is clear:

    • Competitors are already experimenting with AI-driven personalization and predictive insights.
    • Buyers expect faster, more tailored digital experiences.
    • Falling behind means losing visibility to rivals who strategically embrace new tools.

    But adoption without leadership doesn’t solve the problem either. AI projects without a roadmap often stall or fail to scale.

    This is why manufacturers must combine AI tools + Fractional CMO leadership. Together, they ensure experiments turn into measurable outcomes.

    For more perspective, see my blog on Bridging the Gap Between Industrial Marketing and Sales for Better Lead Conversions.

    Key Takeaways

    • AI accelerates tasks like brainstorming, niche SEO, and analytics — but it can’t replace strategy.
    • Manufacturers face unique challenges such as long sales cycles, technical buyers, and lean budgets that AI alone can’t solve.
    • A Fractional CMO provides leadership to align AI tools with business goals, sales objectives, and buyer expectations.
    • Risks are real — from IP exposure to compliance issues — but guardrails minimize them.
    • The competitive edge comes from combining AI with strategic guidance, not relying on tools in isolation.

    Partner with Tiecas for Manufacturing Marketing Leadership

    AI alone won’t deliver results. Manufacturers need leadership to maximize their potential. That’s where Tiecas comes in.

    These pages explain deliverables, scope, and starting prices—so you’ll know exactly what to expect before we talk.

    When you’re ready, fill out the Let’s Talk form. We’ll have a focused, productive conversation about your challenges and opportunities.

  • Bridging the Gap Between Industrial Marketing and Sales for Better Lead Conversions

    Bridging the Gap Between Industrial Marketing and Sales for Better Lead Conversions

    Industrial marketing and sales should work hand in hand—but too often, they operate in silos.

    This disconnect is a common challenge for small to mid-sized manufacturers. Even companies that consistently publish blog posts, invest in SEO, run digital ads, and build their marketing tech stack find that results fall short of expectations.

    You generate Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs). Website traffic is steady. KPIs trend upward. Yet, your sales team keeps asking: “Where are the real opportunities?”

    Let’s be honest—industrial sales is complex and rarely linear, especially if you are selling custom-engineered solutions.

    Your buyers are:

    • Engineers with long evaluation cycles
    • Procurement teams that are comparing vendors
    • Decision-makers from across departments
    • Risk-averse professionals who want proof before engaging

    Bridging the gap between industrial marketing and sales is not about working harder. It’s about working smarter—with the right strategy to connect activities with outcomes.

    Hard Truths: What the Numbers Reveal About Industrial Marketing and Sales

    According to Forrester, less than 1% of B2B marketing inquiries actually convert into closed deals—a sobering reminder of how difficult it is to drive measurable revenue from marketing alone. (Source: Forrester)

    Even when you generate solid MQLs, only 10–20% ever become Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs), according to industry benchmarks. (Source: GrowthDriverShow)

    That means the vast majority of your leads won’t move forward unless there’s a clearly defined process for collaboration between industrial marketing and sales.

    Understanding MQLs vs SQLs in Industrial Sales

    What exactly is a qualified lead?

    Marketing teams often celebrate MQLs—visitors who download a white paper, fill out a contact form, or subscribe to your newsletter. These actions signal interest, but they don’t necessarily mean the prospect is ready for a sales conversation.

    Sales, on the other hand, is looking for SQLs—leads that meet specific criteria like budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT). Without this alignment, it’s no surprise that sales often ignores leads passed from marketing.

    Here’s why this matters:

    When the criteria for MQLs and SQLs aren’t agreed upon in advance, both teams lose faith in the process.

    • Sales thinks the leads are junk
    • Marketing thinks sales isn’t following up
    • Valuable prospects fall through the cracks

    This disconnect slows down your pipeline, frustrates your team, and weakens your ROI.

    Read my earlier blog: Lead Quality: Why It’s More Important Than Quantity for Manufacturing Marketing Success. It goes deeper into how to define and measure lead quality in industrial marketing.

    We’ll revisit this in the section on strategy. For now, just know this: Industrial marketing and sales alignment starts with a shared definition of what a lead actually means.

    Why Marketing Attribution is So Difficult in Industrial Sales

    In theory, marketing attribution should be simple. A visitor clicks an ad, downloads a brochure, receives nurturing emails, and then makes a purchase.

    But industrial sales don’t follow a neat, linear path.

    You’re selling complex solutions with long buying cycles and multiple stakeholders. That makes it incredibly hard to connect the dots between a marketing action and a signed contract.

    Here’s why attribution breaks down in manufacturing:

    • Sales cycles often span 6–18 months, especially for high-value capital equipment or engineered systems
    • Multiple influencers—engineers, maintenance managers, procurement, and executive leadership—all weigh in at different times
    • Prospects may engage anonymously long before reaching out to sales
    • Decisions are rarely made in a straight line—they loop back, stall, and restart

    What Can You Do?

    To improve attribution in industrial marketing and sales:

    • Agree on attribution models (first-touch, last-touch, multi-touch) that reflect the reality of your sales process
    • Use marketing automation tools to track behavior across touchpoints
    • Encourage sales to provide feedback on lead quality and source
    • Document all interactions that contribute to pipeline movement—even those that don’t get immediate credit

    Attribution in industrial marketing isn’t perfect. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Even directional insight is better than flying blind.

    Start With a Manufacturing Marketing Strategy—Not Just Tactics

    If your marketing and sales teams are out of sync, the root problem may not be execution—it’s likely the lack of a documented, shared strategy.

    I’ve seen it too often: A manufacturer hires a freelancer to write blog posts, launches a new PPC campaign, or updates their website. Each of these is a good step—but without a larger strategy, they operate in isolation.

    Tactics without strategy often lead to frustration for marketing and sales, resulting in wasted efforts and money.

    You can’t align marketing and sales if you haven’t aligned the why, who, and how behind your efforts.

    A strategy-first approach also helps you adapt to changes in the digital landscape—including the next big challenge: AI-driven search.

    If you don’t have this foundation in place, it’s time to step back and build one. Start here: Manufacturing Marketing Strategy.

    Even when your industrial marketing and sales teams are aligned, there’s a new challenge you can’t ignore—AI is disrupting search behavior in a big way.

    Google’s AI Overviews (formerly Search Generative Experience or SGE) and platforms like ChatGPT are changing how buyers find and consume information. Instead of clicking through to your website, users now get summarized answers right in the search results.

    According to a recent study, AI Overviews now appear in 47% of Search Results. (Source)

    AI isn’t killing SEO—but it’s raising the bar. That’s why quick fixes and disconnected tactics won’t cut it anymore.

    You need a system that continually adapts to both your buyers and the changing digital landscape.

    For more on this, read Industrial Content Marketing for Manufacturers: Adapting to AI Overviews and Zero-Click Search.

    It Takes More Than One-Off Campaigns to Generate High-Quality Industrial Leads

    Industrial sales don’t happen in a single click—or even a single conversation.

    If you’re relying on a one-time campaign to fill your pipeline, you’ll likely be disappointed. Generating high-quality industrial leads requires consistency, iteration, refinements and long-term commitment.

    Quick wins are rare. Sustainable results come from strategic planning, strong execution, and ongoing refinement.

    That’s why more manufacturers are turning to outsourced expertise—especially when in-house resources are limited or stretched thin.

    Why a Fractional CMO Makes Sense

    As a Fractional CMO for manufacturers, I bring strategy, execution oversight, and continuous optimization—without the full-time cost.

    Whether you have a small in-house team or no marketing staff at all, a Fractional CMO can help you stay focused on what matters: Driving sales—not just clicks and impressions.

    Why Traditional Industrial Marketing Tactics Alone No Longer Work

    Print ads, cold calls and other conventional marketing methods—these tactics still exist in manufacturing marketing. But they’re no longer the primary way buyers engage.

    Today’s industrial buyers don’t want to be sold to. They want to research on their own, at their own pace—often long before they talk to a salesperson.

