For the longest time, B2B advertising and marketing, especially for the manufacturing sector, was where good creative went to die. We were told things like “B2B work was more science and less art;” “Manufacturing sales cycles are far too long to be influenced by creativity;” and “be safe and be rational with B2B campaigns.” But then we realized something important. Businesspeople are just normal everyday people and normal everyday people are influenced by a lot of things, including creativity.
Fortunately, today’s B2B marketers see the value in creativity and how it can help them break away from the competition while increasing sales.
Here are a few things to consider when developing your next marketing communication campaign.
Brand is Paramount
It’s not uncommon for a manufacturing organization to be defined by a successful product or two. And while it’s a good thing to have a recognizable offering, it can never take the place of a strong brand. Brands are the voice, the heart and soul of your company. Your brand isn’t merely a list of products or services you sell, it defines who you are as a company, what you stand for, what you represent. No matter how tempting it may be to let your top-selling product define your organization to the industry, your brand should always be front and center in any ad campaign, digital component, collateral piece and business presentation.
Say Goodbye to Generic Websites
A strong customer experience is key to any successful website, and that applies to all websites, even those in the manufacturing sector. Your website needs to communicate to the world who you are (your brand identity), allow potential and existing customers to get the information they need about your offerings and provide content to establish yourself as a leader in the market.
In a recent project, we worked with Kusel Equipment Co., Watertown, Wis. to develop a website that put the customer first by adding expanded features and functionality. This new user-friendly web experience is now consistent with their brand’s newly identified persona.
Wanna check out the site? Well, click below and have a look around. There’s nothing generic or cookie cutter going on here.
Speak Directly to Your Customers
A Salesforce State of Connected Customer Report revealed that 72 percent of business buyers expect communication that’s tailored to their needs. This is common sense, isn’t it? I mean, customers who feel that their specific needs are being addressed are less likely to take their business elsewhere. With advanced technology and so much information about customers readily available to us in just a few clicks, it’s easier than ever to personalize email campaigns. Avoid the temptation to rush through things and take the necessary time to customize your communications – your customers will thank you for it.
Know Where to Find Your Customers
It’s understandable to want to hop on the bandwagon of the latest trend, but before you create an Instagram account because…well…you know, everyone else is, make sure you know where to find your customers. Before we rush into creating accounts, developing content strategies or brainstorming tactics to increase followers, we carefully assess your goals, target audience and specific industry to make sure a social presence is appropriate for your organization and what it should look like if we go down that path. Once we’ve worked through the planning process, only then are we in a smart position to begin deciding which channels make the most sense for our brand.
At Celtic, our creative work goes hand-in-hand with our media strategy to develop campaigns that are not only impactful but also ones that will break through the noise to reach the proper target audience. We work hard to develop a good mix of tried and true communication channels (like email, which still performs incredibly well for manufacturing firms) and emerging social platforms when it makes sense for our clients.
While there are still differences between B2B and B2C advertising and marketing, the gap is narrowing. Always remember that people are people, and how they’re influenced in their personal lives will bleed into their professional lives. Manufacturers, don’t be afraid to get creative, to explore social media or to personalize your promotional work-as long those things always, always stays on brand.