B2B Marketing Archives - Page 6 of 6

Double Down on Your Digitalization Sprint for 2021

Are you stretching out for your Digitalization Sprint?

Your role as a manufacturing expert allows you to exhaust your energy and passion with making goods as efficiently, effectively and profitably as possible. You have outstanding systems in place and have been crushing it for years.

However, someone “Moved Our Cheese” in 2020. Now what do we do?

In my humble opinion, with no trade shows and sales reps grounded, it’s time to go all in with eCommerce.

Though 2020 hit us with many challenges, tons of enormous opportunities lie ahead for your business in 2021.

Digitalization Sprint

For example, the U.S. Alibaba.com team conducted a mind-blowing survey that included over 5000 small U.S. manufacturers. Guess what?

The survey determined that as a manufacturer you are digitizing your business twice as fast as other industries. How cool is that?!

Of all of the encouraging responses in the Alibaba survey, the one that stood out the most:

SMBs are optimistic about their business with 85% saying they are confident about the future of their business.

Thanks to wonderful relationships built with various Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs) around the country, I have the privilege of speaking with manufacturers all over the U.S.

The resiliency found this year with U.S. manufacturers is an extraordinary source of inspiration. THANK YOU for your relentless drive to fight through 2020.

As you continue that fight and explore new opportunities for your business, eCommerce as a sales tool delivers extremely powerful results.

Especially since the B2B eCommerce market is truly in the infant stages. The party is just getting started.

However, your competition is in the same boat with making that Digital Sprint.

The question isn’t if your competition is making a digital transformation. The question is, “who is going to do it BETTER and more effectively?”

Think about this, your website is your 24 sales representative and reveals the FIRST impression of your business. Especially since making that great first “Webpression” is critical.

My preach: “Help that ideal customer make a buying decision on Friday night at midnight without waiting for you to open your doors on Monday.”

Digitalization Sprint for 2021

So let’s make a pact to double down on your Digital Strategy for 2021:

Join Online Marketplaces: For example, Alibaba.com allows custom manufacturers the opportunity to join the eCommerce party even for those who don’t posses a proprietary product or finished good.
Deliver consistent content that includes valuable product information to help educate those ideal buyers.
Videos, Videos, as well as Videos: Did I mention to start posting videos?
Scale Your Proprietary Process with eCommerce: Think Configurators, Customizers as well as Quote Tools.
Shorten the supply chain with “Manufacturer Direct” eCommerce opportunities.
Maximize LinkedIn: Millions of potential B2B customers are also waiting for you!
Attack your keywords on Google: Niche down for better results!

In addition, as you start out on your digitalization sprint and continue conquering challenges thrown your way, we wish you MASSIVE success in 2021.

Lastly, please stop by the FREE Manufacturing eCommerce Success webinar series – every Friday at 1:30 EST – to learn from B2B eCommerce experts dedicated to helping guide your eCommerce journey.

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading & we wish you tremendous success with your blogging journey!

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

E-Commerce Success Starts with Great Content

B2B Marketing

An effective e-commerce approach ends at the point of sale. But it begins with driving traffic to your e-commerce site. But how do you do that if potential customers have never heard of your product, or more importantly, if they don’t even know there is a solution to their problem?

That’s where your digital marketing comes in. And the backbone of it will be great content.

Content drives all your marketing efforts — online advertising, search engine optimization, offline advertising too. But to get your head around how it works, think of the marketing content you create as a “Digital Twin” of your salesperson.

Use content to create a “Digital Twin” of your sales team

In manufacturing, a Digital Twin is a digital re-creation of a product or a process. It’s used in prototyping new equipment, or testing different types of materials or altered processes.

With a Digital Twin manufacturing marketing approach, your content will be like an online version of a salesperson.

At its core, the approach adheres to the age-old sales maxim: People will only do business with you if they know you, like you, and trust you.

The idea with the Digital Twin approach is to create website content to achieve those goals:

Know you. This is top-of-the-sales-funnel content that addresses people’s problems. This answers their problems up front, as they may not even be aware of the solution. Think of an article titled “10 Ways to Publicize Your E-Commerce Product Beyond SEO.”

Like you. Now that someone has read your article or seen your video, and they know of you, get them to like you by following up your advice with a tool that will help them.

An online calculator that can perform some sort of function is ideal (think mortgage calculator). You can also provide an in-depth online guide to answer their questions.

A product configurator would also be ideal here, but that’s usually tied in more with the direct sales page.

Trust you. After they’ve downloaded a tool, and they’ve read more of your content and learned more about you, serve them up some content that establishes trust.

There’s no better tool than the case study. Show them the results they can achieve, and prove to them that you’ve delivered before. (Here’s our guide on how to write an effective case study.)

“Trust you” is also what you serve up on your product page, which is where you’re selling your products. It should include a benefits-forward, data-backed explanation of how your product will improve your potential customer’s life.

We’ve sketched out the right places in the sales funnel to position your content. But how do you know exactly what to write about? If you want marketing content that will aid in the sale of a product, there’s only one place to start: The sale itself.

Working Your Way Backwards

Great content requires research to find out what types of content your customers truly want and why they buy. Here are four ways to gain those valuable insights:

Sales and operations team interviews
Customer interviews
Keyword research
Competitor research

These are guerilla tactics, and they take time, not budget. Let’s break down why each of these is so critical.

Sales and operations team interviews. Start out by interviewing your sales and operations team.

Your sales team is the next closest thing to your customers, and they have remarkable insights about what your customers’ interests are and what makes them buy. They’ve actually done a lot of the research for you. They’ve tried out a number of different approaches, and likely have narrowed it down to what works best.

They may have some insights for Know You, Like You content, but they will definitely have language that should be used on your product pages to get the customers to buy. I love the questions David P. Fisher suggests you ask your sales team:

What stories are you telling prospects right now?
What has been your biggest win lately?
Why have you heard “no” recently?

