Marketing 101 for Manufacturers

Presenters: Matt Sonnhalter – Sonnhalter

Sage Lewis – SageRock

• Basic principles of marketing

• Marketing tactics

• Pros/Cons

• Examples

• How to maximize each one

• Key factors for successful marketing programs

• Q&A

Marketing “Boot Camp”

Marketing is the process of communicating

the value of a product or service to customers.

• Critical business function for…

• Attracting new customers

• Keeping existing ones

• It is not selling!

• Helps support the sales process

Marketing

3 Basic Principles of Marketing

• User, decision maker or influencer

• Typical titles or job functions

• Key markets, segments and industries

• Geographic focus

• Everyone at company on the “same page”?

• Both existing as well as potential customers

Target Audience

• Industrial Facilities (too broad)

-vs.-

• Key vertical markets: Food/Bev, Bio/Pharma, Mining

• >50% piping applications below 200 psi operating temperature

• 5+ maintenance “turnarounds” in a calendar year

• Inside facility:

• Plant/maintenance managers

• Piping group

• Engineers (design, specifying, safety)

• Outside facility:

• Mechanical contractors

• Engineering firms

Target – More Detail The Better

• Two major types of messaging within any organization:

1) Brand

2) Product

Message

• Brand Positioning Statement

• What do you want to stand for in your customers’ mind?

• Where is your company adding value?

• Written by marketers, for marketers

• Not a consumer statement

• “Foundation” - all marketing efforts should support/build this

Brand Message

Compromised of the following six elements:

1) Target consumer

2) Brand name

3) Brand personality

4) Product/competitive frame

5) Consumer benefit

6) Critical support

Brand Positioning Statement

Specific marketing campaign/project

• Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

• What’s the one (1) key end user benefit?

• Needs to be unique, compelling and consistent

• Key support points

• Not a laundry list (3-5 max)

• Different messaging (points of emphasis) with multiple targets

Product Message

• Defines project scope

• Communication objective

• Target audience

• Key messaging

• Timeline

• Budget

Creative Brief

Marketing Tactics

• Don’t have the money or time to do them all effectively

• Every manufacturer is different

• No marketing “magic formula” or “silver bullet”

Realities

• Budget

• Objectives

• Target Audience

• Resources

• Timeframe

• Past experience

Key Determining Factors

Pros

• Dedicated to certain product or product category

• Flexible – can develop an entire library

• Communicate a decent amount of information

• Multi-purpose use (can re-purpose)

Cons

• Product info can become quickly outdated

• Costly (printing)

Collateral

• Have a template “look-and-feel”

• Not reinventing the wheel each time

• Call-to-action for more information

• Manage printing costs and quantity

• Develop a process for keeping track of versions/updates

• Maximize usage across other marketing areas (re-purpose)

• Web site

• Trade shows

• Direct mail

Collateral – Tips for Success

Pros

• Brand awareness

• Broader reaching vehicle

• Increased perception and credibility

Cons

• Cost

• More difficult to track/measure

• Limited “real estate”

Print Advertising

• Clear, focused message

• Don’t shove 10 lbs. into a 5 lb. bag

• Strong call-to-action

• Unique URL and/or landing page

• Unique 800#

• QR code (“mobile” friendly content)

• Identify the “right” publication(s)

• Consistent frequency (“cumulative” effect)

Print Advertising – Tips for Success

Pros

• Very targeted and personalized

• Flexibility – timing & cost

• Measurement and tracking

Cons

• Lower response rate

• Higher cost per unit

Direct Mail

• Clearly defined target (more detailed the better)

• “Quality” list

• Frequency

• Strong offer (call-to-action)

• Personalization

• Test, test and test…

• Offers

• Creative

• Sizes

• Lists

Direct Mail – Tips for Success

Pros

• Cost effective

• Highly credible

• Relationships you build through PR continue to work for you

Cons

• Lack of control

• On-going commitment

Public Relations (PR)

• A.P. Style

• Newswriting vs. creative, technical or “sale-sy” style

• Company spokesperson

• Clearly define audiences

• Be aware of your own “industry” news

• Be “proactive” as well as responsive

• Consistent program

Public Relations – Tips for Success

Pros

• Flexibility – tied to specific campaign

• Focused (serve up only relevant info)

• Easily measured (Google Analytics)

Cons

• Support with other marketing activities to help drive traffic

• Not “build it and they will come”

• Keeping content “up-to-date”

Micro Site/Landing Page

http://www.thetorchispast.com/

• Focus only on relevant information

• Doesn’t replace your full-blown web site

• Clear call-to-action and next step once on the site

• Utilize analytics

• Promote through all relevant marketing tactics

Micro Site/Landing Page – Tips for Success

The 3 Most Powerful Things You Can Do Online Right Now!

By Sage

• YouTube Stats:

• More than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month

• Over 4 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube

• 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute

• 70% of YouTube traffic comes from outside the US - YouTube is

localized in 53 countries and across 61 languages

• In 2011, YouTube had more than 1 trillion views or around 140 views

for every person on Earth

Numero Uno VIDEO!!!

Matsuura Maxia: V8 Engine Block Machined From Solid

VIDEO 2: The best thing you can do for your SEO

YouTube Ranking Factors

YouTube Character Limits

• YouTube video title up to 100 characters

• YouTube video description up to 5,000 characters

• YouTube tags up to 120 characters. • YouTube comments up to 500

characters

Video

3. The Best Thing You Can Do For Online Advertising

Check out the cost per view:

Buying views gives the YouTube channel new life

Check out all the cool targeting you can do:

Check out all the cool targeting you can do:

Check out all the cool targeting you can do:

And my favorite of all online advertising: Remarketing

Friday Internet Marketing

with Sage and Greg

Fridays 3:15 ET

Weekly Prizes and a free gift for registering

http://www.sagerock.com/fridayshow/

1. Upfront planning

2. Marketing “champion”

3. Lead/inquiry process

4. Patience

5. Resources (internal/external)

6. Strong call-to-action

7. Marketing and Sales on the “same page”

8. Integrated program (more than one tactic)

9. Measure

10.Don’t be afraid to experiment

10 Key Factors For Successful Marketing Programs

Questions?

Contact us: Sonnhalter SageRock matt@sonnhalter.com sage@sagerock.com www.TradesmenInsights.com www.sagerock.com/blog/