In the competitive manufacturing industry, securing partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) is no easy task. Whether you’re a Tier 1 supplier delivering complete systems, a Tier 2 supplier providing essential components, or a Tier 3 or 4 supplier offering subcomponents or raw materials, one thing remains consistent: understanding your audience is the key to success.
The complex structure of OEM buying processes means you’re dealing with a range of decision-makers, each with different priorities and concerns. How do you effectively communicate your value to engineers, procurement teams, and production managers—across all tiers?
The answer lies in understanding buyer personas.
This article explains some of the key decision-makers you’ll encounter within the OEM buying process and the best ways to communicate with each of them.
At Beach Marketing, we specialise in helping suppliers in every tier leverage their expertise to engage with OEMs and those higher up the supply chain. By building detailed buyer personas, we then create strategies that ensure your marketing efforts resonate with the key decision-makers.
And right now, we’re offering a complimentary half-day persona mapping workshop to help you better understand your audience and tailor your messaging for maximum impact.
Why Personas Matter for Every Tier in the Supply Chain
Every company, regardless of whether it’s a Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, or Tier 4 supplier, needs to understand who the key decision-makers are and how to communicate with them effectively. Personas are fictional representations of your target audience based on real data. They help you visualise the unique challenges, goals, and motivations of different decision-makers within the OEM’s decision-making unit (DMU).
Here’s why personas are vital for every tier in the supply chain:
Targeted Messaging
Effective Communication
Stronger Relationships
Multi-Channel Engagement
The Component Manufacturer’s Goal: Securing an OEM Partnership
For a component manufacturer, the ultimate goal is to become a trusted, long-term partner to an OEM. Your aim is not just to sell parts but to offer solutions that enhance the OEM’s final product, delivering on performance, quality, and innovation. But to achieve this, you need to navigate the complexities of the Decision-Making Unit (DMU) – a group of people within the OEM, each with their own set of priorities and concerns.
In this article we explore the key personas within the DMU in more detail (also see our article Unlocking the Power of Persona Mapping to understand your Manufacturing Audience) and the marketing strategies that will help you communicate with them effectively.
The typical personas you will need to focus on are:
David, The Design Engineer (User & Influencer)
David is responsible for ensuring that every component integrates seamlessly into the OEM’s overall product design. His top priority is technical compatibility—he needs parts that meet strict technical specs and enhance the performance of the final product.
- David’s Key Concerns:
Performance, technical fit, and ease of integration. - How to Appeal to David:
Provide detailed technical specs, white papers, and case studies that show how your components enhance product design.
Marketing Activity for David:
- Technical Content Marketing: Publish in-depth technical blogs, white papers, and spec sheets.
- Product Demos & Trials: Offer demonstrations or trials that showcase how your components fit into the OEM’s design.
- Case Studies: Develop case studies that highlight how other OEMs have successfully integrated your components.
Beach Marketing’s Role:
We help you develop technical content that speaks directly to engineers like David. From white papers to in-depth case studies, we create resources that demonstrate how your components meet the demands of complex designs, giving David the confidence to recommend your parts to his team.
Lisa, The Procurement Manager (Buyer)
Lisa oversees the purchasing process, focusing on cost management and ensuring that the parts procured align with the company’s budget without compromising on quality. She needs transparency, reliability, and long-term supplier relationships.
- Lisa’s Key Concerns:
Pricing, delivery reliability, and supplier relationships. - How to Appeal to Lisa:
Offer transparent pricing structures, long-term value propositions, and highlight your record of reliable delivery.
Marketing Activity for Lisa:
- Transparent Pricing Models: Publish clear, easy-to-understand pricing guides that highlight long-term cost savings.
- Email Marketing Campaigns: Nurture relationships with consistent, value-driven email campaigns that offer relevant case studies and examples.
- Landing Pages: Create specific landing pages showcasing the value of your long-term supplier agreements and delivery track record.
