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Trade shows are back and based on our experience at Pack Expo in October, we expect record numbers of attendees for 2023 equipment manufacturing events. Attendees are eager to see products in action and talk to experts whose products and services can streamline their industrial processes, improve their output, and reduce production expenses. Equipment manufacturers hosting exhibits say meaningful relationships are built when they can talk directly with buyers and clearly demonstrate the value they offer. While trade shows are energizing, you’ve likely experienced sensory overload with the creative ways exhibitors vie for attention. So as an exhibitor, even if you are in a large booth with a good location, interactive exhibits, and top-notch giveaways - how can you be sure you are reaching your best prospects? Digital marketing before and after the event will improve your connections at the show and extend your reach for months beyond.

As a B2B manufacturing company are your marketing, sales, and service functions integrated and automated? An effective CRM increases sales revenue because it:

Are you a B2B manufacturer who thinks your target audience is too narrow or niche for online ads? Although the number of people searching for your product may be small, you only are charged when they click your ad. So a campaign that targets the specific keyword phrases (and is well-researched to prevent wasting money on search terms that are intended for a commercial product or different purpose) will be inexpensive. But you'll want to closely track the metrics that are tied to revenue and aren't simply "vanity metrics".

Four members of the WebStrategies Team traveled to Chicago for Pack Expo 2022 and it did not disappoint. Howard, Kristin, Sean, and Preston were blown away by the turnout as there were over 44,000 attendees and 2,222 exhibitors in 19 product categories.

We regularly update this article with the latest information pertaining to marketing budgets for manufacturers. Last update: November 2022 Based on industry-provided research and our own experience, we’ve identified a realistic marketing budget calculation for manufacturing companies who are ready to more fully leverage the internet to generate business.

Listening to potential customers and tracking their inquiries is beneficial to manufacturing marketing for many reasons. A primary benefit of documenting questions (by phone, form submission, email, and chatbot) is to gain ideas for future content but it also shows how the content that marketers created attracts new prospects or reveals opportunities to enhance (or pivot) the approach.

B2B manufacturer marketing is not flashy because unlike B2C it is not about new trends and selling an irresistible product to people with disposable income. In B2B, there has to be a justifiable business need for someone to seek out products or services and since the investment is usually large, the buyer has no room for purchasing errors. That means the buyer needs a lot of clear, organized information that instills confidence that the product or service will work well in their process, integrate with the existing system, and solve their problem.

Producing content about your products and services is the most effective way to leverage organic search through an inbound marketing strategy (also known as content marketing). People such as engineers and plant managers searching for manufacturing equipment, typically experience a buyer’s journey that includes three phases: awareness, consideration, and decision. To leverage the power of inbound marketing for manufacturing equipment, content should be created or optimized for each of these stages in order to attract, engage and delight customers.

When B2B manufacturing marketers promote a new product, reaching the target audience takes an organized plan of attack and someone dedicated to managing the project. The frequency of product releases is different for every manufacturer so whether it is something that happens every few weeks, every few months, or every few years, keeping a documented playbook handy makes the process smoother for everyone involved. It also ensures no channel is overlooked and over time marketers hone the digital strategy that yields the best results.

If you work in B2B manufacturing marketing, you put a lot of thought into how to reach prospective customers including what marketing channels are best and the messages to resonate with your target audience. Your sales team is actively engaging customers and leads at tradeshows and through regular contacts but that only engages the leads you know about.