The scope of B2B selling space is constantly changing and shifting customer expectations to set new challenges for manufacturers. In today's world, if you’re not online and online effectively, you lose. Potential customers, whether business or consumer, almost exclusively use the Internet to quickly find the information they are looking for.
But it's no longer enough to have a website or an untargeted ads campaign. Just as radical changes have taken place in the way manufacturing is done, so too have the technologies and marketing techniques for manufacturers evolved.
Tactics like direct mail, exhibitions, print ads, telemarketing that worked well in the past, today do not produce the same results.
The way customers prefer to interact with prospective businesses and make purchasing decisions have clearly changed.
B2B Marketing after COVID-19
Manufacturers without digital marketing risk that they won't be found by the modern buyer. And if you're not visible in the channels that customers use for research, there's little hope that you can influence them or build trust.
B2B clients are usually in the consideration phase much longer than B2C consumers and are more likely to explore the entire market before making a purchase or even an inquiry.
Combined with the economic uncertainty that COVID-19 causes around the world, it is likely that companies will need more time before signing-up, especially when it comes to big or long-term contracts.
Nearly 90% of sales have moved to the videoconferencing, phone, or web sales model, and more than half believe it is just as or more efficient than the sales models used before COVID-19.
This is why digital marketing is such a key consideration for the B2B sector.
New B2B channels
Your clients are online. 77% of adult Americans own a smartphone and use it for news, social networking, and many other activities. 94% of B2B buyers conduct online research before buying a business product. Where do they do it? Everywhere.
To make a purchase decision buyers rely on sources such as supplier websites, Google searches, product reviews, official documents, blogs, social networks, etc.
Digital marketing helps you get in touch with them while they do it. With remarketing advertising, email, text marketing, and social media, you can stay in front of your audience.
In 2020, the average Internet user has at least 7 social media accounts. 97% of U.S. adults under the age of 65 use social networks at least once a month. The vast majority of them are on it every day. Social networks are very preferable as a means of customer service.
Personalization for higher lead conversions
With digital marketing, you can target your ads almost down to the individual level.
You can automate your marketing campaign by sending specific emails depending on a prospective customer’s activity on your company’s website. This can be an extremely effective strategy, resulting in a conversion rate of up to 77%.
72% of consumers prefer that businesses use email to communicate with them, while 69% of people in the manufacturing industry follow social media channels relevant to their field. gives people a sense of control that makes them more comfortable — if they don’t like what you send them, they can just unsubscribe.
To make your B2B email marketing relevant for your prospects there are a lot of tools that allow you to segment, automate, and personalize each email you send.
Analytics and higher ROI
In the manufacturing industry, traditional marketing can pose difficulty in measuring ROI. But with digital marketing, you can learn how it works because it is driven by data. It is accuracy-based and almost every digital action can be tracked and measured.
Who is most interested in your ads? What makes them more likely to make an action? Who is the easiest to convert? Who spends the most? — It's all pretty easy to track with free analytics software such as Google Analytics. Or you can get even more information with paid tools. Reduce costs where you don't see a return on investment, and increase costs and effort where you get the best results.
82% of manufacturing companies who invest in digital marketing achieve greater ROI.
Brand visibility
One of the best ways to use digital marketing in manufacturing is to increase brand visibility and awareness through platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, taking advantage of email marketing, SEO, and even creating “shareable” or viral content online.
And the wider your presence on the Internet, the easier it will be for new potential customers to find your business. Most manufacturers either don’t have social media accounts or don’t use them optimally, but social media marketing and manufacturing can be of a great team and increase sales and brand visibility if done correctly!
Credibility and Customer education
In the manufacturing industry, it is important not only to have specialized experience in your field but also to be able to prove it. Prospective customers want to work with a business that knows their niche well. Using blogs and online platforms, you can demonstrate your company’s products and services. With online video demos, how-to tutorials, and live Q&A sessions, you can build a strong reputation.
Cost-effectiveness
Traditional advertising can cost a lot of money, be it through television, radio, newspaper, magazine, or direct mail.
Digital marketing is much cheaper than other marketing methods.
Think of Youtube instead of television, blogs instead of magazines, social networks instead of leaflets and podcasts instead of the radio. Digital ads are much cheaper and more effective, especially if a business has good strategies. Plus, all digital ads are way eco-friendly.
In Conclusion
So, as you can see, businesses in today's B2B economy need digital marketing to compete. The Internet is the place where customers are. It's where they prefer you to reach out to them. The Internet is where the modern buying process begins.
The importance of digital marketing is absolute. But that doesn’t make it easy to implement strategies that will provide you with the desired ROI. Don't worry, we are here to help you find new ways to grow your business. Contact us for a free digital health check-up: we will check your digital presence and explain all key points which could be enhanced for greater conversion.
