The 4th Industrial Revolution. IIoT. Artificial Intelligence. Robotic technology. These aren’t just buzz words anymore, they’re a reality of manufacturing today. So, is it any wonder that marketing techniques have evolved right along with the industry? The fact is, as important as it is for manufacturers to embrace the changes in the industrial sector, it’s just as essential to realize digital marketing is a must. Sure, there is still a place for “old school” traditional marketing methods, however, in order for such efforts to succeed, they must be paired with digital tactics, and here’s why:
1. Spoiler: the internet is not going away
It’s pretty safe to say, the internet is here to stay. In fact, we’re pretty sure at this point that “Google it” has been added to dictionaries worldwide. As a result, if you do not have an online presence, well, you may as well flip that old school open sign of yours to closed right now.
2. Like it or not, we live in a digital world
Since we’ve come to terms with the whole internet thing, naturally it follows that consumers are obsessed with being online. You see it everywhere you go: people staring at their phones, tablets, computers – devices of every shape and size. It’s how we communicate, shop, read, learn, and most importantly, decide who to buy from and work for — that’s huge, right? If you even want be considered as an option, you need to meet consumers where they are and that’s completely engrossed in the digital world.
3. It allows you to broaden your reach yet narrow your audience
Digital marketing includes more than a nice, user-friendly website optimized for search engines to offer it up as a result for someone’s query. Social media is a major component as well, and when you think about the number of people on social, that’s a pretty darn huge audience to reach (assuming your customer isn’t living under a rock). At the same time, targeted messaging and ads, can zero in on the exact part of that audience you want to attract. That means you’re not just getting any old leads — you’re getting qualified ones.
4. It’s fast and flexible
Because there are so many avenues of digital marketing, you have the flexibility of incorporating multiple tactics, all reinforcing the same message – that’s great for brand recognition to say the least. From videos to blogs to banner ads to downloadable content that captures contact information, the list goes on. Plus, you can take that contact info your digital techniques so nicely collected for you and use it to retain existing customers and nurture potential ones. Just as with social platforms, email is an easy way to interact with consumers, target your audience, keep them engaged, and guide them from a lead to a full-blown customer much faster than direct mail ever could!
5. KPIs can be easily measured
With digital marketing comes digital tools that collect data for you automatically – and isn’t that a beautiful thing? Without lifting a finger, other than the one that clicks your mouse, you can see how your marketing efforts are working— or not working — so you can adjust your plan accordingly. All you have to do is set your goals and these tools use metrics to measure their success, ultimately ensuring you are using your marketing dollars in the right places to achieve maximum ROI. Let’s see a brochure do that.
Now don’t get us wrong, we love a good piece of collateral as much as the next guy, and we’re all about print ads, billboards and such, but these serve a different purpose in marketing today. They no longer stand on their own, but are now used in support of digital marketing efforts.
Think of it this way: just as the manufacturing world has evolved, so too has the way you take your product to market. Yes, it’s a lot of change to adapt to, but that’s why we’re here. Connect with us to learn more about digital marketing and the countless ways it can benefit you. Just use our online contact form, or, for old time’s sake, pick up the phone and give us a call!