    That’s why traditional industrial marketing alone isn’t enough. It needs to be integrated with digital strategies that reflect how your buyers behave in the real world.

    When you align traditional efforts with digital strategies, you meet buyers where they are—not where they used to be.

    Let’s Bridge the Gap Between Industrial Marketing and Sales—Together

    If your sales team is frustrated by lead quality…
    If your marketing feels like it’s working in a vacuum…
    And if you’re tired of disconnected tactics that don’t deliver…

    Then it’s time to connect the dots.

    I’ve worked exclusively with manufacturers and industrial companies for more than 35 years. I don’t learn industrial marketing at your expense.

    Whether you need a documented strategy, ongoing oversight, or execution support—I can help you close the gap between marketing efforts and results.

    Let’s start a conversation about how to turn your industrial marketing into a revenue-driving asset.

  • What to Do When Your Manufacturing Website Is Underperforming

    What to Do When Your Manufacturing Website Is Underperforming

    You know your manufacturing website is underperforming. It’s not attracting the right visitors. It’s not producing quality leads. And it’s definitely not helping your sales team start meaningful conversations.

    What should you do?

    It’s tempting to blame the design and rush into a redesign. But that’s not always the right place to start. I’ve worked with manufacturers and industrial companies for over 35 years. In most cases, the real problem lies deeper than the homepage.

    Think about your technical audience. What are they trying to do when they visit your site? What answers are they expecting but not finding? You may be surprised to learn that the issue is often poor positioning or unclear messaging—not the layout or color scheme.

    As Jeffrey Zeldman, a pioneer in web design, said, “Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration.”

    If your site looks decent but fails to generate leads, jumping straight to a redesign could just mean dressing up the same problem. Start by stepping back. Understand the strategic role your website plays in your larger manufacturing marketing plan.

    For a more in-depth look at how design and strategy must work together, read my blog: Industrial Website Redesign—Reengineering Your Site Into a Sales-Driven Asset.

    Let’s walk through the right steps to take when your manufacturing website isn’t working the way it should.

    Start with a Manufacturing Website Strategy, Not Just Tactics

    When a manufacturing website is underperforming, it’s easy to blame design or SEO. But tactics alone won’t fix the problem.

    Too often, companies try to “fix” their website with isolated digital activities—new pages, plugins, or flashy visuals—without a strategy.

    That’s like repairing machinery without first diagnosing the root cause.

    A strong manufacturing website strategy starts with understanding your buyers. Who are they? What problems are they trying to solve? What information do they expect when they land on your site?

    Without that insight, no design or SEO can deliver consistent results.

    Every website should support your sales process. That includes guiding prospects from first touch to RFQ. Your site must address each stage of the buyer’s journey.

    This is where I often help clients through our Manufacturing Marketing Strategy service. We don’t jump into design. We begin with a plan—based on real customer insights and sales goals.

    Not every situation requires a full marketing strategy. But you need at least a focused roadmap. One that defines who your ideal buyers are, what they care about, and how your site will help them convert.

    Strategy first. Tactics second.

    That’s how you turn an underperforming website into a reliable source of qualified leads.

    Align Website Messaging with Buyer Needs

    Your website isn’t a digital brochure. It’s a conversation starter.

    If your messaging talks only about your company, you’re missing the mark. Industrial buyers don’t care how long you’ve been in business—unless it helps them solve a problem.

    Are you showing how your products or solutions solve specific challenges for engineers, plant managers, or procurement professionals?

    That’s where strong positioning makes a difference.

    Manufacturers we work with often overlook their value proposition and key differentiators. We help them fix that early through discovery calls and rewriting the core messaging and value proposition.

    We go beyond fluff. We get clear about:

    • Why should someone choose your solution
    • How you reduce risk or downtime
    • What technical advantages make you better, not just different (Quantifying them goes a long way)

    And if your current site was built years ago without input from your sales team, it may no longer reflect your real strengths. That disconnect reduces trust, especially with engineers who are wired to spot vague claims.

    Fixing your messaging isn’t just a copy exercise. It’s a strategic move. We build it into every Industrial Website Design project we take on.

    Great content isn’t just written. It’s engineered to connect with real buyers.

    Industrial Website Redesign with Purpose: Your Website Should Be a Sales Asset

    A website redesign might feel like progress. But without purpose, it’s just noise.

    Too many industrial websites get rebuilt with flashy visuals but no real improvement in performance. That’s what happens when design leads the process instead of strategy.

    If your industrial website redesign is based only on aesthetics, you’re likely to repeat the same mistakes.

    Your website should be a sales tool. It should help visitors make informed decisions, support engineers in their research, and lead them toward RFQs or sales conversations.

    That doesn’t happen by chance. It requires deliberate planning—something we build into every Industrial Website Design engagement.

    This is where strategy and execution must work hand in hand. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a prettier site that still underperforms.

    A redesign can help—but only if it’s rooted in messaging, content, and customer expectations.

    That’s how your website becomes a sales asset instead of a sunk cost. If your messaging isn’t aligned with how engineers make decisions, your site will continue to fall short.

    The data backs this up, as shown in the chart below from the 2025 State of Marketing to Engineers report by TREW Marketing and GlobalSpec.

    Manufacturing website content engineers want

    Marketing Execution Needs Leadership, Not More Tools

    If your manufacturing website is underperforming, adding another platform or tool won’t fix the root problem.

    Most companies already have the tools. What they lack is strategic leadership.

    You may have HubSpot, Google Analytics, or a content management system. But without direction, those tools create activity, not results.

    Manufacturers often rely on internal teams or junior marketers to handle execution. These teams are hardworking but need senior-level guidance. Otherwise, it’s just busywork that doesn’t move the needle.

    That’s why many clients bring me in as a Fractional CMO.

    They don’t need a full-time executive. They need strategic oversight and accountability—20 focused hours a month can make a big difference.

    As a Fractional CMO, I help align marketing with sales, prioritize actions, and ensure your website works as a sales tool—not just a marketing asset.

    We lead with strategy. We fix gaps in messaging, site structure, and lead flow. Then we guide your team—or mine—through execution.

    It’s a practical way to get senior-level marketing without the full-time cost.

    And it works exceptionally well when paired with Manufacturing Marketing Strategy and Industrial Website Design services.

    Tools are helpful. But without leadership, they won’t turn your website into a lead generator.

    Key Questions to Ask Before You Act

    Before investing in a redesign or new tools, ask yourself a few strategic questions.

    These will help you pinpoint why your manufacturing website is underperforming and where to focus first.

    1. Is your site aligned with your sales process?
      Does it help move prospects from awareness to RFQ? Or does it leave them guessing?
    2. Are you speaking your customer’s language?
      Does your content address real-world problems engineers and buyers face? Or is it filled with marketing fluff?
    3. Can a technical buyer find what they need in two clicks or less?
      Engineers are busy. If they can’t find CAD files, specs, or certifications quickly, they’ll bounce.
    4. Is your value proposition clear and easy to find?
      Don’t make visitors work to understand what makes your solution better.
    5. Are you measuring performance beyond page views?
      Metrics like form submissions, time on page, and qualified leads tell the real story.

    You don’t need to answer all of these today. But thinking through them helps you avoid expensive redesign mistakes.

    We use these questions to guide every engagement—whether it’s a Manufacturing Marketing Strategy, Industrial Website Design, or Fractional CMO project.

    A strategic pause now saves a lot of frustration later.

    Start a Conversation with Tiecas

    If your manufacturing website is underperforming, don’t just patch the symptoms—let’s find the root cause.

    Whether you need a focused website strategy, sharper messaging, or ongoing leadership to guide your team, I can help.

    As a Marketing Engineer with decades of experience, I bring clarity, structure, and direction to your digital marketing—without the trial and error. Let’s turn your website into a true sales asset. Start a conversation with Tiecas today.

  • What Are the New Rules of Manufacturing Marketing in an AI-Driven World?

    What Are the New Rules of Manufacturing Marketing in an AI-Driven World?

