5 Ways Manufacturers can turn Leads into Sales

In Manufacturing, sales are often burdened with long lead times due to the complexity of products, a notoriously long buying cycle and multiple decision makers. This makes maintaining engagement and momentum over weeks and months challenging. So, what can you do nudge your prospects through the buying cycle? Last week, we established that more manufacturers are using content marketing to generate leads. In this article, we explore 5 ways manufacturers can turn those leads into sales.

Manufacturing products often have unique features and benefits that need to be communicated clearly to potential buyers. Understanding and effectively conveying your product’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is essential. Why is it different to your competitors? Is it faster, more reliable, lighter, or cheaper? If your prospects are still ‘umming and ahing’, it just means they need a bit more nurturing. Demonstrations, case studies, and customer testimonials can be powerful tools in moving people toward a purchasing decision.

Did you know that you can turn your lead nurturing tasks on autopilot? Well, you do now. Marketing Automation allows manufacturers to deliver the right message, to the right audience, with the right data, at the right time. All done automatically and seamlessly persuading your prospects through to the finish line. But not every business can implement the strategies that are made possible with marketing automation. Although some automation platforms allow you to identify hot, warm, and cold leads through behavioural data, delivering the right content and message, to the right people, at the right time, requires a deep understanding of 3 things:

1. your customers buying cycle
2. the personas behind the decision makers and their pain-points
3. what to say and when

If you’ve got a lead, you’ve got the means to retarget them. So, what does this look like? PPC display ads are a cost-effective tool for keeping your brand top of mind. It’s another touchpoint to gently guide your audience through the buying cycle. But retargeting doesn’t need to solely rely on paid ads like Google, AWS, or Bing. Retargeting can also be performed on social platforms, and in B2B, you’re going to get the best results from LinkedIn. It’s not just what you see on feeds, of course these are an option, but why not target leads with features like inMail or simply connecting with them and introducing yourself? For best results, provide your potential connections with something valuable or might help you overcome the obstacles of buying your products.

A landing page is the gateway to a sale. Your landing pages should immediately resonate with the needs of your audience and solve their problem. Simple, clear, and easy to navigate with strong call-to-actions (CTA’s). You’re not always going to strike gold first time with landing pages, so do an A/B test, find out where your visitors are dropping off on the page, and make adjustments until you get the best results.

For manufacturers, it’s also worth thinking about how your website communicates to each decision maker. Use your buyer personas to establish each persona’s needs and how your product overcomes their challenges. Create personalised journeys so they can easily navigate to where they need to be. A good example of this is our work with MSL, check it out.

At this stage, where leads are warm, direct mail is the opportunity to give your prospects something tangible. Something they can keep. Be creative, make it personal and valuable to them. Something that won’t end up straight in the bin. It’s the final stage in the nurturing process before you pick up the phone and ask the question. So, what’s a good example of direct mail? If it’s feasible, give them a sample, or perhaps a small model. Accompany it with some branded literature that will make your sales call all the easier.

Converting leads into sales in manufacturing requires a blend of strategic planning, relationship management, and continuous development. In the end, it’s about creating a journey that feels personal, engaging, and seamless from start to finish. No more ‘umming and ahing’, just a clear path to ‘yes, let’s go!’.