But don’t stop with your sales team. Your operations and design team should be part of the research process, as manufacturing operations guru Ray Ziganto pointed out to me. Who knows the inherent value of the product better than the engineers and technicians who developed it?

As Ray notes, “Ask them how they would sell it.” Their answers might surprise you, and will definitely add some incredible insights.

Customer interviews. Now that your sales team has given you some insights, validate their suggestions and uncover new insights with our “guerilla research” methodology.

Conduct a one-on-one interview with three of your top prospects. Spend thirty minutes probing why they purchased, what it is about the product they like, and why they chose your company. Test out your sales team suggestions. Are they accurate?

Also, find out what your customers’ bigger issues are. What challenges do they face in their day-to-day jobs? Your solution is one piece of the puzzle. What other obstacles do they face? What are their macro-pain points?

From these results, look for overall trends in the responses, as well as hot-button keywords. Line up topics and keywords in a “Seed Keywords” spreadsheet.

Keyword research. Now that you’ve uncovered and validated topics, it’s time to see if there is Internet search volume for these items.

There definitely should be some search volume around your product or service. But keyword research will also tell you how the customer population at large feels about some of those Know You, Like You topics.

Keyword research is market research. It will give you an indication of just how popular these topics truly are, and if you should create content around them.

Competitor research. Oh yeah, them. Your competitors may have cracked the code as to what is working with customers. So plunder info from their websites.

You can use a Search Engine Optimization tool like SEMrush to run a quick report on the competition. Just sign up for a basic level subscription, and type their URL into Domain Overview. You’ll find out what keywords they rank for. But don’t stop there.

Check out the type of web content they’re publishing. If they’re good, you’ll see recurring themes and content areas that get a lot of emphasis. These can spark some ideas of your own.

Content + Marketing = The Digital Twin

If a salesperson is armed with a great sales pitch and tremendous collateral, their work doesn’t end there.

They have to get out and make contact with people. We refer to this as “content distribution.” It’s really the marketing of your content, and you need to do that too.

There are many tactics for marketing / distributing your content. They include:

Search engine optimization (SEO). Optimizing your online content so it can be found by search engines.
Guest blogging: Sharing your content on other blogs and websites (like this one).
Social media. Using social media to share your content and share with other influencers.
Paid advertising. Boosting your content through paid placement.

This will take a bit of experimentation and analysis of your metrics to determine which method works the best. But you must distribute that content for it to be read.

You’re on Your Way

If you’re engaging in e-commerce, you’ve taken an enormous step forward to creating your own Digital Twin. Kudos to you for starting at the smartest place — the bottom of the sales funnel.

It’s forward-thinking to start with the bottom of the sales funnel. Heck, where else would a sales-driven organization start?

But now let’s work our way backwards and start building content that can help encourage people to Know You, Like You and Trust You. Create that Digital Twin, and put it out there to start producing traffic, leads and customers.

Feel free to check out our complete Digital Twin Manufacturing Marketing approach!

Greg Mischio is the Owner and Founder of Winbound, a marketing agency that provides content marketing for small marketing departments with a focus on manufacturing and industrial verticals. Winbound provides a content + marketing approach, creating content that’s mapped to the customer journey and marketing for distribution via search, social and niche-based paid advertising. Winbound’s clients have enjoyed double and triple digit increases in traffic and leads.

OHIO MEP (CIFT) Teams Up with B2Btail for eCommerce Workshop

B2B Marketing

The Ohio MEP (CIFT) teamed up with B2Btail.com to offer an exciting eCommerce virtual workshop for manufacturers which features a case study with Falconer Electronics.

CIFT, the Center for Innovative Food Technology is part of the vibrant Ohio MEP system. MEPs, Manufacturing Extension Partnerships, serve U.S. manufacturers as an incredibly valuable resource and trusted guide.

The Ohio MEP supports this valuable industry by providing the products, services, as well as assistance that are dedicated to the productivity, growth, and global competitiveness of Ohio manufacturers. Ohio’s exports alone now exceed $48 billion a year and are continuing to grow. Ranked third in the nation, Ohio leads all Midwest states in manufacturing.

CIFT offers this eCommerce program on December 2nd at 1:00 EST.

Please click here to register: Manufacturing eCommerce Strategies Webinar

Manufacturing eCommerce Strategies with CIFT

Sense of Urgency for Manufacturers

With a new sense of urgency for entrepreneurs to create a strong digital presence, please join us for a discussion on the necessary steps to implement an eCommerce strategy for your business including:

Receive an eCommerce checklist as well as additional resource guides
Also Capturing 1st page rankings on Google
Creating effective landing pages that convert into RFQ’s as well as sales
Targeting customers with Google Ads as well as Google Shopping
Taking advantage of online marketplaces including Amazon as well as Alibaba
In addition, explore a step by step eCommerce success story with Falconer Electronics

First, topics discussed during the eCommerce workshop include:

In addition we cover:

Persona Exercise
Creating consistent content: (Ex: Wire Harness Wednesdays)
Google Snippet – Wire Harness Manufacturing – Electrical Ground Straps

CIFT = Center for Innovative Food Technology

Since 1995, CIFT, The Center for Innovative Food Technology has provided a unique blend of business solutions, innovation as well as technical expertise. In particular to the food processing, agricultural and manufacturing sectors. These services are designed to enhance the economic performance of the industries as well as create new jobs.

CIFT has worked with hundreds of food companies, equipment suppliers, service providers, university researchers, governmental agencies, legislators, general manufacturers as well as many more. As a result, many new technologies have emerged, industry best practices have been established, and novel business approaches have been discovered. Through an industry-driven methodology, businesses have benefited throughout Ohio as well as beyond.

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading out post.

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

Alibaba Taps B2Btail for Digital Sprint Webinar Series for Manufacturers

B2B Marketing

Alibaba Group is hosting a free seminar, the Digital Sprint. This program targets US based small as well as medium (SMB) size manufacturers. Starting dates begin in November and wrap up in December 2020. The lecture series has been named Digitization Sprint For US Manufacturers. Alibaba has teamed up with B2Btail to select the industry professionals to teach the courses.