    Manufacturing marketing isn’t what it used to be. If you’re still relying on traditional tactics that once delivered results, it’s time to re-evaluate. The rules have changed—driven by digital transformation, AI-powered search, and evolving buyer behavior in manufacturing industries.

    Why Should Manufacturing Marketing Take a Digital-First Approach?

    The way engineers and industrial buyers discover and evaluate suppliers has undergone a fundamental change. Traditional tactics such as trade shows, cold calls, and brochures no longer drive meaningful engagement on their own. That doesn’t mean they’re irrelevant, but they must now support a digital-first strategy.

    Today’s buying journey starts online. Before your sales team ever hears from a prospect, that person has likely searched Google, reviewed your website, and compared you to competitors.

    Increasingly, AI tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) or ChatGPT plugins are serving up instant answers before a prospect even clicks.

    To stay competitive, you need a manufacturing marketing strategy designed for how buyers behave now: research-heavy, self-guided, and digital-first. That means prioritizing website content, SEO, and lead conversion paths—and then reinforcing them with traditional marketing tactics, such as trade shows and printed collateral.

    Not sure where to start? You need a strategy rooted in both your sales process and your customer’s journey. That’s what we deliver through our Manufacturing Marketing Strategy service.

    How Are AI Overviews and Zero-Click Searches Changing SEO?

    Search behavior is shifting, and not in your favor if you’re still relying solely on traditional SEO. With the rise of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), AI-generated answers now appear at the top of search results, summarizing content from multiple sources. That means your website could be “used” to generate answers, but never actually get the traffic.

    This is part of a growing trend known as zero-click searches. According to Search Engine Journal, 27.2% of U.S. searches in March 2025 resulted in no clicks, up from 24.4% the previous year. (SOURCE).

    That’s nearly one in three users getting answers directly from search results—without visiting your site.

    To stay visible, your content needs to be AI-ready. That means:

    • Structuring pages with clear headings and concise, question-based answers
    • Using schema markup to improve your chances of being referenced
    • Building topical authority with consistent, expert-driven content

    SEO is no longer about stuffing keywords. It’s about being trusted by both human buyers and the AI engines they rely on. Your industrial content marketing strategy must adapt if you want to be discovered—and cited—in today’s search environment.

    How Should Industrial Content Marketing Adapt to the Search Behavior of Engineers?

    Engineers don’t search like general consumers. They don’t type in “best valve” or “top automation system.” Instead, they ask precise technical questions, like “API 609 butterfly valve for sour gas service” or “triple offset valve for hydrocarbon processing.” These are long-tail queries that rarely show up in traditional keyword tools because of low search volume—but they signal high intent.

    That’s why industrial content marketing must align with how engineers think, search, and evaluate solutions. Generic blog posts and salesy fluff won’t earn their trust. They want specifics: datasheets, CAD files, application notes, and credible how-to content that helps them make informed decisions.

    To meet these expectations:

    • Use AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to uncover real search intent behind long-tail queries.
    • Organize content for easy scanning—tables, charts, PDFs, and visuals work better than walls of text.
    • Focus on clarity, depth, and usefulness over volume or buzzwords.

    Effective industrial content creation is about enabling confident decision-making, not just “driving traffic.” And while AI can help, only human expertise can deliver the clarity and context engineers actually value.

    What KPIs Matter Most in Manufacturing Marketing Today?

    It’s easy to get distracted by vanity metrics—website visits, social likes, and email opens. But those numbers don’t tell you if your manufacturing marketing is producing real business value. In manufacturing, what matters most is quality—not just quantity.

    The KPIs worth tracking are those that connect marketing efforts to revenue:

    • Marketing-Qualified Leads (MQLs): Are you attracting prospects who fit your target customer profile and show buying intent?
    • Sales-Qualified Leads (SQLs): How many of those MQLs turn into real opportunities? This requires close coordination with Sales.

    Not sure of the differences?

    Read my blog: Lead Quality: Why It’s More Important Than Quantity for Manufacturing Marketing Success.

    • Influenced Pipeline and Revenue Contribution: Can you tie deals back to specific campaigns, content, or touchpoints?
    • Engagement Across the Buyer Journey: Are prospects moving from awareness to evaluation as planned?
    • Time-to-Close and Cost-per-Acquisition: Are your efforts shortening the sales cycle or just adding noise?

    Tracking these KPIs requires CRM integration, marketing automation, and a clear understanding of what success means for your business. If you want marketing to earn trust internally, it must be measured by outcomes, not just output.

    Why Is Sales and Marketing Alignment More Critical Than Ever?

    In manufacturing companies, Sales and Marketing have often operated in silos—Marketing creates awareness, Sales closes deals, and communication between the two is minimal. That approach no longer works.

    Today’s buyers—especially engineers—spend most of their journey researching independently. Gartner reports that B2B buyers spend only 17% of their time meeting with potential suppliers. When multiple vendors are involved, that number shrinks even more per company.

    That means your marketing content often acts as the first—and sometimes only—interaction a prospect has with your brand. But if Marketing and Sales aren’t aligned, you risk disconnects between the messages in your content and the conversations in your sales calls. Leads fall through the cracks. Opportunities stall. ROI disappears.

    To fix this, both teams must:

    • Agree on what defines a qualified lead
    • Share feedback on what content actually supports buying decisions
    • Work from a common set of goals and KPIs

    When Sales and Marketing are aligned, your technical content becomes a true sales enabler, not just a brochure. And that’s what shortens the sales cycle and builds trust with engineers.

    How Can You Make a Strong Business Case for Marketing Investment?

    Even with a clear strategy and the right metrics, many manufacturing marketers struggle to get the budget and support they need. That’s because leadership often views marketing as a cost center, not a growth driver.

    To change that mindset, you need to connect marketing activities directly to business outcomes.

    Here’s how to make your case:

    • Speak the language of the C-suite: Use terms like revenue, margins, sales velocity, and return on investment—not impressions or engagement rates.
    • Highlight missed opportunities: Identify how slow response times, outdated web content, or a lack of visibility in search may be costing you business.
    • Prove contribution: Use attribution to show how marketing influenced qualified leads, sales pipeline, or closed-won deals.

    It also helps to reframe the conversation. Don’t ask for “more marketing budget.” Show how strategic marketing fills pipeline gaps, supports Sales, and helps win deals in competitive industrial markets.

    When Marketing is positioned as a growth engine—not just a cost—your ideas get funded, your voice gets heard, and your team earns a seat at the table.

    Why Strategy isn’t Enough—and What’s the Role of a Fractional CMO?

    Having a marketing strategy is essential—but it won’t deliver results unless it’s executed, monitored, and continuously improved. That’s where many small to mid-sized manufacturers struggle. They may have a solid plan but lack the leadership to put it into action.

    Even the best strategy fails without:

    • Clear ownership and accountability
    • Alignment between Sales, Marketing, and leadership
    • Ongoing refinements based on performance data

    This is exactly where a Fractional CMO adds value.

    A Fractional CMO for manufacturers brings executive-level marketing leadership without the full-time overhead. You get someone who understands your technical audience, builds a roadmap aligned with your business goals, and ensures it’s implemented across your team and vendors.

    From setting KPIs and managing content to leading marketing-sourced pipeline growth, a Fractional CMO keeps your strategy moving forward while adapting it to market shifts and internal realities.

    In short, strategy is the blueprint, but execution is the engine. And if you’re missing that leadership layer, your marketing will stall, no matter how good the plan looks on paper.

    What’s the Next Step Toward Improving Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy?

    If your marketing efforts feel disconnected from results—or if you’re unsure what’s working and what’s not—it may be time for a different approach.

    Manufacturing marketing today requires more than a list of tactics. It demands a strategy grounded in how engineers research, how Sales engages, and how AI is reshaping visibility. But strategy alone isn’t enough. You need leadership to turn it into action and measurement to guide refinement over time.

    Whether you need to build a manufacturing marketing strategy, improve lead quality, or execute a smarter plan with confidence, I’m here to help.

