Aug 1, 2020 | Marketing
Marketing for manufacturing companies is paramount during the early stages. Want to get clients who place million-dollar orders with your company? One word: Marketing. Most manufacturing companies get their orders from loyal customers who keep returning for more. This begs the question: How can a new company stand out and get their first customers? Marketing is paramount if your manufacturing company is in the early stages i.e. a start-up.
There are hundreds of potential approaches for manufacturing company marketing that an owner can use to make their products known. This guide will focus on the basics that manufacturing companies need to start marketing their company and create the foundation for future growth.
- The ultimate goal here is to help your manufacturing company build a loyal customer base interested in placing huge orders on a recurring basis.
- Recurring clients are the key to marketing for manufacturing company.
Understand The Customer
Use reverse-psychology to determine what the customers in your industry want – and give it to them. This is a proven method to get a head-start in a competitive industry when other manufacturers might slip. Instead of focusing on the company, focus on the customer and what they need. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine what you would do if you were looking for a manufacturer to order from. The buying process usually goes like this:
- The customer needs X product in your manufacturing industry.
- The customer researches 5-10 potential manufacturers to buy from.
- The customer makes a decision based on metrics such as: price, brand, reputation, customer reviews, etc.
The best way to take advantage of this process is to offer an advantage that none of the other companies are offering. Example: If you’re an electric bike manufacturer and the average bike costs $2000, you could make your bikes cost $1499. If the product quality is kick-ass, the customers will keep returning for more.
Develop A Marketing Strategy (SEO, PPC, Alibaba, Social)
Marketing a manufacturing company is different because you’re essentially in the B2B (business-to-business) company and your target market are other entrepreneurs who purchase the products to re-sell at their stores or online businesses. However, this doesn’t mean that those people can’t be reached in the same way that other regular customers can’t. In fact, many of them are actively researching companies to buy from which makes it easier to market to them.
The key to reaching these people is to develop a marketing strategy that caters to people in your industry. Start by developing a presence on trade websites such as Alibaba and Global Sources where you can place your product in front of millions of people looking to buy from manufacturers directly.
Combine B2B marketplace presence with SEO and PPC strategies in your niche in order to cater to people directly looking for these keywords on search engines. Example: An electric bike parts company could target keywords like “Buy electric bike battery”. Smart placement gives you an advantage over all other competitors and you must utilize all marketing avenues at your disposal.
Need improvements in traffic, sales and leads? Call Sandy, top ranked SEO expert @ 775-870-0488.
Jul 28, 2020 | Manufacturing SEO
The average business spends 5-10% of their annual profits on marketing (according to CMO Survey). In manufacturing, the average budget for marketing is 8% of the company’s annual profits. This guide will help you get a clear overview of how much you should plan to spend on your marketing budget and how to devise your profits accordingly.
The average amount varies significantly based on the size of the company and how established it is. We’ll have a look at how different companies perform based on the number of customers and total annual profits. The following figures represent average spending for manufacturing companies based on annual growth:
- Manufacturing companies that grew by 1-15% in the last year spent 8% of their annual profits on marketing expenses.
- Manufacturing companies that grew by 15-30% in the last year spent 20% of their annual profits on marketing expenses.
- Manufacturing companies that grew by 30-100+% (highest) in the last year spent an average of 50% of their annual profits on marketing expenses.
On average, the higher the growth % of the manufacturing company, the more it spends on advertising. This is partially because new start-up manufacturing companies spend more on advertising and experience higher growth.
Example: If an electronics manufacturer generates $700,000 in annual profits – on average they will spend $56,000/year (8%) on marketing or $4600/month. However, there is no guarantee that same company won’t spend $350,000/year on marketing – or roughly 50%. This all depends on the individual business’s objectives and what they’re trying to achieve.
How Much Should A Manufacturing Company Spend On Marketing?
Read below to find out how much you should spend based on your growth rate. To plan your marketing budget, think about what stage your manufacturing company is at. Is this a new start-up company or are you established and already have a steady supply of customers?
If you’re an early-stage company aka a “start-up” you should spend more on advertising because you’ll need to get your first customers through the door. If you’re established and have a steady supply of customers, you should consider upgrading your production capabilities and lowering your marketing expenses.
- New Manufacturing Companies
- Recommended Spend: 30-50%/year
Start-up companies should spend higher amounts on their marketing. This is usually in the 30-50% revenue range for newcomers. If you don’t have any customers yet and can’t predict what your profits are going to be like, start small-testing with budgets such as $1000-5000 and then gradually ramp-up your ad spend. Instead of risking it all on a large marketing campaign, you need to familiarize yourself with the market and adjust your budget according to the results.