John Caplan, President of Alibaba North America & Europe remarked in his recent Forbes article “Harnessing the power of digitization and making eCommerce a priority for your manufacturing business, no matter its size, is critical.”

With the desire to help US based SMB manufacturers take the digital plunge, Alibaba partnered with Curt Anderson, eCommerce Consultant for Manufacturers as well as founder of B2Btail. This extremely exciting program helps manufacturers pave the path with their Digital Transformation. Curt is also the author of “Stop Being the Best Kept Secret: Manufacturing eCommerce Strategies” which is an eCommerce Resource guide for custom manufacturers.

Alibaba Digital Sprint eCommerce Webinar Series

Alibaba’s Digital Sprint program includes a powerful line up of high-level Manufacturing as well as B2B digital marketing experts including:

Ira Bowman, Founder of Bowman Digital Media – with over 250K social media followers. Ira is an expert in social media marketing and combines it with 20+ years of B2B sales experience.

Allison DeFord – Founder of FELT Marketing as well as a veteran Marketing expert for manufacturers.

Jeff Long – Founder of True Focus Media – an eCommerce as well as video marketing expert for manufacturers.

Josh Curcio – Founder as well as Co-owner of protocol 80 an Inbound Marketing Expert for Manufacturers.

Brian Beck – An eCommerce pioneer, author of Billion Dollar B2B eCommerce as well as managing partner at Enceiba.

Curt Anderson from B2Btail kicks off this exciting program with the eCommerce 101 for US manufacturers on November 24 at 1:00 EST.

Anderson will show case an eCommerce success story on how U.S. custom manufacturer, Falconer Electronics made the digital transformation by embracing eCommerce.

In addition this session will also feature how U.S. firm, Voice Express is utilizing Alibaba. Not only to drive new business to their website as well institute as an aggressive content strategy. All thanks to Bowman Digital Media as well as Steve Melito at Thunderbolt Business Services. For additional assistance with your eCommerce journey, join B2Btail and Exit Your Way / every Friday at 1:30 EST for their FREE Manufacturing eCommerce Success webinar series.

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading our blog post on the Alibaba Digital Sprint eCommerce Webinar Series.

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

Name of Press Contact: Ira Bowman
Phone: 951-902-9550
Email: ira@bowmandigitalmedia.com

Company Name: Bowman Digital Media

Website: https://bowmandigitalmedia.com/contact

Also found on:

MarketWatch

Live News Stock Market

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Capitalizing on eCommerce for the Holidays

B2B Marketing

Due to the pandemic, US layoffs remain high and many people are dependent on government aid, relying on unemployment, or getting help from family and friends to pay for everyday expenses.

Given the upheaval of 2020, one would expect the rest of the year to look grim for retailers who usually make the lion’s share of their income during the holidays as shoppers flock to stores to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones. Surprisingly, however, 2020 may not end as bleak for retailers as one would think. Deloitte recently stated that it expects overall holiday spending to remain flat or even increase. Consumer confidence in a return to normalcy combined with many households having slightly higher gift-giving budgets thanks to lower travel and experiential expenses throughout the year may contribute to a better-than-expected season, per the report.

It is less likely that retailers will see a typical Black Friday crowd lined up to steal the deals. As Coronavirus cases continue to spike, state and local governments are encouraging constituents to continue social distancing and avoid mass gatherings whenever possible. So, even if consumers are confident in a return to normalcy, it will be a new normal full of eCommerce and “buy online, pick up” (BOPU) purchases.

The pandemic has fundamentally changed how people shop. New users engaging in online purchases and an uptick in the frequency of purchases has and will continue to have a lasting impact on retail, with eCommerce sales projected to account for 14.4% of all US retail spending in 2020. eMarketer predicts that US eCommerce sales will reach $794.50 billion this year, up 32.4% year-over-year, and rise to 19.2% of all US retail spending by 2024.

How can businesses that have already transitioned to eCommerce or added an eCommerce component in 2020 out of necessity leverage this new asset to its full potential over the holidays? First and foremost, businesses should aim to provide consumers with a frictionless omnichannel experience and prepare for a longer holiday shopping season filled with well-informed customers looking to get the best price and value for their money. Planning inventory and preparing for supply chain issues is a necessity to ensure a seamless buying experience. Optimizing the store, planning and polishing content, and creating a sense of urgency round out the must-do’s to compete fully in the crowded online retail space.

But one thing that can differentiate one retailer from another and push customers into buying when they may not otherwise is offering flexible payment options. Annalisa Agoston, the executive creative director at Guidance, recently said that offering a pay-over-time solution will be essential for small businesses to capitalize on 2020’s eCommerce and BOPU trends. “These make holiday shopping more seamless for shoppers who are on a tight budget, but still need to get gifts,” she says. “This is probably the hottest trend for the holiday season. There are many good third-party service providers.”

Per Big Commerce, the pay-over-time method is a modern, convenient twist on an old practice. Instead of using an in-store “layaway” option, shoppers pay for an item via monthly installments over a set period of time while the eCommerce merchant is paid immediately for the goods. This practice makes expensive items, such as sofas or flat screen televisions, more affordable to budget-conscious consumers. And it could prove to be just the thing for retailers to cater to customers who need to make ends meet but still want to hold onto a sense of normalcy in this unprecedented time by giving their families a happy holiday this season.

If you are an eCommerce retailer who is interested to learn more about how offering lease-to-own products can benefit your business, visit https://joethefinanceguy.com/ today.

A SPECIAL THANKS for this guest post by our dear friend Joseph Stepke – aka Joe the Finance Guy. Please click here to connect with Joe on LinkedIn.

Wrapping It Up

Lastly, thanks for reading this post. Hopefully, you found this helpful.

