by tradespeopleinsights | Apr 6, 2009 | Marketing Trends
Industrial markets focusing on design/engineering and technical jobs are spending more time online according to a recent survey released by GlobalSpec.
Here are some of the survey’s highlights:
- 83% found suppliers online
- 81% get their product specs online
- 79% use the Internet for research
- 67% request quote
- 66% compare products across suppliers
- 74% of engineers visited 6 or more related sites weekly
- 56% spend 6 hours a week on the internet
- 21% spend 12 hours or more on the internet
Seeing an online advertisement motivates the engineering, technical and industrial audience to take action. According to 2008 GlobalSpec Engineering Trends Survey, upon seeing an advertisement online, 87% of respondents visited the advertiser’s Web site and 56% e-mailed the advertiser.
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by tradespeopleinsights | Mar 31, 2009 | Marketing Tips
In their marketing to tradesmen, manufacturers are always looking for cost-effective ways to reach out to both existing and potential new customers. E-mail marketing is one tool that can do both.
Manufacturers who sell through a distribution channel have the most difficult challenge in that they sell their product to a middle man, who in turns sells it to the ultimate end user. Distributors for the most part are very protective of their customer list, so the challenge for the manufacturers is to get their names.
One way is to use product warranty or registration forms to develop a database. This also helps you segment your list for addressing specific issues, either on the product or industry application.
Other ways of generating e-mail addresses is to sponsor e-newsletters from trade publications, inquiries from your web site and trade advertising, as well as trade show and distributor open houses and counter day promotions. A note: when having someone fill out a form, make sure somewhere on it you have them OK (opt-in) so you can send them stuff via e-mail.
Research from Datran Media shows e-mail is still important:
- Driving incremental sales
- Reinforcing a company’s brand position
- Improving customer relations
I read an article from GlobalSpec that outlines ways you can improve your e-mail marketing. Here are some highlights from the article:
- Manage your list. You need to segment and grow your opt-in list. We talked a little about ways above on how you can do both. The key here is to make sure we have permission to e-mail to them. The last thing you want is to be black-listed because of spam.
- Be relevant. Don’t say something for the sake of saying it. We talked above about segmenting your list. One of the reasons is so you can talk specifics about a product or process that is relevant to the reader.
- Deliver on your promises. If you say you’re going to put out a monthly newsletter, you’d better deliver. There are no right or wrong answers on frequency other than being consistent. Unless your products or services change often, I’d suggest starting them quarterly.
- Use e-mail to generate leads and sales. Even if you don’t have new products coming out, you can use white papers or case studies to generate interest.
- Look beyond your own list. Partner with respected third parties in your industry to expand your reach.
Read the entire article: Five Practical Ways to Improve E-mail Marketing
by tradespeopleinsights | Mar 31, 2009 | Marketing Tips
The number one rule in marketing to tradesmen is to do more listening than talking.
Once you stop talking and start listening, they will tell you what’s on their minds and what you can do for them.
In a one-on-one meeting, an aggressive salesman can do all the talking or interrupt a customer in the middle of a thought. They can’t do that in an e-mail which helps you get good feedback.
This same rule applies to the use of e-mail when marketing to tradesmen.
Karen Bannan of BtoB Magazine interviews Loren McDonald of Silverpop who said,
“E-mail is a two-way medium. If you don’t solicit feedback or ignore it when you get it, you miss the chance to improve your programs, solve problems, expand to meet needs or retain customers.”
Here are a few of his suggestions:
- Provide plenty of ways for them to contact you. Other than your e-mail address, you can use a “contact link” and a visible link on your home page.
- Survey your readers. From asking new subscribers if they’d like to see something specific, to doing a formal survey a few times a year about how the company or its products are doing.
- Watch for responses. If you go to the trouble of asking, you should also make sure someone is in charge of getting back to them with at least an acknowledgement that you’re working on an answer.
This all seems like common sense, but sometimes we’re so busy trying to get the message out that we lose site of the big picture.
E-mail marketing gives you a unique and easy way to have your customers talk with you. What a novel idea!
To read the enire post: How to use email to get your customers talking to you.
by tradespeopleinsights | Mar 31, 2009 | Marketing Tips
Industrial marketers are looking for ways to communicate with prospects while not breaking the bank. E-mail marketing is being used more as a cost-efficient tool, but marketers should be aware of some things that might make those efforts less effective.