Determine how much you should spend based on the product you’re selling. If you manufacture a unique product which is hard to come by, you could spend as little as an established company (10-20%). If your product is highly popular and easy to find, you should spend the maximum amount possible to stand out.
- Established Manufacturing Companies
- Recommended Spend: 10-20%/Year
Established companies should spend less than start-up companies because they have the momentum and they need little money to stay competitive. The advantage they have over start-ups is a consistent client base that keeps re-ordering from them. This means they only need few new clients to replace older clients and fulfill their manufacturing quota.
On average, an established manufacturing business should spend 10-20% of its yearly profits on marketing. This should be adjusted according to the competition level in your industry. If you’re in a very competitive industry you may want to go above 20%. If the competition is lower, you can reduce spending accordingly.
- Failing/Stagnant Manufacturing Companies
- Recommended Spend: 5-10% More Than Current Budget
If the manufacturing business is struggling with net-negative profits, you need to increase your current budget by at least 5-10%. The marketing budget might not be the only thing affecting your profits (consider product revisions), but if you’re in an aggressively competitive industry then marketing can have a serious effect on the success of your product.
Start by increasing the budget for a trial period of 6 months and see how it performs. If you’re seeing an increase in sales, consider bringing the budget down to the previous levels. If you’re satisfied with that progress, make a decision on whether you want to keep the budget increase.
Have more questions? Call, email or text Sandy, leading manufacturing SEO expert at 775-870-0488.
Jun 15, 2020 | Book Marketing
Discover how to generate interest in your book through proven online marketing techniques. Learn methods to cultivate sales and build relationships with fans and other potential customers. Gain expert advice on how you can get the most out of websites, email, social media, analytics and search engine features.
RSVP here: https://truckee.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=27665&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0
Special guest, Sandy Rowley, a leading digital marketing and web design expert based out of Reno Nevada, will share one on one expert marketing strategies for 30 minutes. Bring your toughest marketing questions for this live round table discussion. www.RenoWebDesigner.com 775-870-0488
#renoseo #renowebdesign #renomarketing
Jun 3, 2020 | content marketing
A great content marketing strategy is an invaluable asset in establishing a successful small business. So, what constitutes content marketing?
Essentially, content marketing means promoting one’s content on various platforms in order to get the desired exposure. It is crucial for small businesses to lay the groundwork of consistent customer flow which content marketing enables you to do.
As you might know, creating an original content surely is not an easy feat to achieve. There is a myriad of things one should take into account:
- Engagement. Engaging content is as precious as gold itself. On the Internet engaging means are lucrative. Therefore, producing content that is both accessible and alluring is of a high degree of importance.
- Relevancy. Following a trend is not always a good idea. Sometimes, treading off the beaten path is the way to accomplish what you desire. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t tweak and tune your content based on the current trend standings. Refining and honing one’s content is an ever-present practice in content marketing.
- Inspiration. There is a marked difference between drawing inspiration from something or someone and outright duplicating someone’s content. Inspiration ought to be the initial push that acts as stimulus in creating a unique content piece.
It is wise to consider ideas as products of inspiration. With proper resources to extract inspiration from, one can ensure a constant generator of ideas. Now, what content marketing ideas small businesses should take advantage of? We shall look at different ways to reinvigorate the staleness of the matter and help you achieve success.
Producing a Thoughtful and Firm Blog Post
First and foremost, the crux of your content is a well thought out and pensive stream of text. The challenge here is, as was already mentioned, to make it engaging and buoyant, thus granting you the ability to reach a wider customer base. The hallmarks of interesting and structured text starts with the headline.
Your headline is, unironically, the head and face of your blog that imparts to your viewers the first impression of what your text might be about. There is even a study showing that 6 in 10 people share links based on the headline and not the content itself. This makes the gravity of coming up with catchy and trendy headlines even more serious.
Writing should be an embodiment of your character. It should not act as a farce and facade. Frank and candid writing will garner a much higher success rate than a disingenuous one. Another valid point worth mentioning is conciseness. Treat your writing as a sword that leaves small but deep cuts. It should be piercing and accurate rather than long-winded and bland.
The visual appeal of the blog is oftentimes sidelined, although it’s an aspect that incurs a significant contribution to the “clinginess” the viewer has. Blogs with appropriately accompanied multi-media will incentivize a visitor to spend more time on the page, which is even more valuable if you are conducting an Internet business. Because the more time a customer spends on your blog, the higher is chance of them making a purchase.
Help From Professionals
Sometimes all we need is a little bit of outside help to jolt us in the right direction. There is nothing wrong in asking for constructive criticism or relying on someone to prod you further. Incidentally, as we live in the age of the Internet, we are quite fortunate to have at our disposal the various services that can provide the opportunity for ourselves to offload.