For additional information to assist you with your eCommerce journey, please click links below:

References Linked in Article:

https://smallbiztrends.com/2020/10/ecommerce-tips-prepare-2020-holiday-shopping-season.html

https://www.emarketer.com/content/us-ecommerce-growth-jumps-more-than-30-accelerating-online-shopping-shift-by-nearly-2-years

https://www.moodysanalytics.com/about-us/press-releases/2020-10-15-morning-consult-and-moodys-analytics-debut-research-series-on-the-pandemic-economy

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-15/total-holiday-spending-seen-rising-this-year-despite-covid-19

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/358084

https://blog.hubspot.com/service/omni-channel-experience

https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2020/09/27/e-commerce-will-explode-this-holiday-and-put-retailers-online-strategies-to-the-test/#630543d162f1

https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/pay-over-time-ecommerce/

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/26/average-daily-new-coronavirus-cases-in-us-hit-all-time-high-as-health-officials-warn-exponential-spread-is-coming.html

The Reshoring Initiative Stresses the “Return-Manufacturing-Home” Message

B2B Marketing

The Reshoring Initiative!

If you are a U.S. Manufacturer, the words “Reshoring Initiative” brings music to your ears.

For example, reshoring certainly looks to play a critical role moving forward following COVID-19 pandemic.

Especially since most companies encountered significant supply chain disruptions during this challenging period.

Well, the team at the Reshoring Initiative welcomes this exciting trend and opportunity for U.S. manufacturers.

For information on the Reshoring Intiative click on these links: Reshoring Initiative Background and Accompishments and Goals.

In addition, to learn more about the Reshoring Initiative check out this video:

About The Reshoring Initiative

With reshoring gaining momentum throughout the country, this initiative certainly supports an extremely valuable and worthy cause.

Many companies have already repatriated some of their manufacturing efforts. The Reshoring Initiative is continuing to spread the “return-manufacturing-home” message to help other manufacturers realize America offers tremendous advantages to produce quality goods:

The mission of the Reshoring Initiative^® is to bring good, well-paying manufacturing jobs back to the United States by assisting companies to more accurately assess their total cost of offshoring, and shift collective thinking from offshoring is cheaper to local reduces the total cost of ownership. We are a nonprofit organization and offer a number of free tools to advance our mission.

Reshoring Initiative Founder Harry Moser

Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative and former president of machine tool maker GF Agie Charmilles, grew up experiencing manufacturing glory.

However times changed. Watching many American manufacturing plants close due to decades of offshoring, Moser decided to take a stand.

Not wanting to see any more U.S. manufacturing jobs disappear, Moser found it critical to start an industry-led initiative to prove offshoring is not always the best economical decision for companies.

In fact, American companies considering sending their manufacturing offshore often don’t consider all of the costs, e.g. inventory carrying costs, travel costs to check on suppliers, intellectual property risks and opportunity costs from product pipelines being too long.

The Reshoring Initiative, founded in early 2010, takes action by helping manufacturers realize that local production, in some cases, reduces their total cost of ownership of purchased parts and tooling.

The Initiative also trains suppliers on how to effectively meet the needs of their local customers, giving the suppliers the tools to sell against lower priced offshore competitors.

Why Reshore?

There are many reasons for American manufacturers to reevaluate offshoring and consider reshoring. Companies are increasingly recognizing that costs, risks as well as strategic impacts previously ignored are large enough to overcome the shrinking emerging market wage advantages.

They are seeing the benefits of proximity as well as producing in the market.

Especially when the home market in the United States still serves as the world’s largest.

The top reasons that companies reshore include:

Lead time
Higher product quality as well as consistency
Rising offshore wages
Skilled workforce
Local tax incentives
Image of being Made in USA
Lower inventory levels as well as better turns
Also better responsiveness to changing customer demands
Minimal intellectual property as well as regulatory compliance risks
Improved innovation as well as product differentiation

Why Reshoring Makes Sense for America

Reshoring is the fastest and most efficient way to strengthen the U.S. economy because it:

Helps balance the trade and budget deficits
Reduces unemployment by creating productive jobs
Additionally reduces income inequality
Furthermore, motivates skilled workforce recruitment by demonstrating that manufacturing is a growth career
Also helps maintain the broad industrial capability required for national defense

Stop by the Reshoring Initiative today to learn about this extremely exciting trend: https://www.reshorenow.org/

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading our blog post on the Reshoring Initiative.

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

Univ. of Nebraska MEP eCommerce Workshop Presented by B2Btail

B2B Marketing

The University of Nebraska MEP and B2Btail teamed up to present the “Manufacturing eCommerce Success” workshop which features Falconer Electronics as a case study.

This exciting program takes place on November 5th at 10:00 est.

Click here to register: Manufacturing eCommerce Success Workshop

Nebraska MEP eCommerce Workshop

Sense of Urgency

With a new sense of urgency for entrepreneurs to create a strong digital presence, please join us for a discussion on the necessary steps to implement an eCommerce strategy for your business including:

Receive an eCommerce checklist as well as additional resource guides
Also Capturing 1st page rankings on Google
Creating effective landing pages that convert into RFQ’s as well as sales
Targeting customers with Google Ads as well as Google Shopping
Taking advantage of online marketplaces including Amazon as well as Alibaba
In addition, explore a step by step eCommerce success story with Falconer Electronics

First, topics discussed during the eCommerce workshop include:

In addition we cover:

Persona Exercise
Creating consistent content: (Ex: Wire Harness Wednesdays)
Google Snippet – Wire Harness Manufacturing – Electrical Ground Straps

Nebraska MEP Mission

Transforming Nebraska manufacturers through continuous improvement, innovation, sustainable practice as well as technology acceleration services.

Nebraska MEP is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program. Residing within the U.S. Department of Commerce, MEP was created in 1988 with the intent of enhancing the productivity as well as the technological performance of U.S. manufacturers. Today, the MEP program consists of 51 centers in every state as well as Puerto Rico with over 400 service locations as well as 1,300 technical experts working together to advance and strengthen U.S. manufacturing.

Nebraska MEP is headquartered on the University of Nebraska’s flagship campus in Lincoln. University service providers as well as facilities are split between the Lincoln and Omaha campuses. Additional staff are also housed in central Nebraska.