    Let’s talk about how Tiecas and I can help you turn your marketing into a real growth engine.

  • Why Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy Falls Short—Even If You’re Implementing All the Popular Marketing Tactics

    Why Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy Falls Short—Even If You’re Implementing All the Popular Marketing Tactics

    Is your manufacturing marketing strategy engineered to produce measurable business results—or is it just a checklist of disconnected activities?

    You’ve invested in all the right marketing tactics—email campaigns, social posts, SEO, and even a few videos. You’re publishing regularly, attending trade shows, and maybe you’ve even refreshed your website. But despite all that effort, your pipeline is still inconsistent, and your sales team says leads are “junk,” and executive leadership is questioning the ROI of your marketing program.

    Sound familiar?

    You’re not alone. I’ve worked with dozens of small to mid-sized manufacturers who feel stuck in this exact situation. The issue isn’t a lack of activity. It’s that many manufacturing marketing teams are busy executing tactics without a clear, documented strategy that aligns with sales goals and customer behavior. That’s why it’s common to hear: “We’re doing all this marketing, but it’s just not working.”

    Let’s be clear: you need marketing tactics to generate awareness and interest. However, tactics without strategic intent can quickly become noise. Without sales alignment, mid-funnel content, and KPIs tied to business outcomes—not just marketing outputs—you’re left chasing metrics that don’t move the needle.

    Read more about our approach to Manufacturing Marketing Strategy.

    In this blog, I’ll highlight seven hidden pitfalls that cause even the most well-funded marketing programs to fall short—and, more importantly, how to fix them.

    Marketing “Busy Work” vs. Business Outcomes: Are You Measuring What Matters?

    Let’s start with a hard truth: just because your team is busy doesn’t mean your marketing is working.

    Activity does not equal progress. However, in many manufacturing companies, marketing teams are evaluated based on the volume of their output—such as the number of social posts published, emails sent, and web pages launched—rather than whether those efforts are actually contributing to qualified opportunities or revenue.

    One of the most telling quotes I’ve heard from a frustrated CEO was this:

    “You’re measuring leads. I’m measuring revenue.”

    That disconnect says it all.

    Marketing KPIs should support—not distract from—strategic business goals. That means shifting away from vanity metrics like impressions and email open rates and toward data that reflects business impact:

    • Percentage of marketing-sourced Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)
    • Influence on pipeline value and deal velocity
    • Contribution to key accounts or strategic segments
    • Content consumption tied to intent signals and buying stage

    It’s not that top-of-funnel awareness metrics are irrelevant. But if that’s all you’re reporting on, it’s easy to get caught in a cycle of marketing busy work that looks productive on paper but doesn’t drive meaningful sales conversations.

    A strong manufacturing marketing strategy realigns these metrics around what actually moves the business forward—and that requires tight integration with your sales team. We’ll get to that next.

    When Sales and Marketing Aren’t Aligned, Everyone Loses

    You can have the best-looking campaigns in the industry, but if your sales team doesn’t find the leads useful—or worse, ignores them altogether—your marketing strategy is broken.

    This misalignment is especially common in manufacturing companies where marketing and sales operate in silos. Marketing generates leads and passes them along, but sales says those leads aren’t “ready” or don’t fit the profile. What’s often missing is collaboration around shared definitions of lead quality, buyer intent, and sales readiness.

    Another weak link is mid-funnel content—the educational assets needed to move technical buyers from initial interest to real consideration. Engineers, specifiers, and purchasing teams don’t make impulsive decisions. They need specs, comparisons, documentation, and use cases that answer their questions at their own pace.

    That’s where sales-enablement content comes in. When done right, these tools support both self-service research and 1:1 sales conversations:

    • CAD files and 3D product models that engineers can plug directly into their design environments
    • Product configurators that allow specifiers to visualize and customize based on application needs
    • ROI calculators and performance comparison tools that speak the language of procurement

    If your marketing strategy isn’t delivering these types of assets—or if your sales team doesn’t know they exist—it’s a missed opportunity. Worse, it reinforces the perception that marketing is merely a cost center rather than a growth partner.

    The solution begins with a documented manufacturing marketing strategy that aligns sales and marketing efforts around the target audience, the content that supports the buying journey, and the contributions of both teams to revenue.

    Read my blog post: How Can Manufacturers Align Sales & Marketing to Improve Lead Conversions in Complex B2B Industrial Sales?

    Is Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy Built for How Engineers Really Research Solutions?

    The behavior of engineers and technical buyers continues to evolve—and your strategy must keep pace. The 2025 State of Marketing to Engineers report by TREW Marketing, GlobalSpec, and Elektor offers clear evidence of these shifts:

    • 60% of the buying process happens online before engineers ever speak with a sales rep
    • 73% rely on vendor websites and technical publications as primary sources of information
    • 91% subscribe to newsletters, and 75% are open to sponsored content if it’s relevant
    • 58% use generative AI during purchasing, but their trust in AI-generated content is low (about 4 out of 10)

    In short, engineers are proactive researchers who:

    • Conduct most of their journey independently
    • Value trusted technical content
    • Expect expert-level material from websites—not generic marketing
    • Are skeptical of AI-generated content unless backed by proof of concept

    That means if your manufacturing marketing strategy still focuses on gated assets, heavy brand messaging, or generic email blasts, you’re likely out of sync with how engineers want to engage.

    Your strategy must be tuned to this behavior and make your brand the go-to expert, long before a sales conversation even begins. It’s not just about being present; it’s about being meaningful.

    What Strategy Looks Like Beyond a Content Calendar

    Let’s clear up a common misconception: a content calendar is not a strategy. It’s a scheduling tool. Important, yes—but it should come after you’ve built the strategic foundation.

    A true manufacturing marketing strategy answers these critical questions first:

    • Who are we targeting? (Buyer personas and ideal customer profiles)
    • What challenges do they face at each stage of the buying journey?
    • What types of content and channels will earn their attention—and their trust?
    • How do we measure success across awareness, engagement, and revenue impact?

    Too many manufacturers jump straight into production mode without documenting these answers. The result? Content that looks good on LinkedIn but doesn’t support the sales cycle or influence decision-makers.

    What’s missing is a living strategy document—a blueprint that goes beyond messaging themes and content topics. It should align your marketing plan with business goals, document buyer behavior insights, and map tactics to funnel stages. And it must be revisited regularly, not just once a year.

    Without that, teams struggle to:

    • Justify budgets to executive leadership
    • Prioritize high-impact initiatives over reactive requests
    • Collaborate effectively with Sales and Product Management

    It’s no wonder that the 2025 CMI Manufacturing Research found that 67% of manufacturing marketers say their content strategy is moderately effective. 13% say it is not very or at all effective, and only 20% say it is very effective.

    Without documentation, strategy becomes tribal knowledge. And when staff turnover hits—or budgets are on the line—you’re left scrambling. A documented, measurable strategy ensures continuity, accountability, and long-term performance.

    manufacturers content marketing strategy effectivness

    From Trade Shows to Digital: Evolving Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy for Today’s Buyer

    Print isn’t dead. Trade shows still matter. But if your manufacturing marketing strategy relies solely on in-person events, brochures, and cold calls, you’re operating with blind spots in today’s digitally driven buying process.

    Trade shows can still play a valuable role—when integrated into a broader strategy. A hybrid approach can bridge the gap between awareness and demand generation. For example:

    • Use trade shows to reconnect with existing accounts and gather market feedback
    • Capture leads via interactive tools like product demonstrations
    • Follow up with personalized digital content mapped to attendee interests
    • Retarget visitors with application-specific case studies or videos

    The key is treating trade shows not as standalone events but as part of an ongoing conversation. The same applies to print ads and trade publications—they are most effective when complemented by digital follow-ups, such as targeted emails with calls to action that lead to trackable landing pages or gated downloads that guide the reader deeper into your sales funnel. Engineers and industrial professionals are willing to give up their emails in exchange for valuable content they perceive as useful to their work.

