Marketing Myths Manufacturers Should Let Go

by James Mac B2B Expert

As the manufacturing industry is adopting innovative solutions we have to avoid some marketing myths in manufacturing.

1. Our audience does not use social media

Many B2B companies still don't see the benefits of having a viable Inbound Marketing strategy. They are not convinced that their customers are on social media. Of all social media users, 50% are between the ages of 35 and 64. In fact, from B2B marketers:

43% have gained a new Facebook customer
77% have acquired a client through Linkedin.

2. Social media can't help my business sell anything

Businesses can be reluctant to jump on social media because they know that it is not always a straightforward "buy and sell" process. Having this approach almost guarantees that you will miss the mark with your efforts. Social media has a greater purpose than simply promoting your company's product or service.

3. We don't have the time or talent to blog

To get sales, you need leads. According to our partner Hubspot, blogging companies generate 70% more leads. When asked about problems with generating leads, most companies mentioned a lack of resources. This is a problem that is more easily solved than most realize. The simplest and most effective way to fix it is to outsource it to a third party. These experts can create and execute a unique content strategy that will help you thrive, often at a lower cost than hiring a dedicated full-time employee to do the same.

4 Referrals are enough to keep customers coming

It is a common mistake in any field to put your trust in the future of your business in referrals. Word of mouth alone is not a sustainable marketing strategy. It is true that the power of social proof (online or offline reviews, word of mouth, referrals) in helping new customers find your products is enormous. You cannot rely on referrals alone to bring you new or repeat business. Harness the power of these referrals to build a sustainable process and program to make these referrals work for you. Build automatic motivation points that alert your team to request a referral, then create a referral incentive program for your best clients to reward their good deeds. As your business grows over time, continually evaluate your referral sources and adjust your program to be flexible to ensure that you create a win-win scenario.

4 Social media does not work with B2B manufacturers

As we've discussed in several recent webinars, social media can be a boon for B2B and B2C manufacturers. Take a look at companies like Toyota Equipment. They have an active presence on LinkedIn and get traffic flow to their site through these channels. Using social media channels to reach your target customers or suppliers is a way to stand out from the competition and differentiate your business. Don't just think of social media as a selling tool, but consider it a mechanism to add value to your existing customer base and keep them coming back for more. Consider posting content that helps existing customers get the most out of your product. Or create a campaign to add leads to your newsletter so that you can provide valuable blog post content that makes their workday easier.

5 Every potential customer is equally important

When the business is new, it can be exciting to see interested parties knock on your door to purchase your products. However, as any sales or marketing employee will soon discover, truly uninterested leads can just suck your valuable time away. Instead of spending time nurturing each lead through the pipeline only to have half of them fall due to a poor fit, focus on your ideal client, so you are attracting only the right clients from the start. Do you know who this target audience is? Create one or more specific characters based on your best customers to identify the traits, characteristics, and ideas of customers who buy from you frequently. Then, put these characteristics to work in your marketing materials to speak directly to those you know are a good fit for the customer. Don't be afraid to change these things over time, too, as your company grows and matures.

6 Your product speaks for itself

This idea is tempting. We all want the best product - the very good one, and everyone wants one. However, even if we make the best product in the world, your business needs a thoughtful value proposition to sell that product. If you don't guide potential customers to see what benefits your product brings to them, you're just making a long list of boring features.

Your team should be able to craft your value proposition in clear, jargon-free and easy-to-understand language. If you haven't invested the time to do this, consider creating tools that will enable your team to do so. Many manufacturers want their distinguishing characteristics to be "highest quality". When everyone has this logo, it's not unique. Instead, take advantage of the buyers' needs and desires (remember those characters we discussed earlier?) to build a value proposition that relates to them in a meaningful way.