Central Community College—with campuses in Grand Island, Hastings, as well as Columbus—services a 25-county region in central Nebraska which includes the manufacturing dense tri-cities. The Central Community College region, combined with the Lincoln as well as Omaha MSAs, represents 32 of Nebraska’s 93 counties and collectively account for nearly 70% of the state’s manufacturing base.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) is the lead economic development agency for the state. As the previous cooperative agreement holder with NIST, DED is uniquely positioned to augment Nebraska MEP’s efforts statewide. DED has six field offices across Nebraska in addition to their main office in Lincoln.

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading our blog post on Manufacturers Digitizing.

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

Manufacturing Marketing World is Dedicated to Helping Manufacturers Grow

B2B Marketing

The mission at Manufacturing Marketing World is to provide education to manufacturers that helps them reach more prospects, as well as generate more sales. Through day long conferences, and webinars, MMW is dedicated to helping manufacturers grow.

protocol 80 is a B2B Inbound Marketing & Sales agency. We’ll help you reach today’s modern buyer
as well as generate quality leads that close.

In addition, strategies from protocol 80 turn your website into a 24/7 funnel-filling machine, while turning your company into an industry thought leader atop the Google search results!

Click here to Register for Manufacturing Marketing World

The Inbound Marketing Process

First, Inbound is a methodical approach to marketing and lead generation. It produces compounding results in a systematic way.

As an industrial manufacturer, you know all about processes as well as workflows. Especially since inbound marketing is a data-driven approach to marketing that produces a clear ROI versus other marketing channels.

Manufacturing Marketing World Conference Schedule

Join Us October 29th, 2020 At 8:30am ONLINE For A Day Of Boosting Your Sales as well as Marketing Skills.
Above All, This Event Is For Manufacturers That Want To Grow!

Relationship Selling in 2021

Session by Dan Tyre, HubSpot

Maximize the Incredible Business Opportunities Waiting for You on LinkedIn

Session by Curt Anderson, B2BTail

Marketing Automation: time saving tools and tricks for digital marketing savvy manufacturers

Session by Holly McCully, Inbound Marketing Consultant

Video & the Buyer’s Journey: Producing and publishing video content with context

Session by Ryan Daughenbaugh, Inbound Marketing Video Specialist

Getting the Most Out of Google Ads: Understanding the fundamentals, and how manufacturers can leverage PPC for success

Session by Zach Ware, SEO and PPC Consultant

CRM: 10 Ways to Build Total Adoption Instead of Abandonment

Session by Josh Curcio, COO-Partner at p80

How to Develop Blog Topics & Keywords for a Niche Industry

Session by Adam Vosler, Content Manager

Manufacturing Marketing World Partners

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading our blog post on Manufacturing Marketing World.

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

US Manufacturers Digitizing at Twice the Rate of Other Businesses

B2B Marketing

Alibaba.com, the B2B business unit of Alibaba Group, announced the results of its Alibaba.com U.S. B2B Small and Medium Business (SMB) Survey and launched a new Digitization Sprint for U.S. SMB manufacturers digitizing – a traditionally analog segment of SMBs that has been digitizing at twice the rate of other industries during the pandemic.

Following its inaugural survey, which was disseminated in January 2020, Alibaba.com conducted a second survey of 5,015 U.S. B2B SMBs with the following key findings:

SMBs accelerated their pivot to digital: 93% of B2B companies are now conducting some portion of their business online. Up from 90% in December, and 43% are utilizing ecommerce, an 8% increase over the same time period.
SMBs are finding opportunities internationally: even with supply chain disruptions during the pandemic. 63% of B2B companies report conducting some amount of cross border B2B trade, up from 59% in December.
SMB manufacturers surpassed other industries in digitization: amid the pandemic, manufacturers’ online B2B trade increased 8% – twice the rate of the overall 4% increase in all industries for the same period and tied with retail as the industries with the most digital growth. In December, U.S. manufacturers’ online B2B trade volume lagged all other industries except construction but have now passed multiple industries in their pivot to digital.

“We were happy to see the increasing digitization of US B2B companies and that many are increasing trade despite the pandemic, showing the resilience and grit of American business owners and entrepreneurs,” said John Caplan, President of North America and Europe of Alibaba.com. “Our research finds that digitization is no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have for companies in every industry to bridge from surviving to thriving in the next era of business.”

Additional Highlights from the Alibaba.com U.S. B2B SMB Survey

SMBs are Optimistic in Their Business and Recovery

SMBs are optimistic about their business with 85% saying they are confident about the future of their business.
The majority of SMBs (62%) managed through the pandemic, maintaining or increasing their business when compared to 2019 levels.

Even More U.S. B2B SMBs Digitized During the Pandemic and Are Hiring to Support their Online Growth

56% hired and retained new staff to support their e-commerce operations since the start of the pandemic. 79% plan to hire employees over the next year to support their increased online business.
42% of respondents saw increases in online B2B transactions in the past six months. More than three-quarters (75%) finding increased demand for e-commerce marketplaces such as Alibaba.com.
Online B2B companies show far more confidence than offline: 86% of those doing business online expressing optimism in the future of their business compared with 68% of those who are not yet doing business online.

Digital Acceleration is Driving Global Business

Cross border business is increasing in importance for B2B companies. Making up an average of 25% of their business – an increase from 17% in December.
Respondents said key benefits of eCommerce include helping them access international markets (24%). Built-in translation services that help communicate with trading partners in different languages (16%).

SMB Manufacturers are Confident and Accelerating to Catch Up Digitally

Manufacturers over-indexed in investments in e-commerce during COVID-19: more than two-thirds (68%) of manufacturing businesses hired new staff to support online trade compared with 56% overall.