    Digital and physical marketing efforts shouldn’t compete—they should complement each other. That’s what I call integrated industrial marketing: building a unified strategy that spans multiple channels while keeping your technical audience—and their buying behaviors—at the center.

    Key Takeaways

    Let’s recap what causes even well-intentioned marketing efforts to fall short—and how to avoid these common pitfalls:

    • Tactics ≠ Strategy: A busy content calendar doesn’t guarantee business results. Strategy must come first.
    • Misaligned KPIs: If you’re only tracking vanity metrics, you’re not proving value to the business.
    • Sales Disconnect: Leads fall flat when sales doesn’t trust or use what marketing delivers.
    • Neglecting Engineers’ Research Habits: Engineers want technical content they can access on their own terms.
    • No Living Document: Without a documented, measurable strategy, it’s impossible to align teams or justify your budget.
    • Digital-Physical Silos: Trade shows still matter—but only when paired with digital follow-through in an integrated strategy.

    Let’s Build a Strategy That Drives Real Results

    If your current marketing efforts feel scattered or aren’t moving the needle, you don’t need more tactics—you need a cohesive, data-driven marketing strategy tailored to your sales process and technical audience.

    That’s where I come in.

    With over 35 years of experience in industrial marketing and a background in mechanical engineering, I help manufacturers create strategic roadmaps that align marketing efforts with sales goals, technical buyer behavior, and long sales cycles. If you’re ready to move beyond random acts of marketing, I invite you to start that conversation with me today.

    And if you already have a basic strategy in place but lack the internal resources to lead, execute, and refine it—my Fractional CMO for Manufacturers service is tailored to provide experienced industrial marketing leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. Whether you need help developing your strategy or ongoing marketing leadership, I’m here to help you engineer a smarter path forward.

  • Rethinking Industrial Lead Generation: How Modern Manufacturing Marketing Drives Sales Conversations

    Rethinking Industrial Lead Generation: How Modern Manufacturing Marketing Drives Sales Conversations

    When it comes to industrial lead generation, I often hear, “We just need more prospects to talk to our sales team,” when speaking with marketing managers, business development professionals, and company leaders at manufacturing and industrial companies.

    The intent is clear—get in front of more qualified prospects. However, the frustration is just as real: reaching the right people is more challenging than ever.

    Today’s B2B buyers don’t follow the old playbook. According to research from Demand Gen Report, buyers are nearly 70% through their purchasing journey before they ever speak with a salesperson, and 80% of the time, they are the ones initiating contact, not the other way around.

    In other words, by the time your sales team gets “face time,” the buyer has already formed strong preferences based on what they found online.

    If your marketing strategy is still playing a supporting role—just making brochures, managing trade shows, and updating the website—it’s time to rethink that model. Modern manufacturing marketing must lead the charge in industrial lead generation. It sets the stage for sales conversations by attracting and nurturing the right people long before they reach out.

    Read how a tailored Manufacturing Marketing Strategy can help align your sales and marketing efforts to generate better leads.

    The Reality of Today’s Industrial Lead Generation Process

    Let’s start with the elephant in the room: most of your buyers are invisible. They browse your site and read case studies if you have them on your website. But they rarely fill out your contact form. And they certainly don’t call your sales team—at least not until they’re ready to talk to them.

    A 2024 benchmark report from 6sense found that average form-fill rates across B2B websites hover around just 3.7%, which means the overwhelming majority of buyers are researching anonymously. They’re engaging with your brand, but not in a way your sales team can see or act on directly.

    This silent behavior makes it incredibly difficult for traditional outbound sales tactics to be effective. Cold calls, unsolicited emails, and generic sales outreach often fall flat because the buyer doesn’t need or want them. They’re already five steps into their journey before your rep even knows they exist.

    That’s why your industrial lead generation efforts must shift focus to meet buyers where they are—early in the research phase. This requires a marketing strategy that emphasizes discoverability, education, and trust-building over time.

    Why Industrial Lead Generation Starts With a Strong Online Presence

    A strong online presence isn’t just about credibility anymore, but survival. In today’s anonymous buying environment, your website and digital content are often the first (and sometimes only) interaction prospects have with your company. If those assets don’t engage and educate, you’re losing potential leads even before you know they exist.

    Yet many manufacturers still treat their websites like static brochures—filled with product-centric content, company history, and a contact page buried at the bottom. That approach doesn’t match how technical buyers research. They expect more.

    Your website must now function as a sales enabler—a digital gateway that helps visitors quickly understand your capabilities, see your differentiation, and envision how you can solve their problems.

    Key elements of a high-performing site that supports industrial lead generation include:

    • Clear messaging that speaks to engineers, operations, and procurement professionals—not marketing fluff
    • Logical site structure and navigation that guides visitors to relevant solutions or product categories with minimal clicks
    • Helpful, application-focused content like CAD files, selection guides, case studies, and spec sheets
    • Fast-loading, mobile-friendly pages to support researchers across devices and geographies
    • Calls to action tailored to different stages of the buying journey—not just “Contact Us” forms

    Your buyers are evaluating vendors long before they talk to sales. If your website isn’t positioning you as a knowledgeable, trustworthy solution provider, your competitors will.

    In fact, LinkedIn’s B2B Institute reports that 95% of potential buyers aren’t in the market to buy today, which makes it even more critical to stay visible and relevant during the long consideration phase.

    Don’t let your digital presence be an afterthought. A strategically planned and well-executed industrial website design is foundational to building awareness and trust.

    Stop Thinking of Manufacturing Marketing as Just Sales Support

    It’s time to retire the outdated idea that marketing’s role is to “support” sales by making brochures, managing trade shows, and updating the website.

    Marketing preps the market for industrial lead generation in the current digital-first buying environment. It’s responsible for attracting the right people, educating them, and nurturing their interest until they’re ready for a productive conversation with Sales.

    That shift requires a different mindset—one where Marketing is not a service department but a strategic growth driver.

    When Marketing and Sales are aligned around this shared purpose, the results improve across the board:

    • Salespeople spend less time cold prospecting and more time closing
    • Leads are better informed and further along in their buying journey
    • Conversations are more focused and productive from the start

    To make this shift, marketing efforts must be built on educational, customer-focused content, not just product specs and features (Of course, they are important, but not enough by themselves). Engineers and technical buyers want substance: white papers, how-to articles, comparison guides, and application-specific insights. They prefer to consume this information at their own pace.

    That’s where industrial content marketing plays a pivotal role. It fuels your visibility, drives organic traffic, and creates engagement with prospects long before your sales team ever gets involved.

    You Don’t Need More Marketing Tactics—You Need a Strategy

    When sales are slow or leads dry up, the knee-jerk reaction is often to add more marketing tactics—launch a Google Ads campaign, redesign a brochure, or try a new email platform. But without a solid roadmap, these activities rarely deliver lasting results.

    Tactics are tools, not solutions.

    What most manufacturers really need is a well-thought-out manufacturing marketing strategy—one that connects your business goals, sales process, and customer journey into a cohesive plan.

    Take a step back and ask yourself:

    • Who are we trying to reach? (Go deeper than industry, company size, etc.)
    • What problems are they trying to solve? (Customer-centric)
    • How do they research and evaluate solutions? (Google’s AI Overviews have turned this part on its head)
    • What kind of experience does our digital presence create? (Are you guiding visitors to the next logical step?)

    The strategy brings alignment. It ensures that your marketing works in sync with your sales efforts, not just adding noise.

    If you’re frustrated by poor lead quality, missed opportunities, or marketing efforts that feel disconnected, it may not be your tactics that are broken—it’s the absence of a good manufacturing marketing strategy.

    Key Takeaways:

    • Buyers are in control—most complete 70% of the buying journey before talking to Sales
    • Your website is your frontline sales tool, not a digital brochure
    • Marketing must set the stage in industrial lead generation, not just support sales
    • Sales and Marketing alignment is essential for qualifying and nurturing leads effectively
    • Without a strategy, tactics fail—you need a plan tailored to your business, sales processes, and buyers

    Let’s Turn Your Website and Manufacturing Marketing Into a Sales Conversation Starter

    If you’re struggling to connect with the right people—and watching too many promising leads go silent—it may be time to rethink how your marketing is set up to support sales.

