In its B2B buying research, Gartner found companies that were successful in providing the right information during each of a customer’s buying jobs helped make the process 2.8 times easier, and customers were three times more likely to make larger purchases with less regret. Let’s hear it for target audience marketing!
Whether you’re working with your marketing team, an inbound marketing firm, or your sales staff, there are a few things to keep in mind when talking and marketing to your target audience.
Know what your product offers.
That may sound silly. Of course, you know what your product offers. But do you take it one step further when defining the needs your product fulfills? Let’s take an example we can all relate to—a couch. What does a couch provide? A place to sit, for sure. But it’s actually providing comfort after a hard day at work or during that Sunday afternoon nap. It provides a sense of togetherness when the family gathers under a blanket to watch a movie. By taking that extra step to analyze your products in this way, you’ll better define how to talk to your ideal customers wherever they are in the buying journey.
Try multiple marketing channels.
A plethora of digital marketing options is at your fingertips—literally—from email marketing to content marketing to search engine marketing. And if you like more traditional outbound marketing options, like advertising, you can find a way to have them all work hand-in-hand. Just keep your target audience in mind by learning where they get their information. A young engineer, for example, may start research on search engines or YouTube. A seasoned operations manager may prefer to read a trade publication. It’s about the right message on the right channel.
Focus on what's working but don't dismiss other options.
On one hand, if your manufacturing marketing isn’t broke, don’t fix it. But on the other hand, don’t rest on your laurels. In other words, don’t be afraid to try something new or return to a strategy that didn’t succeed as you had hoped the first time you tried it. Things change. The political and economic climates are just two macros that affect business, right down to when people purchase, why people purchase, and how people purchase. Your marketing likely has to change too.
Personalize your messages as much as possible.
Admittedly, that’s difficult to do with customers who are at the top of the sales funnel. But as they stick with you thanks to digital marketing content and sales touches, you can start to personalize based on their questions and research habits. Personalization could be an email marketing campaign focused on customers in the product validation cycle. It could be blog content that answers questions they may be asking when choosing vendors. It also could be very specific as you woo them over the sales finish line, like an email or hand-written note from one of your company’s leaders.
Get below the surface of rejections, objections, and hesitations.
When customers say maybe, not yet, or no, it’s time to dig deep and learn what is really keeping them from moving forward. If they say they don’t have time to research options, don’t sell them on why to buy from you. Ask them about their workload and what keeps them from having time. Listen. Empathize. Then, help in any way you can
No matter who your customer is, the likelihood that he or she calls you as soon as a problem is identified is unlikely. It’s nothing personal. They’d just rather research on their own, talk with others in the industry, and read about possible solutions. In fact,57% of decision-making process is done before a manufacturing customer talks to a salesperson.
That’s why a comprehensive digital marketing strategy is so important. Being found on search engines thanks to well-written web copy and blogs, attracting web searchers with keyword-targeted digital ads, and nurturing leads with an email marketing campaign is just the start. If you’d like to take your manufacturing marketing to the next level, contact an inbound marketing firm that specializes in strategic marketing assistance for manufacturers—Imaginasium.
Are you ready to get started? Let’s talk!