The Alibaba.com U.S. Small and Medium Business (SMB) Survey: Research Methodology

Alibaba.com commissioned leading global research firm, Ipsos, to conduct the second Alibaba.com U.S. B2B Small and Medium Business (SMB) Survey on behalf of Alibaba.com as a follow up to the December 2019 survey. The sample of 5,015 was collected using a double opt in online panel sample and conducted anonymously from September 4 – 20, 2020. The survey targeted decision-makers at U.S. companies that buy or sell physical goods and materials with other businesses. The study has an overall margin of error of ±1.39% at the 95% confidence level.

Additional data, analysis and insights from the second Alibaba.com U.S. SMB B2B Survey will be shared in future B2B Today content and events.

Alibaba.com’s Digitization Sprint for U.S. Manufacturers

According to IBISWorld, there are 565,537 manufacturing businesses in the U.S. According to SCORE, an organization focused on mentoring U.S. small businesses, 98.6% of American manufacturing companies are small businesses, and three-quarters (75.3%) of those businesses have fewer than 20 employees.

U.S. manufacturers are well known for their technologically advanced production capabilities. However, until recently, they have been slower than other industries to adopt online sourcing and selling tools according to Alibaba.com’s survey. With manufacturers now rapidly turning to digital channels, Alibaba.com is launching its Digitization Sprint for U.S. Manufacturers. With the tagline “Let’s Get Digital,” the program accelerates the digitization of these businesses’ online marketing, selling and sourcing and ensure their long-term success. Alibaba offers this program to qualified manufacturers at no cost. The Alibaba.com team is bringing together experts and their ecosystem of collaborators, including the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Navy Yard and manufacturing e-commerce expert Curt Anderson, to give manufacturers digitizing a four-week masterclass in getting digital and going global.

Manufacturers Digitizing

“We were delighted to see in our research that manufacturing businesses are catching on and looking for ways to ride new waves of digital opportunity,” said Caplan. “U.S. manufacturers have huge potential to grow their online business and emerge from this pandemic better positioned for the future. Our first-ever Digitization Sprint will give manufacturers the curriculum, coaching, and community they need to accelerate their digital skills and access the $23.9 trillion global B2B ecommerce opportunity.”

Through the program, select manufacturing companies will gain access to:

Curriculum from Alibaba.com’s team, industry leaders and partners on topics ranging from understanding the fundamentals of e-commerce like marketplace structure and pricing dynamics to learning tangible skills like leveraging digital advertising to generate leads, taking quality photos for product listings and digital storefronts and even leveraging social media to build their brand and reach new customers.
Coaching on succeeding in the digital economy during weekly modules and during tailored sessions from partners and experts in e-commerce for manufacturers like the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Brooklyn Navy Yard and e-commerce consultant, Curt Anderson.
Community through a private LinkedIn group and roundtable discussions. Manufacturers digitizing with experts and peers for ongoing education and shared experience.

The inaugural Alibaba.com Digitization Sprint for U.S. Manufacturers will kick off in mid-November with limited spots available. Interested leaders at manufacturing companies with fewer than 500 employees can apply for their companies to join the initiative at alibaba.com/digitalsprint.

Wrapping It Up

Finally, thank you for reading our blog post on Manufacturers Digitizing.

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

York SBDC (NYC) Features B2Btail Client, Falconer Electronics, in eCommerce Workshop

B2B Marketing

The York SBDC teamed up with the the Merchant Association (MARLS NYC) to offer an exciting eCommerce workshop featuring B2Btail client, Falconer Electronics.

The eCommerce workshop takes place Tuesday October 20 at 7:30 est.

Click here to learn more about the York SBDC

Click here to learn more about MARLS NYC

York SBDC eCommerce Workshop

With a new sense of urgency for entrepreneurs to create a strong digital presence, please join us for a discussion on the necessary steps to implement an eCommerce strategy for your business including:

Receive an eCommerce checklist as well as additional resource guides
Also Capturing 1st page rankings on Google
Creating effective landing pages that convert into RFQ’s as well as sales
Targeting customers with Google Ads as well as Google Shopping
Taking advantage of online marketplaces including Amazon as well as Alibaba
In addition, explore a step by step eCommerce success story with Falconer Electronics

First, topics discussed during the eCommerce workshop include:

In addition we cover:

Persona Exercise
Creating consistent content: (Ex: Wire Harness Wednesdays)
Google Snippet – Wire Harness Manufacturing – Electrical Ground Straps

York SBDC

The NYSBDC at York College provides no-cost consulting services to entrepreneurs as well as small business owners. Our professional consulting emphasizes on finding practical solutions to the everyday business problems. The NYSBDC at York College is part of a statewide network of 24 regional centers located throughout New York State.

Mission

The mission of the NYSBDC at York College is to assist in the creation of new enterprises, advance the operations of existing businesses as well as to enhance entrepreneurs’ technical skills.

Goals

Help develop experimental learning and practical business skills for York College student interns.
Position The NYSBDC at York College as the go-to resource partner center for JFK and other major development projects.
Position York College as the leader in Small Business – Driven Economic Development in Greater Jamaica.

Vision

The New York Small Business Development Center (NYSBDC) at York College aspires to be recognized as a leading source of high business counseling as well as training to aspiring entrepreneurs and owners.

MARLS NYC

The Merchant Association (MARLS NYC) was founded in April 2016, by Annette Runcie and five Southeast Queens merchants when facing the painful reality of our residents in Southeast Queens earning approximately nine billion dollars, of which very little was being spent in our community. This lack of investment in our community by our very own residents contributes to the depressed economic situations that appear to exist in our local towns.

We realized if our merchants can grow from the patronization of our residents, then we would be in a better position to hire employees and contribute to the reduction of the unemployment rate in our community. Harnessed by that realization, we set out to create a merchant association whose mission is to equip and empower business owners with the critical skills, to sustainably grow and expand their business in our towns and beyond.

Check Out the MARLS Member List by clicking here

Wrapping It Up

Thank you for reading & we wish you tremendous success with your blogging journey!

For additional information, please check out these helpful posts below as you continue your eCommerce journey:

Go Deep with Your Keyword Strategy for Healthy Results

B2B Marketing

Go Deep with Your Keyword Strategy.