    Let’s start with strategy.

    We’ll help you create a manufacturing marketing strategy that aligns your brand, website, and content with how your buyers actually buy. That strategy becomes the blueprint for everything else—content, website design, sales enablement tools, and more.

    Contact Tiecas to start a conversation about building a smarter lead-generation engine for your industrial business.

  • Mapping Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy to the Industrial Buyer’s Journey

    Mapping Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy to the Industrial Buyer’s Journey

    You’re probably familiar with the term industrial buyer’s journey if you are a Marketing or Sales Manager at a manufacturing company. Like most such people I talk to, you’re under constant pressure to generate high-quality leads in increasingly complex and slow-moving target markets.

    Despite using tactics like digital ads, trade shows, SEO, and email, results often fall short. Why? Because the strategy isn’t aligned with how industrial buyers make decisions.

    Industrial sales often involve multiple stakeholders, long sales cycles, and a heavy emphasis on technical due diligence. Engineers, plant managers, and procurement professionals don’t respond to generic marketing. They rely on objective research, peer validation, and trusted resources to guide their decisions—and they do most of it anonymously before ever contacting a salesperson.

    That’s why mapping your manufacturing marketing strategy to the industrial buyer’s journey is essential. It ensures your messaging, content, and campaigns meet buyers where they are—at each stage of their decision process—and move them closer to becoming qualified leads.

    For a broader framework, read my blog “Industrial Marketing Strategy for Manufacturers—17 Questions Product Managers Must Ask”.

    In this post, I’ll explain what the industrial buyer’s journey looks like, how it differs from conventional B2B sales funnels, and how your marketing efforts can support technical buyers at every step.

    Defining the Industrial Buyer’s Journey in Manufacturing Sales Cycles

    The industrial buyer’s journey is not a straight line. It’s a complex, iterative process where technical decision-makers actively seek out information to solve specific problems—not to be sold to.

    Most industrial purchases, especially those involving engineered products or capital equipment, follow a three-stage process:

    1. Awareness:
      The buyer realizes there’s a problem worth solving. They’re researching symptoms, exploring root causes, and looking for ideas—not specific vendors. At this stage, Google searches often start with terms like “how to reduce valve failure” or “alternatives to manual lubrication systems.” The goal is education, not evaluation.
    2. Consideration:
      Now that the problem is defined, the buyer begins comparing solutions. Engineers dig into product specifications, evaluate technical performance, and weigh risks. Usually, multiple stakeholders are involved: maintenance, operations, EHS, and purchasing. Each has different priorities. This is where technical content like spec sheets, application notes, compliance and safety certifications, and calculators are helpful.
    3. Decision:
      After narrowing down solution categories, the buyer compares vendors. This phase involves validating claims, calculating ROI, and justifying the purchase internally. Peer reviews, case studies, product demo videos, and on-site evaluations often influence the final decision.

    In real-world manufacturing environments, these stages blur. A plant manager might skip ahead to the decision phase if they’ve used your product before, while an engineer unfamiliar with your solution might stay in the awareness stage for months.

    From my experience, a strong emotion is involved in industrial buying decisions—fear of failure. Once they overcome that, their choice is then backfilled with logic.

    According to TREW Marketing’s 2025 State of Marketing to Engineers report, “On average, technical buyers spend sixty percent of the buying process online. Seventy-two percent spend at least half of the buying process online before choosing to speak to someone at the company.”

    That reinforces why your manufacturing marketing strategy must proactively support buyers long before a contact form is filled out.

    Marketing must be integrated with the buyer’s journey to drive real impact. (See How Can Manufacturers Align Sales & Marketing to Improve Lead Conversions in Complex B2B Industrial Sales?)

    Why Your Manufacturing Marketing Strategy Must Be Aligned to Each Stage

    It’s easy to fall into the trap of producing content and campaigns around what your company wants to say instead of what your buyers need to hear at each stage of their decision-making process.

    That disconnect is one of the biggest reasons industrial content marketing underperforms in manufacturing.

    If you’re promoting product specs and case studies too early—when buyers are still trying to define their problem—you risk overwhelming or alienating them. Conversely, if you’re still sharing general awareness content when the buyer is deep into comparing vendors, you’re missing a key opportunity to influence their shortlist.

    A well-crafted manufacturing marketing strategy aligns every touchpoint with the buyer’s current stage:

    • In the awareness stage, you focus on educating—not pitching.
    • In the consideration stage, you offer comparison tools and technical validation to guide evaluation.
    • In the decision stage, you remove friction, build trust, and support internal justification.

    This strategic alignment isn’t just about creating more content—it’s about creating the right content, delivered at the right time, to the right people.

    When your marketing mirrors the industrial buyer’s thought process, you increase relevance, accelerate trust, and improve conversion rates. Sales cycles may still be long, but you’re no longer just “generating leads”—you’re building buyer confidence.

    That’s where a partner who understands the industrial space can make a real difference. Learn how my Manufacturing Marketing Strategy service helps you align marketing with real-world buying behavior.

    Creating Content That Supports Technical Buyers in Manufacturing

    To connect with technical buyers—engineers, plant managers, maintenance supervisors—you need to speak their language. And that doesn’t mean just using technical jargon. It means understanding their mindset: skeptical, detail-oriented, and risk-averse.

    These buyers don’t want hype. They want proof.

    What builds credibility with them isn’t flashy branding or clever slogans—it’s practical, in-depth content that helps them evaluate solutions on their own terms. Technical datasheets, CAD/BIM files, application notes, and ROI calculators are very effective.

    Content must be logically structured, easy to scan, and backed by verifiable data. Visuals like exploded diagrams or performance charts often speak louder than paragraphs of copy.

    They’re doing their homework. Make sure your content shows up when they need it—and that it’s written for them, not for your internal product team.

    This is where many manufacturers struggle. Marketing content is either too salesy or too feature-heavy, with no clear connection to the buyer’s specific application or challenges.

    That’s why it pays to work with someone who has some understanding of your products and knows how to translate their technical advantages into clear, buyer-focused messaging. In short, a Marketing Engineer.

    Using Content Marketing for Manufacturers to Influence the Industrial Buyer’s Journey

    Manufacturing content marketing is more than just blogging or posting on LinkedIn. It’s a strategic tool for manufacturers to influence industrial buyers at every stage of their journey—from early research to the final decision.

    The key is relevance. Your content must match the buyer’s intent, not just your internal product messaging.

    Formats like playbooks, case studies, and trend reports are strongly linked to buying intent, according to the 2025 State of B2B Content Consumption & Demand Report published by NetLine. See the chart below

    Content consumption and buy intent 2025

    Here’s how content marketing for manufacturers should support each phase:

    Awareness Stage: Answering “What’s the problem?”

    At this stage, the buyer may not even know what solution they need. They’re looking for education and clarity. Effective content includes:

    • How-to blog posts addressing operational inefficiencies
    • Industry trend reports (especially around regulations or energy use)
    • Explainer videos that simplify technical concepts
    • Introductory white papers or webinars

    Keep it vendor-neutral and avoid hard selling. The goal is to position your company as a credible resource, not push your product just yet.

    Consideration Stage: Helping buyers compare options

    Now that the problem is defined, the buyer is evaluating approaches. Content here should guide and validate:

    • Technical comparison guides
    • Detailed product selection charts
    • Design checklists or engineering calculators
    • Video demonstrations or application-specific case studies

    Here’s where engineers want specifics. They’ll pass along your content to operations, safety, or purchasing colleagues. Make sure it’s clear, structured, and tailored to their role.

    Decision Stage: Making the internal case

    The buyer has narrowed down their list and now needs to justify the purchase. This is where your content helps reduce risk and support internal buy-in:

    • Case studies with quantifiable results
    • Testimonials from similar customers (when NDAs allow)
    • ROI analysis and downloadable justification templates
    • Trial programs or pilot projects (when applicable)

    Repurposing is a smart way to scale your efforts. One well-researched application note can be broken down into a blog series, an infographic, and a LinkedIn post—each targeting a different persona or stage.

