Many SME and industrial engineering firm managers share this view of marketing. Many believe that their products (or services) speak for themselves and do not need to be marketed. Technical expertise and know-how are seen as the only essential assets for success.
However, numerous industrial cases illustrate the opposite...
Industrial expertise is not enough
Your products/services must be excellent; we completely agree on this point. This is clearly a prerequisite for any self-respecting manufacturer or design office. Your capacity for innovation, your product quality standards, and your production/delivery times are your priorities in order to best satisfy your customers. However, we are sorry to say that this will probably not be enough to make you the long-term leader in your market.
Almost all of your competitors are taking the same approach as you, and some are even doing so with great success! So how can you stand out in this jungle of suppliers if you don't communicate your strengths?Because yes,marketing is above all about highlighting your strengths: methods, innovative products, employees, environmental approach, etc.
To stand out from the crowd, you need to share these key success factors with your target audience. A B2B buyer who is hesitating between two suppliers offering similar value for money will clearly takethese additional criteria into consideration. It's part of your DNA, the hidden side of your company's iceberg! Don't wait any longer to leverage them commercially.
Sales representatives, already convinced
We often talk to sales managers in industry and engineering who are waiting for their superiors to take the next step...They are already convinced! They know that a well-executed marketing strategy could bring them:
- greater visibility and credibility with their prospects
- incoming leads in order to focus their efforts on tasks with higher added value
- the right candidates(essential brainpower for design offices)
- etc.
However,many CEOs refuse to invest a single euro in marketing/communication initiatives. They prefer to hire a new engineer, purchase a more efficient machine, or join some kind of network.
However, sales representatives in the field are really suffering as a result. They are struggling to prospect effectively. They lack content to promote (white papers, customer testimonials, webinars, etc.); powerful software (CRM, sales automation, etc.); and effective lead generation strategies.
Dear leaders of SMEs, design offices, and industrial mid-sized companies, we have a message for you: talk to your salespeople! Make them more effective! It will be a win-win situation 🙂
For very reasonable budgets(starting at€1,500 for communications contracts, for example), you will facilitatetheir prospecting work. They will be more visible to decision-makers and will have new strings to their bow to convince them!
Available to discuss (whether you are a sales representative and need us to provide you with sales arguments, or a manager who wants hard data 😉 )
