Any manufacturing company can benefit from implementing these marketing strategies now.
Over the years, we have utilized many different marketing strategies for manufacturing companies. Depending upon their goals, we’ve implemented top, middle, and bottom of the funnel strategies to maximize their marketing efforts. However, there are some marketing strategies that almost any manufacturing company can implement immediately.
In this post, I’ll share one bottom of the funnel marketing strategy with you that will help improve the effectiveness of your marketing and help you close more sales.
Marketing Strategy Example: Creating an Email Drip Campaign
The bottom portion of the funnel focuses on sales qualified leads and opportunities. In other words, you’re aiming for the prospect who is definitely interested in purchasing but hasn’t yet pulled the proverbial trigger. This person is near the end of the buying cycle. They are looking for reassurance that they are making the best decision and that your product will solve their problem better than your competitors.
In this marketing strategy example, let's say that a customer is talking to a salesperson. They are interested in a product and have asked for a quote. The salesperson sends them a quote, but then the lead goes cold. While this could be for a variety of reasons, it’s important to engage the prospect with a follow-up email sequence that ensures they have everything they need to make a decision. The most important thing to remember is that these emails should not be hard-push sales emails, but helpful emails that provide value and validation.
Here’s how a 4-email follow-up drip campaign could play out.
1. The first email in the sequence would be a simple, straight-forward follow up and would be sent within a few days of the last communication. It would reiterate the quote you sent, and it would encourage them to reach out with any questions that they may have. Additionally, it would be valuable to include a relevant statistic, quote, or testimonial. Don’t include a call-to-action (CTA); instead, use the email to reassure them that your product is a good choice and list the ways they could benefit from it. This really acts as a feel-good email; do not ask too much of them at this point.
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2. After a couple of days, the second email would deploy if they didn’t respond to the first one (i.e., “Yes, I’m ready to buy now. Let’s do this!”) or no further action was taken. The purpose of this email is to encourage the lead to re-engage with your company. This is a good opportunity to send out an article from your blog that pertains to the product they are interested in buying. This provides additional value to the prospect, which in turn helps the email feel less sales-y. The goal is to let them know you thought of them and that you have something that may be helpful to them.
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3. After a few more days, the third email would deploy. Again the main focus of this email is to be helpful. Since you know which product the prospect wants, follow up with some additional collateral or a video that will provide more insight into why your product is the right choice. This could be a case study, white paper, comparison chart, etc. Make the info easy for them to access. Take time to find just the right information to share — if it’s not helpful, they won’t engage with it.
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4. If there has been no response, the fourth email should deploy within several days. It’s at this time that you can ask again about the sale — but you should also include information that addresses common questions someone might have about setup, maintenance, or service. If a prospect is on the fence, these items can sometimes push them over the edge to make a purchase. This info can come in a variety of forms like downloadable ebooks, videos, or podcasts. Make sure to close this email out with a thoughtful sales pitch and a clear CTA (i.e., “Click here to buy” or “Call our team at 888-555-5555).
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[TIP: Ideally, emails within a campaign would be automated, reducing the time and effort of your sales team. You can use a platform like MailChimp, Sumo, or HubSpot.]
Using an email series like this will ensure your prospects are being nurtured and that they have a clear path for purchase. It has the potential to effortlessly nurture prospective customers into delighted customers. Try implementing a drip campaign as a part of your marketing strategy. And, if possible, try connecting with these potential customers via social networks like LinkedIn. It’s another touch point where you can share relevant information and influence their buying behavior.
[TIP: While one generalized email campaign can do the trick, you may gain even more traction if you set up a campaign for each of your products.]
If Your Manufacturing Company Needs Help
While developing an email drip campaign is only a small piece of the digital marketing pie, it’s an excellent place to start.
If you’re interested in developing a more robust and cohesive marketing plan, we can help. From branding and website refreshes to digital marketing and sales enablement efforts, we can create an industrial strength web presence and brand messaging for your company that’s engaging, consistent, and effective. Let’s combine TANK’S marketing expertise with your manufacturing industry experience to get a jumpstart on your competition.