    And remember, content isn’t just for Marketing. Your sales team, distributors, and reps need these materials to reinforce your value proposition throughout the process.

    Not sure where to begin? My Industrial Content Marketing service helps you plan, create, and distribute content that aligns with how real buyers buy—not just how companies sell.

    Mapping your marketing strategy to the buyer’s journey ensures your efforts support real-world buying behavior—not just more marketing, but smarter marketing.

    If you’re ready to improve alignment and generate better results, let’s talk. Contact me to start building a strategy tailored to your industrial buyers.

  • Industrial Marketing Strategy for Manufacturers—17 Questions Product Managers Must Ask

    Industrial Marketing Strategy for Manufacturers—17 Questions Product Managers Must Ask

    An industrial manufacturing marketing strategy isn’t just a to-do list filled with tactics like “update the website” or “send an email campaign.” If you’re a product manager at a manufacturing company, your responsibilities extend beyond managing a team of design engineers. You also need to effectively position your products, promote them, and support them throughout the buying journey—a more digital, complex, and engineer-driven journey than ever.

    According to Gartner, 75% of B2B buyers now prefer a sales experience without direct interaction with sales representatives.

    The same report said, “It’s projected that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur through digital channels.” (​Gartner)

    For a quick overview of manufacturing marketing strategy, read my post, “Why Is a Marketing Strategy for Manufacturers Critical? Your Questions Answered.”

    In this blog, I’ll walk you through 17 strategic questions every industrial product manager should ask before developing a marketing strategy for their manufacturing company. These questions are grouped by topic to help you see the bigger picture—and uncover what might be missing from your current approach.

    And if you don’t have all the answers yet, that’s okay. That’s where I can help.

    I have written this post from the perspective of a Product Manager, but you can switch roles to Marketing Manager or Director at a manufacturing company. Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage, and let’s dive in.

    Defining the Right Industrial Marketing Strategy for Manufacturers

    Who Are We Selling To—and Why Should They Choose Us?

    If your product team is busy innovating the next-generation valve or process automation device, and if marketing still feels like a disconnected effort, you’re not alone. I’ve seen this time and again: product managers understand the technical landscape but often underestimate the strategic depth required to market to industrial buyers.

    This first group of questions lays the foundation. Before you dive into tactics, you must clarify who you’re trying to reach, what matters to them, and how your product addresses their needs better than the alternatives. Here’s where to begin:

    1. Who exactly is our target audience—and what roles do they play in the buying process?

    This seems like Marketing 101, but the buying process is rarely linear or single-threaded for manufacturers. A plant engineer might influence the specs, maintenance managers care about downtime and durability, while procurement focuses on price and delivery. Do you know which personas matter most at each stage of the buying journey? If not, you’re flying blind.

    ! Tip: Identifying buying roles early helps ensure your messaging, content, and sales tools speak directly to each decision-maker’s concerns and challenges.

    2. What industries and applications are our products best suited for—and which verticals should we prioritize?

    Not all market segments offer the same growth potential or margin. Are your valve and actuator lines gaining traction in hydrogen production or better positioned in water/wastewater treatment? Are you being proactive in targeting emerging applications or simply reacting to RFQs?

    ! Tip: Industrial marketing strategy for manufacturers starts with a thoughtful focus. Trying to be everything to everyone often results in shallow engagement and a wasted budget.

    3. What are our core differentiators—beyond just technical specifications?

    Let’s be honest—most technical buyers assume everyone meets the minimal specs. So, what makes you stand out? Is it the responsiveness of your engineering support? Shorter lead times? Proven lifecycle performance under extreme conditions? These kinds of differentiators matter in a crowded, commoditized industrial market.

    Suppose you can’t clearly articulate why someone should choose your solution over a competitor’s, especially during early-stage research. In that case, creating the right messaging on your website and communicating it to the sales team or distributors will be challenging.

    4. Is our messaging aligned with our positioning, or are we blending in with commodity providers?

    Too many manufacturers bury their value proposition under generic language like “high-quality,” “cost-effective,” or “durable.” Those words don’t differentiate; they disappear. If your messaging sounds like everyone else’s, it’s probably not driving engagement or building trust. (Read parity in value propositions).

    ! Tip: Remember: engineers want substance, not slogans. Clear positioning supported by evidence makes your brand memorable—and credible.

    These four questions are at the heart of your industrial marketing strategy for manufacturers. They help product managers step back and evaluate not just what the company makes, but why it matters to the people who buy, use, and recommend it.

    Supporting Sales Through Marketing for Product Managers in Manufacturing

    What Does Sales Really Need From Us—and Are We Delivering It?

    In many manufacturing companies, there’s a disconnect between product management, marketing, and sales—especially when it comes to complex, engineer-driven buying decisions. As a product manager, you’re uniquely positioned to bridge that gap. But you need to ask the right strategic questions to do that effectively.

    These next four questions focus on aligning your marketing efforts with the realities of industrial sales, not just generating leads but enabling your sales team with the insights and tools they need to convert them.

    You may want to read my earlier post, How Can Manufacturers Align Sales & Marketing to Improve Lead Conversions in Complex B2B Industrial Sales?

    5. What role does marketing play in supporting our sales team through complex, technical sales cycles?

    Manufacturing marketing isn’t just about brand awareness or trade show displays. It’s about supporting a high-consideration sales process with technical content, ROI justification tools, and sales enablement resources that help buyers make informed decisions.

    ! Tip: If your sales team is still creating their own slide decks or forwarding outdated PDFs to prospects, that’s a red flag. Marketing should actively enable sales, especially for long-cycle, specification-heavy decisions.

    6. Are we providing the right tools and content to move prospects from awareness to decision?

    Marketing content must do more than attract attention—it must educate, guide, and support buying committees. Do you have:

    • Application notes or case studies that prove field performance?
    • Selection guides or comparison matrices for evaluating your product against alternatives?
    • Engineering calculators or configurators that simplify decision-making?
    • Downloadable CAD files to shorten the design process?

    These assets are not just helpful—engineers and technical buyers doing self-guided research expect them.

    ! Tip: If your website doesn’t provide content that aligns with the buying journey, your competitors’ sites will.

    7. Are we aligned on what defines a qualified lead—and how to nurture it?

    Lead quantity means very little if Sales doesn’t trust Marketing’s leads. Do you have a shared definition of a Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) and a Sales Qualified Lead (SQL)? Are you scoring leads based on engagement with specific technical content, not just form fills?

    Lead nurturing also can’t stop at the first email. In long B2B industrial buying journeys, you need a multi-touch approach that keeps your brand top of mind through useful, relevant content over time.

    ! Tip: Ask Sales what would make a lead “sales-ready.” Then, reverse-engineer your lead nurturing process to match those criteria.

    8. Do we have a feedback loop between Sales and Marketing, and are we using it to improve lead quality?

    Too often, the handoff between Marketing and Sales feels like a black hole. Without regular feedback, Marketing can’t optimize campaigns or content, and Sales doesn’t get better leads. Are you holding joint meetings? Reviewing what content supports conversations? Sharing wins and losses?

    ! Tip: A closed-loop system between Sales and Marketing isn’t optional—it’s how high-performing teams continuously improve results.

    As you can see, this group of questions shifts the focus from surface-level marketing activity to meaningful sales alignment. As a product manager, you don’t need to own every marketing tactic—but you do need to ensure the strategy connects the dots between product value, buyer needs, and sales success.

    Generating High-Quality Leads Through B2B Manufacturing Marketing

    Are We Getting the Right Leads—or Just More Clicks?

    Traffic isn’t the problem. Even small to mid-sized manufacturers can generate website visits, email opens, and ad impressions. The real question is: Are you generating leads that convert into real business opportunities—or just filling the top of the funnel with noise?