Services like LinksManagement can be of great convenience at times of “content crisis” or as a simple boost-up that gives you an inspirational pat on the shoulder. For a relatively small investment you can expect your business to sprite up and, consequently, guide it to further success yourself. That’s the beauty of services like that.
They take the weight off of you and give you a golden opportunity to spread your wings a wee bit freely taking into consideration other matters that can potentially arise. So, if you are stuck, there is nothing embarrassing about asking for professional help. Especially, if it concerns the SEO side of things that requires a substantial amount of time to dabble in yourself.
Social Media Content Marketing
The social media ecosystem is unimaginably big in scope. Therefore, omitting social media influence is a cardinal sin that you don’t want to commit. Why is social media marketing is so integral? It is not only the scope but also the multitude of needs that are waiting to be fulfilled and explored.
Social media is probably the biggest avenue to establish connections in. It will prove itself helpful in finding sponsors, investors, or merely curious individuals ready to acquire your product or service. It is no wonder then that many small businesses start their success stories on places like Facebook or Instagram, as it provides an average user an unprecedented outreach to promote their business.
As in all aspects of content marketing strategies, social media platforms are only vessels that need content and engagement to float. Thus, determining your initial goals, expectations, and theme should take precedence over other yet inessential things.
After establishing your route, it is advisable to choose the platform that would best suit your content. For instance, if your business revolves around clothes, shoes, or accessories, you might be willing to explore the valleys of Instagram rather than, for example, LinkedIn. Although, merging and combining the best of both worlds is also an option. As both Facebook and Instagram work great in tandem and can complement each other greatly. According to statistics, high-quality retouched photos attract three times more attention to a post or an ad.
In social media marketing, it is crucial to be consistent and ubiquitous. Monitoring and checking existing or nascent trends should be considered as a day-to-day practice since social media is a rapidly-changing environment that requires constant care.
Conclusion
There are quite a slew of factors at play but the most important one is to remember that with a novel and unique content complemented with proper graphical addendums you can expect your business to grow untamed. Your main goal should be to pursue great and original content creation since it is the very factor that has the biggest impact on your business’ success.
May 19, 2020 | Web Design
Evolution of Online Business Models
Are “as-a-service” digital business models here to stay? Customer values are projected to shift in the post-COVID era, and a direct-to-consumer world may require an online presence for both products and experiences.
It’s hard to think ahead when we are up to our necks in the misery and fear of a pandemic, but every CEO should be focused not just on how to survive, but how to thrive in the COVID-era. I say era because this is not a passing phase, but a new reality.
COVID is accelerating many societal and technology shifts and reversing others. The COVID-era is a technology-driven era with widespread and often forced adoption of trends like work-from-home, online retail, pickup/delivery services, entertainment-as-a-service, telemedicine (well, tele-you-name-it), and machine-learning. Embodied in this change are deep behavioral shifts that, even given a decade, might never have reached these proportions. Enabling nearly all of these shifts is an “… as-a-service (XaaS)” capability be it data, infrastructure, platform, software, or experience. XaaS was already on it’s way to becoming a juggernaut, with a market value of $93.8 billion in 2018 and projected to triple to $344.3 billion by 2024, but it’s now on a whole new COVID-triggered upswing.
These XaaS enabled remote service paradigms are here to stay, maybe not at today’s artificially enforced levels, but to a significant degree all the same. Everyone now knows the perils of work-from-home, but they know the benefits too. As the COVID-era continues to require social distancing for some time, we can’t all go back to the cramped office. And why should we? I hate to see the airline industry in turmoil, but I can’t say that I’ve missed air travel. Now everyone knows just how easy it is to get your groceries or your food delivered, and contactless at that. I miss the big screen, but I’ll settle for great content, 65” TV, and homemade popcorn if I can share the experience with all my friends wherever they are.
But the current change is not just a digital transformation to cloud and consumerized applications, it’s also a behavioral transformation. Forward thinking businesses are seizing this unprecedented opportunity to pause the growth/execution treadmill and imagine a new value/ideation opportunity. Whole teams have been liberated from soul-destroying wash-rinse-repeat cycles and are free to think through new ideas. For better or worse, companies are also leaner and more agile, having been forced to transform their business in order to thrive.
Adapt both your product and your experience
So, what do CEOs need to re-imagine in their business going forward as we enter a new XaaS powered world? First and foremost the COVID-era is a direct-to-consumer world where you may be literally bringing your offering right into the consumer’s home. For B2B, that means an acceleration of the consumerization of the enterprise and often means a self-serve experience with a consultative sales model. Your offering needs to be consumable over the internet. Not only do your products need to be available as-a-service, but so does your experience. Some call it experience-as-a-service. Paid or free, it’s about helping customers understand how to leverage your offering to meet their own transition. Self-serve models are the most scalable but rely heavily on great product experiences.
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