Facebook. PPC campaigns. Organic search. TV ads. LinkedIn. It’s challenging enough to keep up with just one or two of these channels, let alone create a comprehensive marketing strategy that makes your manufacturing business stand out. Adding to the difficulty, the average person sees 5,000 ads a day online, so creating and maintaining a consistent digital presence is key if you want to make the most of your marketing.
That’s where integrated marketing comes in—namely, a cross-channel approach that allows brands and businesses to solidify and convey their message across all platforms. Of course, the message will differ at least slightly depending on the site (Facebook and Instagram, while run by the same company, have a vastly different feel to them). But an integrated marketing strategy keeps your brand’s core message consistent where you need it most.
Tell Me More: What Are Some Benefits of Integrated Marketing?
A better question would be: what aren’t the benefits of integrated marketing? For one, this kind of strategy keeps your audience happy and aware of you. After all, sporadic, inconsistent ads will either cause existing and potential customers irritation or have them forget who you are entirely. A thorough, purposeful approach can position your manufacturing business as an industry leader and show your customers you care.
The statistics don’t lie: over 70% of consumers prefer an integrated marketing approach, and integrated campaigns perform a whopping 300% better than your standard marketing plan.
Maybe creating an integrated marketing plan for your manufacturing company sounds like a challenging endeavor. But if you’re already advertising or posting on multiple platforms, you’re off to a great start! Now ask yourself: does your presence across those channels have a cohesive color scheme, typography, slogan, brand voice, etc.? Is valuable content being created and shared regularly?
Why Integrated Marketing for Manufacturers, Specifically?
Sadly, the manufacturing industry is a bit behind the curve when it comes to killer marketing campaigns. Publicizing a B2B company is hard enough as it is; many manufacturers haven’t set aside the time or the budget to implement even the most fundamental digital marketing practices, like SEO or PPC campaigns. An integrated marketing strategy? Forget about it.
Manufacturers, this is your chance! Are you ready to commit some time or resources now to ensure success later? A little effort here will lead to a polished, authoritative brand identity that your customers will come to know and trust.
How Can Manufacturers Develop an Integrated Marketing Plan?
The first step to streamlining your advertising and marketing channels is streamlining how your employees do their work. We’re talking cross-company messaging systems like Slack, social media management platforms like Hootsuite, and any other content management systems that suit your fancy. This way, you’ll have a sort of metaphorical “meeting point” from which to send your thoughts, ideas, and marketing tactics out into the world.
Side note: these platforms are, more often than not, collaborative environments, so you’ll want to ensure that your manufacturing team is on (relatively) the same page. Ask questions like “does my marketing team have a clear sense of our brand’s voice?” and “where and how often do we want to update X channel?” Integrated marketing for manufacturers, specifically, means asking whether or not your team knows how to write and appeal to other companies as well—i.e., that B2B audience we talked about before. If not, a lesson in doing so would be a wise place to start.
At a Glance: Integrated Marketing Tips for Manufacturers
Need a little extra push? Take a peek at some of our favorite integrated marketing tactics below.
- Identify and train cross-functional leaders. These guys will know just how to establish joint goals and identify holes in even the most polished integrated marketing plan. An employee who started on the manufacturing floor and graduated into a marketing or leadership role will have twice the insight as someone who was hired into a single role and stayed there.
- Learn from SWOT scores—strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. If you’re in direct competition with other manufacturing businesses, identifying what you do well, and where you can improve, is critical. The most influential companies are the ones that recognize their weaknesses and are working to overcome them.
- Get your team members on the same page. Manufacturing businesses are composed of many moving parts, so a lapse in communication can be devastating if it occurs. Thankfully, those media management platforms we mentioned earlier go a long way in navigating those hurdles. A chain, after all, is only as strong as its weakest link.
Snap: Integrate, Strategize, Succeed
Designing and implementing a cohesive marketing campaign is harder than it looks, and that’s what makes a fresh pair of eyes so important. At Snap, we’re here to offer just that, along with a wealth of digital marketing insight and tactics for your manufacturing business. Contact us today and watch your marketing strategy come together across all platforms.