    Manufacturing marketing is not about casting the widest net; it’s about generating qualified leads who are ready to engage in meaningful conversations. And that means evaluating not just how many leads you generate but whether they’re the right ones for your business.

    This group of questions is designed to help product managers assess the health of their lead generation efforts—because more isn’t better if it’s not moving the needle.

    9. How can we generate more qualified leads that match our ideal customer profile?

    Most manufacturers say they want better leads, but few have taken the time to clearly define their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)—the industries, company sizes, job roles, and applications that align best with their product and sales goals. Without that clarity, even the best marketing campaigns result in low-quality leads that Sales won’t pursue.

    I’ve also seen a trend across the B2B space, especially in industrial sectors, of shifting the focus from lead quantity to lead quality. It’s not about filling your CRM with contacts—it’s about attracting the ones that are most likely to convert.

    ! Tip: When Marketing and Sales are aligned on the ICP and focus on targeted campaigns, lead quality improves—which matters far more in long industrial sales cycles.

    10. What’s our strategy for long-cycle lead nurturing—especially for engineers and decision-making committees?

    Long buying cycles with multiple stakeholders are the norm in industrial sales. You often deal with engineers, plant managers, procurement professionals, and compliance teams, all of whom play different roles in decision-making.

    That’s where Account Based Marketing (ABM) can make a real difference. ABM allows you to focus your marketing efforts on a specific set of high-value accounts and tailor your messaging to each decision-maker involved.

    According to a joint Marketo and Reachforce study, companies that implement ABM become 67% better at closing deals when they align their sales and marketing teams around shared account-based strategies. Source: RollWorks—17 ABM Statistics.

    For more details on using ABM in manufacturing, read my post: How Manufacturers Can Win Big with Account Based Marketing (ABM) and Industrial Content Marketing.

    11. Are we tracking lead quality and marketing ROI or measuring the wrong things?

    It’s one thing to count leads. It’s another to track how they move through a complex sales cycle and eventually turn into revenue. Attribution is one of the biggest challenges in industrial marketing. When buying decisions involve months of research, multiple touchpoints, and various influencers, how do you know what really moved the needle?

    If you only measure top-of-funnel activity like clicks or downloads, you’re missing the bigger picture and potentially undervaluing Marketing’s real contribution to revenue.

    These three questions are critical to shifting your marketing from a volume game to a value-generating engine.

    As a product manager, you can’t afford to rely on vanity metrics or assumptions. You need visibility into lead quality and confidence that your marketing investments are driving real business outcomes.

    Elevating Visibility with Digital Marketing and Thought Leadership

    Are We Getting Found Online and Are We Trusted?

    Most industrial buying journeys these days begin online, and they start long before your sales team ever gets involved. If you’re not easily discoverable—or if your online presence doesn’t build trust—you’re at risk of being eliminated from consideration before you even know you were in the running.

    This section focuses on how to raise visibility with the right audience and establish credibility with the engineers and technical buyers who matter most to you.

    12. Are we showing up in organic search for long-tail, technical keywords?

    Your customers aren’t searching for “valves” or “flowmeters.” They’re searching for phrases like “best valve for cryogenic service” or “SIL2-certified pressure transmitter for hazardous locations.” These long-tail, intent-rich searches align closely with specific pain points and applications.

    However, as Google’s AI Overviews and other GenAI-enabled features reshape online searches, traditional SEO strategies aren’t enough. You need structured content that aligns with user intent so that AI can interpret and show it effectively.

    For a deeper dive into this evolving topic, read my blog: How AI Overview Is Changing Manufacturing Content Marketing and SEO—And What You Can Do About It.

    13. Are we creating application-specific content that speaks to real-world problems?

    You can’t win trust with marketing fluff. Engineers want evidence, examples, and technical depth. Yet many manufacturers rely too heavily on broad claims and generic messaging.

    What resonates instead?

    • Case studies in niche industries
    • White papers addressing application-specific performance
    • Videos and blogs that demonstrate performance in real-world conditions

    So, what sources of information do engineers use when considering products? This chart from TREW + GlobalSpec: 2025 State of Marketing to Engineers explains it well.

    Sources of information used by engineers when considering products

    14. Are we leveraging technical SMEs to build trust and credibility in our space?

    There’s no better voice than your own internal Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). In industrial and manufacturing marketing, the phrase “one engineer to another” carries a lot of weight.

    Your SMEs bring authenticity and technical depth that marketers alone can’t and shouldn’t try to duplicate (Unless you are a Marketing Engineer like me. 😊). But that doesn’t mean they have to write every word. Marketing can and should do the heavy lifting—researching, drafting, and structuring the content—while your SMEs add their valuable insights and lend their names.

    SME-driven content builds authority, improves engagement, and builds trust with your target audience.

    For more on why this matters, read my blog: Content Marketing for Manufacturers: What Makes It Different and Why It’s Challenging.

    Online visibility isn’t just about algorithms and analytics. It’s about becoming a reliable, go-to resource for engineers in the research and evaluation stages. You’re not even in the game if your content isn’t being found and/or trusted.

    Aligning Strategy, Execution, and Resources

    Are We Equipped to Do This Right—or Spinning Our Wheels?

    You can have the right audience, the right message, and the right tools, but your marketing strategy will stall without proper execution and resource alignment. This final set of questions helps industrial product managers assess whether their organization is truly set up for success or merely going through the motions.

    15. Is our website optimized for conversion, or just serving as a digital brochure?

    Many industrial websites function as static repositories of product information, lacking the elements necessary to engage and convert visitors. An outdated, informational website can be transformed into a robust sales tool by incorporating the right messaging and creating content that engineers and technical professionals seek from their vendors. This includes detailed product specifications, application notes, CAD files, and intuitive navigation that guides users toward logical, actionable steps.​

    ! Tip: Your website should inform and facilitate the buyer’s journey, effectively turning visitors into leads.

    For insights on redesigning industrial websites for optimal performance, visit Industrial Website Design.

    16. Are we documenting our strategy and reviewing it regularly with data?

    A well-documented content marketing strategy is crucial for aligning efforts and measuring success. According to the 2023 Manufacturing Content Marketing report by the Content Marketing Institute, “Only 32% of manufacturing marketers have a documented content marketing strategy.”

    Documented strategy for manufacturing content marketing

    Regularly reviewing this strategy against performance metrics ensures that marketing activities remain aligned with business objectives and can adapt to changing market conditions.​

    ! Tip: A documented strategy is a roadmap, enabling teams to track progress and make informed adjustments.

    Explore how a strategic roadmap can benefit manufacturers: Strategic Roadmap.

    17. Do we have the in-house capabilities—or should we bring in an industrial marketing expert?

    Even the most capable product teams may lack specialized marketing expertise. Assess whether your organization has the internal resources—such as content creators, strategists, and digital marketers—with deep knowledge of the industrial sector. If not, partnering with an industrial marketing expert can provide the necessary insights and execution capabilities to reach and engage your target audience effectively.​

    ! Tip: Collaborating with specialists who understand the nuances of B2B industrial marketing can accelerate results and enhance marketing effectiveness.

    Learn more about leveraging fractional CMO services: Fractional CMO for Manufacturers.

    These final questions serve as a reality check. A strategy is only as effective as its execution. As a product manager, ensuring that your marketing efforts are well-resourced, data-driven, and aligned with tangible business goals is essential for achieving meaningful outcomes.

    If this blog has raised questions or addressed some of your concerns, you already know that a checklist of tactics won’t cut it. You need a strategic, data-driven roadmap that aligns with your business goals and speaks directly to your technical audience.

    That’s precisely what I do.

    With over 35 years of hands-on experience in industrial and manufacturing marketing, I’ve helped manufacturers like you turn scattered marketing efforts into cohesive strategies that generate real results. Whether you need help developing your positioning, prioritizing campaigns, aligning with Sales, or redesigning your website to become a sales asset, I’m here to guide you.

    Let’s start a conversation. Contact me to explore how we can build the right industrial marketing strategy for manufacturers.