If there’s one thing you know, it’s the niche product your company manufactures. You know who wants to buy it, how to produce it, and how to keep costs low.
But how can new customers learn about your expertise and high-quality products? The answer is marketing.
Even if you already have a thriving business in your industry, knowing how to market a manufacturing company is a useful skill. Effective marketing will help you adjust to industry trends to grow your market share over time. You may be surprised at how straightforward some of the manufacturing marketing tips are — and how effective they can be when it comes to landing new contracts.
Marketing for manufacturing companies starts with creating an optimized website. An optimized site will allow you to focus on email marketing campaigns, social media outreach, and content marketing. With a concerted effort, you will be able to attract positive online reviews, which will strengthen your brand’s reputation and bring in more business.
Ready to get new manufacturing deals and repeat business — all in one place?
Optimize Your Website
If you don’t already have a website for your company, this is your first step. But it’s no longer enough to simply have a website. You must optimize your website to make it appealing and easy for new customers to navigate.
Make sure that your domain name matches your business name as closely as possible. This will give you the credibility you need when customers search for you. You also want to make sure that your site has at least four pages — a Homepage, a Products and Services page, a page that explains the history and values of your company, and a page that clearly states your contact information.
You’ll also want to ensure that your website works well on mobile devices. Have you ever gone on a site using your smartphone, only to discover that half the page is impossible to read? Having a mobile-responsive website will eliminate this problem, and will lead to higher rankings in Google searches.
Email Your Customers
Your website can be a tool to encourage prospective customers to sign up for your email list to receive more information about what you offer. But you’ll also want to use email marketing to keep your regular customers interested.
Email marketing allows you to directly connect with those who have already expressed interest in learning more about what you manufacture. It’s an opportunity for you to share your expertise in a way that is easy to automate.
Think about new products you are planning to launch, trade shows you’ll be showing at, industry trends that impact your business, or case studies that may interest your customers. By planning your newsletter topics in advance, you’ll be less likely to scramble when you send out an email every month.
Get Social
If you think marketing for manufacturing industry members shouldn’t include social media, you’d be missing an opportunity to reach new and loyal customers alike. Social media marketing is one of the most effective methods of outreach today, as the majority of Americans use at least one platform.
Start by fleshing out your LinkedIn profile. Use your page as an opportunity to explain your experience and knowledge within your industry. Connect with other CEOs and COOs from your niche or from other businesses that could benefit from your products.
You’ll also want to make sure your business has a Facebook business page and a YouTube page. Consider these social media platforms as ways to simply and effectively explain the work your business does. You can share news articles of interest, connect with industry influencers, and better understand the concerns and needs of your target audience.
Create Your Own Content
In 2020, less than 40% of manufacturing firms created their own content. If your business creates its own branded content, you’ll stand out from the competition. Content marketing is an excellent way to provide useful and educational information to your customers, positioning yourself as an expert in your field. You’ll be offering value even before you land a contract.
There are many different ways to create content, but anything you produce needs to be clearly written, researched, and linked to areas on your website that will draw readers to connect with you.
The simplest way to start is with blog posts. You can create a designated blog page on your website and share new posts through your social media and email lists. Blogs work best when you integrate keywords — a marketing term for the words people type into search engines like Google when looking for products like yours. Create a publishing schedule to offer new blog posts on a regular basis, as consistency is key.
Other content ideas include short informational videos that explain your manufacturing process or infographics that use visuals to share statistics or other information. You can write case studies about current customers who appreciate your service and quality.
You can even produce white papers, which are long articles that go in-depth about a process or a problem that people want to learn about. Be creative with your content, but — just like with your manufactured products — always prioritize quality.
Reach Out for Reviews
Many individuals, whether looking for a personal product or a business partnership, will first read online reviews before engaging with a company. It’s vital that you schedule the time to manage online reviews and listings.
Make sure your company has claimed your online presence through Google My Business and a Facebook Business page, as well as other niche listing sites that may apply to your manufacturing business. Check that all these listings are complete, with the correct phone number, website, and any other relevant contact information.
Pay attention to what your customers are writing about you online. If there are positive reviews, reply in kind to thank them for their business. If the review is negative, you’ll still want to stay on the high ground. Acknowledge the problem, apologize, and do your best to rectify the situation without making excuses. Provide a direct number to someone who can address the problem offline.
Then, ask your more loyal customers to add reviews if they haven’t already. Ask for longer testimonials as well; you can create a page on your website with these positive reviews of your company, which potential customers can check out when they are browsing your site.
Prioritize What Sets You Apart
When planning your marketing efforts, think about what makes your company first, better, or different. It could be your excellent product quality or the values of your founders. Create a clear, consistent message that you can be proud of. By building a unique brand, you’ll stand apart from your competitors and give customers a good reason to continue or start doing business with you.
Digital marketing can seem overwhelming at first, so it’s best to break the process down into steps. Start with a strategic analysis of your website. You can build from there with email marketing, social media outreach, and creating new content of your own. Soon, you’ll be piling up positive reviews and growing your business’s reputation, customer base, and bottom line.
Marketing can get costly. If you are on a limited budget, you might want to check out our article on how to market your business on a Shoestring Budget.