I read an article recently by Curtis Jackson from Quell Group that outlines 10 mistakes when doing e-mail marketing. Here are some highlights from the article:
1. You must have strategy. Why are you sending it, who is the target audience, what are the key take-aways and what type of metrics are you using to measure it?
2. Lists. Make sure you have a good list of opt-in names and a system of flagging those who opt-out. There are several services, like Constant Contact, that will help you not only deliver your messages, but will help you manage your database and give you metrics to see how successful your programs are.
3. Relevant content. Ask yourself about the target audience – is the message important to them? Your subject line is your 3-second window. If the reader doesn’t see value, you’ll end up in that deep dark hole called “delete.”
4. Don’t ignore metrics. You can see almost instantly whether or not your prospect “got it” by looking at open rates, opt-outs, etc. You can then resend to those who didn’t open it using a different subject line to help increase your open rates.
5. Timing. When sending an e-mail, consider timing especially if you’re using an international list. Research has shown the best times to send e-mails are on Tuesdays or Wednesdays between 10AM and 2PM.
E-mails are a great, inexpensive way to communicate. You just have to remember there are some do’s and don’ts you need to watch out for. If you’d like to read the entire article: What are the top 10 e-mail marketing mistakes?
by tradespeopleinsights | Mar 28, 2009 | Marketing Tips
Blake Cahill, VisInsights blog, posted a review of a report from Forrester Research by Jeremiah Owyang, Josh Bernoff, Sean Corcoran, and Steven Noble: Bold Predictions on Social Computing in 2009 from Forrester Research.
Three of the most important highlights from this report that are of interest to Industrial Marketers:
- Social Technology becomes universal. “By end of 2009, more than 85% of US online consumers will be reading or interacting with social content.”
- New technologies will arise that allow platforms including email, the Web, and mobile devices to connect with communities and brands will begin to integrate social applications with traditional marketing campaigns and revise campaigns based on social feedback.
- Static advertising gives way to the flexible marketing campaigns.
Read the report: Bold Predictions on Social Computing in 2009 from Forrester Research
by tradespeopleinsights | Mar 28, 2009 | Marketing Tools
How many times have you heard the sales department say sales leads are no good. What they are really saying is they may not be ready to buy now and therefore they aren’t a good lead (as defined by helping me make my numbers for the month).
Ironically, over 50% of all inquiries do have an interest level in what you’re selling, but aren’t ready to buy. What’s aggravating, according to research, is that 80% of not-sales-ready leads are being ignored!
Think about that for a second. If you could convert 10% of these down the road into sales, what would that mean for the company, not to mention the marketing department.
If you’re a manufacturer that makes left-handed widgets for a plumbing application, who in their right mind would inquire about that product unless they thought it would have some application in what they do. Just because they aren’t ready to buy on the spot doesn’t mean they aren’t a qualified lead. The prospect might want more info to see if the application is right for him. If it is, he might want a demo or want to read about how other professionals have used the product.
Angela Hribar, who is the CMO of GlobalSpec, a specialized vertical search information services and e-pubishing company, said in a recent article:
“Senior management can play a vital role in ensuring that a sales team understands the importance of prompt lead follow-up and what it means to business, more so now than ever. Responding to leads in a timely manner can result in increased sales, while delayed follow up can lead to lost opportunities and resources.”
Angela provides 4 tips for effective lead management:
- Assign responsibility. Make lead management a priority and assign someone who has authority and influence with both sales and marketing to be responsible and accountable for it.
- Respond appropriately. Create a central repository for leads, responding to leads in a timely manner, and distributing leads appropriately for follow-up.
- Distribute leads for proper follow-up. Define who is responsible for updating the status of a lead so that at any given time you can determine what’s working and what’s not in terms of lead generation and lead management.
- Monitor leads throughout the sales cycle. Marketing should take control of these (not ready) leads and “nurture” them by sending relevant information and offers: keep them interested with white papers, articles, product announcements, Webinar invitations and other useful information.
B-to-B clients spend billions on advertising activities to generate leads. You can’t afford to allow those leads to slip through the cracks if they are not yet ready to buy, especially in a down economy.
Read Angela’s article: Optimizing Sales Lead Management In The Industrial Marketplace