For example, let’s pretend that we sold shoes. However, we only sell one type. Pink Nike running shoes with purple shoelaces.

If we tried targeting or marketing our company for simply the keyword “shoes”, we would go broke trying to appear in search results.

Though, an argument could be made to target the generic keyword “shoes”. In hopes that thousands of clicks to our website would bring the remote possibility that buyers need our pink Nike running shoes with purple shoelaces.

Highly unlikely though.

For example, do a Google search for the word “shoes”. As of this post, if you search Google for “shoes”, nearly 5.5 billion web pages with shoes (yes, BILLION).

Our strategy to target the keyword “shoes” would fail miserably. We would never realize organic rankings and the paid ads are owned by major players such as Shoes.com (owned by Walmart) and Zappos (owned by Amazon).

Yet, if someone were to Google “Pink Running Shoes” or “shoes for breast cancer awareness” or “awesome running shoes for teenage girls”, that buyer might find our shoes appealing.

From there, we can implement a targeted search marketing strategy accordingly.

Our odds for conversions improve tremendously by focusing on specific keywords as opposed to broad terms.

Google Keyword Planner

When determining your keyword strategy, Google Keyword Planner offers excellent insight to assist with the process.

FREE still rules as one of our favorite words, right?

Well, you guessed it, Google offers Google Keyword Planner as a free tool.

Simply create a Google Ads account, which is also free.

Google Keyword Planner provides a section to “Discover New Keywords”.

When you type in a keyword, Google reports back with a large list of suggestions for you.

Dozens or even hundreds of keywords.

Now once again, you might find a number of keywords irrelevant.

However, hopefully you also discover plenty of keywords that were not on your radar.

Google also provides monthly search traffic results for each keyword.

Most likely, you will be surprised by the number of searches for particular keywords.

For additional information, check out this helpful guide from Brian Dean at Backlinko: How to Use Google Keyword Planner in 2020

3 Step Approach

While exploring our keyword strategy at Falconer Electronics, an exciting opportunity presented itself.

Ground Straps kept appearing with our keyword research.

So we applied the “Scale Your Proprietary Process” concept to their Ground Straps.

Next, we implemented the 3 Step Approach To Scaling eCommerce for Manufacturers

Make a Great Webpression
Dominate Search
Get Offensive

If you search Google for “Ground Straps”, Falconer Electronics ranks extremely well for that keyword.

They show up in Google’s organic results typically in the top 3 (along with Amazon). Falconer Electronics also ranks in the #1 or #2 position on paid search for Google.

Their products show up on Google images.

The goal for this client: Dominate the keyword “Ground Straps”.

Scaling Your Proprietary Process

So as we were implementing our 3 prong approach attracting new leads and customers with the Wire Harness Manufacturing category.

Dozens of customers submitted drawings, bill of materials (BOM) and requests-for-quotes.

This still created plenty of challenges.

So as we kept seeking opportunities within the company, one proprietary process suddenly stood out.

Within the Wire Harness department, the company manufactures Braided Ground Straps.

Thousands upon thousands of ground straps for just a handful of clients.

One day we asked the question: Can’t there be other companies that could use ground straps?

Especially with these ground straps that are Made in the USA.

The company had everything in their corner to exploit this market:

Experience + tools + equipment + staff + suppliers + raw material + resources = Your Proprietary Process

Then took it one step further:

Your Proprietary Process + eCommerce = Scaling Your Proprietary Process with eCommerce

A perfect Scaling Opportunity.

Ground Strap Keyword Strategy

For example, below includes a wide range of targeted keywords (who knew there were so many names for Ground Straps?):

Bonding Straps Electrical
Braided Bonding Strap
Braided Copper Strap
Flat Braided Copper Ground Strap
Braided Earth Strap
Flat Braided Ground Wire
Flat Copper Ground Strap
Ground Strap Wire
Neutral Bonding Strap
Ground Straps Flat Braid
Ground Wire Strap
Braided Ground Strap
Braided Ground Strap Wire
Copper Ground Strap
Braided Ground Straps
Braided Ground Wire
Tinned Copper Braided Ground Strap
Braided Grounding Strap
Braided Grounding Straps
Flat Braided Ground Strap
Ground Strap
Ground Strap Cable
Grounding Straps
Heavy Duty Ground Straps
Braided Copper Ground Wire
Braided Copper Ground Wire
Ground Wire Strap
Braided Copper Strap
Braided Copper Strap
Earthing Straps
Braided Ground Strap
Earth Straps
Braided Ground Straps
Electrical Grounding Straps
Braided Ground Wire
Braided Ground Wire
Tinned Copper Braid
Braided Grounding Strap
Braided Grounding Straps
Ground Straps

Most importantly, think about ALL of the keywords that a potential customer could use in order to find your company.

Going wide and deep with your keyword strategy dramatically helps improve conversions as well as reduces costs per click on these targeted keywords.

All it takes is one 6 or 7 figure customer to type a key phrase that you find as obscure to change your mind.

The more details on a dating profile, the more likeliness of finding your true soulmate.

Wrapping It Up

Thanks for reading this post.

Hopefully you found this helpful for your eCommerce journey.

For additional information, please click links below:

Two Options for Custom Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce

B2B Marketing

Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce. Actually sounds quite interesting, right?

An “old-school” traditional business taking on new technology.

Well, eCommerce isn’t really new anymore.

It’s an active part of our daily lives now. At least it certainly seems that way.

Why?

The convenience, efficiency and speed that eCommerce offers.

However, manufacturers implementing eCommerce for the first time face many challenges.

Especially for custom manufacturers that do not produce a proprietary product or finished good.

Today, let’s explore two strategies for a manufacturer to implement eCommerce by targeting its proprietary process.

Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce Opens New Doors

Implementing eCommerce awakens exciting opportunities and opens new doors.

As a custom manufacturer, you produce amazing products for other companies.

You are the widget expert. No one knows your product better than you.

You have spent years perfecting your proprietary process.

Yet, one of your biggest challenges: how do you scale your proprietary process?

