How to Market When Orders Are Slow – Part Two

By Polaris MEP National Network Partner Mary Mechler, IMEC

Part 2: Getting the Message Out

After your manufacturing organization has identified customer pains and your solutions, it’s time begin communicating.

Use What You Have in Place Now

The key is to use the marketing channels available to you that will allow your message to get to customers and prospective customers as quickly as possible. Some channels have been shown to be more effective than others: However, use what you have in place now. There are many options available that are low to no cost. For example, if you only have the means to make phone calls, then make phone calls. You can plan for future, more comprehensive marketing practices as the situation settles a bit.

Update Your Website

Do this first. Your website is the top channel for anyone seeking solutions to problems and should be included in all other forms of your messaging.  More than 70% of people begin a search for, well anything, online. This is not just true for simple consumer purchases. Google’s research showed that 73% of industrial manufacturing purchasers went online first with broad exploration. Once they’d narrowed down to a brand, they purchased faster.

Amend your website copy to reflect this new information so that customers and prospects alike can clearly understand how you can support them. Keep their success and minimization of business disruption in mind, using thoughts such as, We are …

• Here for you
• Understanding of current needs
• Dependable
• Flexible

… and this is how we can help.

Integrate Your Messaging Across Channels

Once you have the message created, consistently push it out across other channels listed, especially: Phone Calls: If this is your only means of engaging with your customers, simply call them to share your message. Encourage any available staff to work the phones. Email: People are more likely to see emails now due to social distancing, making email even more important as a tool for communicating. Do you have a customer email list? This is an opportunity to use it in helping you spread the word. Again, address the known pains and how you can support them. A tip here: less is more. Don’t write a lengthy email. No one has the time, and a lot of words on a page may be ignored. Just the facts. Remember, we’re here for you, dependable, flexible, and this is how we can help. Call us to talk about your unique situation. Contact us to talk about your unique situation. Social Media: Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are a  fast and free connection to your network, and an appropriate way to reach customers and prospects with a supportive message.

After Settling the Present, Plan for the Future

If you don’t currently have a communication system or marketing program in place, think about building one now. Plan as if the situation will repeat itself, and maybe to a more challenging degree. Perhaps you have some employees with a bit of time to work on the necessary tools and plans. The benefits of being able to communicate with customers and the market in a nimble fashion will serve you well in good times as well as difficult times. For when the current crisis has passed, you will have a bit of experience, and momentum. The next step is ensuring you have the communication mechanisms and plan in place to help you grow your business in the future. Click here to read Part 1: Making a Plan. To learn how Polaris MEP and its network of specialists can help you create and implement a right-sized sales and marketing strategy, email info@polarismep.org.