There must be plenty of potential customers searching for your products, services, and solutions.

Where are they?

How do you find them?

How can you narrow down the buying process to make life easier for you and more importantly, the buyer?

The answer: eCommerce.

Just a few years ago, many manufacturing clients claimed the internet wasn’t going to impact their company.

Now, most cannot move fast enough to plunge into the world of eCommerce.

“The Heat is On” (shout out to Glen Fry, God rest his soul).

So, how do you get started?

Let’s dig in.

Below covers two options for a manufacturer implementing eCommerce for the first time.

Option #1) Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce

Add an eCommerce store onto your existing website

First, contact your web designer to start a dialog on launching an eCommerce store to your current website.

In a previous post, we discussed the struggles manufacturers face when jumping into the world of eCommerce.

Over the years, you most likely have created prototypes for your customers.

Let’s use that same concept on your website.

The assumption is that you already have a website. What platform are you using?

Have a conversation with your web designer and ask if you can easily add eCommerce to your site.

For example, if you are on WordPress, your web designer can add the WooCommerce plugin. It’s FREE!

There are many other shopping cart options that are extremely inexpensive.

Many eCommerce platforms start at ONLY $19.99 per month (EX: Shopify, BigCommerce, 3D Cart, etc…).

Take several of your finished products and add them to your website.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE B2BTAIL.COM eCOMMERCE CHECK LIST

Adding an eCommerce store to your website offers tremendous benefits including:

Customers access your business 24/7/365 = round the clock customer service & a powerful sales tool
Find Soulmates (aka Ideal Customers)
Eliminate the cumbersome RFQ process
No A/R = Credit card payments means you are paid before you ship! YAY!!
Lower cost marketing and sales strategy
Market Research (eCommerce becomes your R&D department)
Stay in your Wheelhouse
Network = Cross Network with other vendors targeting the same market
International opportunities
Implementing eCommerce allows you to Scale Your Proprietary Process

Related Article: eCommerce Checklist: Manufacturing eCommerce Strategies

Option #2) Custom Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce

Allow Customers to Customize Your Product

Another option for manufacturers to enter the eCommerce world, allows customers to build your products on your website.

How?

Well, what is your sales process when a new customer reaches out?

Does the new customer submit a Request for Quote (RFQ)?

If so, you then kick start the quoting process.

Of course, you were already busy when the RFQ arrived.

Now you need to set aside other top priorities to accommodate the new customer. You don’t want to make a bad first impression. Speed is key.

You look over the drawing. Check out the parts on the BOM (Bill of Materials).

Lookup component prices and availability.

Determine the labor units. Amount of time on machinery. The number of touches. Lead time for parts.

You’ve gone through this process probably thousands of times.

In addition, do you receive RFQ’s that drift off in areas outside of your expertise? Outside of your wheelhouse?

Odds are the answer is yes.

It really becomes a bit more challenging to determine the quote for a new customer especially for products and processes that fall outside of your expertise.

Now they are waiting.

What if you could streamline the RFQ process?

Just imagine if you could narrow the process into an automated system that was available to a new customer online, 24/7.

Where you could create a quote or estimate instantly.

Sounds like heaven, right?

First, create a starting point.

Narrow down your product line. Begin with limited options.

Focus on the most popular. The most profitable. The most simplistic.

You have a proprietary process that you perfected over the years. Well, pretty close anyway.

Can you take that process to guide a customer into your funnel?

Let’s go deeper.

80/20 Rule

Does your business experience the 80/20 rule?

Most businesses do.

For example, let’s evaluate the 20% of your products and processes that generate 80% of your sales and profits.

Your top selling products.

Take the raw material, parts and components that go into that product
Calculate the labor units
Add in machine time that goes into each unit

Provide this information on your website.

Offer a price right away to the user.

Well, though the system may not be perfect to start, this at least gets you in the game….immediately.

Implementing eCommerce Gets in the Game….Immediately

So many of my clients state, “If I can just get a customer on the phone, we can close them.”

Creating a customized instant quoting process removes the bottleneck on the front end of the relationship.

You can state that the price is based on a single unit.

This would be interesting for potential customers working on a prototype.

It opens a door to start an immediate dialog.

Allows you to show your experience and expertise.

You now have a warm lead.

This opens the door to express your passion for their project.

What are you doing at this point?

You are now engaging. Building a relationship. Showing off your expertise.

Revealing that you are capable of solving your customer’s problem. Quickly.

Showing that you are a person of trust. A valuable partner.

Lastly, implementing eCommerce to start the quoting process lends a tremendous competitive advantage for your company.

Wrapping It Up

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

For additional info, check out these helpful posts:

Digitalization Sprint

Digitalization Sprint for 2021

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Working Your Way Backwards

Content + Marketing = The Digital Twin

You’re on Your Way

Manufacturing eCommerce Strategies with CIFT

Sense of Urgency for Manufacturers

CIFT = Center for Innovative Food Technology

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Alibaba Digital Sprint eCommerce Webinar Series

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Reshoring Initiative Founder Harry Moser

Why Reshore?

Why Reshoring Makes Sense for America

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Nebraska MEP Mission

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The Inbound Marketing Process

Manufacturing Marketing World Conference Schedule

Manufacturing Marketing World Partners

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Additional Highlights from the Alibaba.com U.S. B2B SMB Survey

Digital Acceleration is Driving Global Business

Alibaba.com’s Digitization Sprint for U.S. Manufacturers

Manufacturers Digitizing

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York SBDC eCommerce Workshop

York SBDC

MARLS NYC

Wrapping It Up

Google Keyword Planner

3 Step Approach

Scaling Your Proprietary Process

Ground Strap Keyword Strategy

Wrapping It Up

Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce Opens New Doors

Option #1) Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce

Add an eCommerce store onto your existing website

Option #2) Custom Manufacturers Implementing eCommerce

Allow Customers to Customize Your Product

80/20 Rule

Implementing eCommerce Gets in the Game….Immediately

Wrapping It Up

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