Beach Marketing’s Role:
We develop email marketing campaigns and landing pages that highlight your company’s reliability, transparency, and long-term value. By nurturing relationships with procurement teams, we ensure that your messaging focuses on the benefits of working with you as a trusted supplier.
John, The Production Manager (User)
John’s focus is on efficiency and reliability. He needs to be confident that the components you supply will integrate smoothly into production and not cause disruptions. A delay in receiving parts or substandard quality can create costly production bottlenecks.
- John’s Key Concerns:
Production efficiency, component reliability, ease of integration. - How to Appeal to John:
Highlight how your components improve operational efficiency and reduce downtime. Provide assurances about quality and lead times.
Marketing Activity for John:
- Process Improvement Case Studies: Develop case studies that show how your components have improved efficiency for other manufacturers.
- Webinars & Product Demos: Host webinars or offer product demos that focus on seamless integration into existing production processes.
- Operational Content: Create content (e.g., blogs, infographics) focused on operational efficiency, addressing production challenges and how your components can help.
Beach Marketing’s Role:
We help you create webinars, case studies, and infographics that speak to production managers like John, highlighting how your parts reduce operational inefficiencies and ensure smooth integration into production lines.
Emma, The Quality Control Manager (Influencer)
For Emma, quality assurance is paramount. She’s focused on ensuring that your components meet or exceed industry standards and that any quality issues are identified and resolved before they reach the production line. Emma will scrutinise your components carefully before giving her approval.
- Emma’s Key Concerns:
Defects, compliance with industry standards, quality consistency. - How to Appeal to Emma:
Provide evidence of rigorous quality control processes and demonstrate compliance with relevant standards. Highlight any certifications and quality awards.
Marketing Activity for Emma:
- Quality Certifications & Compliance Materials: Publish quality certifications and highlight compliance with relevant standards on your website and marketing materials.
- Testimonials & Endorsements: Use testimonials from other quality managers or OEMs who can vouch for your consistency and defect-free track record.
- In-depth Guides: Develop comprehensive guides on your quality control processes and compliance protocols and distribute them via email campaigns or gated content on your website.
Beach Marketing’s Role:
We ensure that your quality certifications, compliance processes, and customer testimonials are prominently featured in your marketing. From detailed guides on quality control to email campaigns, we position your company as the gold standard in quality assurance.
Brian, The R&D Director (Influencer & Decider)
Brian is focused on innovation and future-proofing. He’s looking for components that not only meet the OEM’s current needs but also support the development of next-generation products. Brian is drawn to innovative technologies that will give the OEM a competitive edge.
- Brian’s Key Concerns:
Innovation, long-term compatibility, future-proofing. - How to Appeal to Brian:
Highlight how your components are innovative and can support future product designs. Offer insights into how your components help the OEM stay ahead of the competition.
Marketing Activity for Brian:
- Thought Leadership Content: Publish forward-thinking articles and white papers on industry trends and innovations.
- Product Innovation Videos: Develop videos or webinars showcasing how your components enable cutting-edge product development.
- Innovation-Focused Campaigns: Run targeted campaigns showcasing the long-term benefits and innovative features of your products.
Beach Marketing’s Role:
We help you create thought leadership content, including white papers and videos, that positions your company as a partner in innovation. Our campaigns highlight how your components are future-proof and designed to keep OEMs at the forefront of their industry.
Why Personas Are Important at Every Tier
No matter where you sit in the supply chain, understanding who you’re communicating with is critical. Whether you’re providing raw materials as a Tier 3 or 4 supplier or delivering major systems as a Tier 1 supplier, personas help you align your marketing efforts to the specific needs of your audience.
For example:
Tier 1 suppliers need to focus on building trust with OEMs by showcasing their ability to deliver innovation and reliability at scale.
Tier 2 suppliers must prove their precision and consistency to Tier 1 companies, demonstrating that their components support the smooth functioning of larger systems.
Tier 3 and Tier 4 suppliers can build strong partnerships by highlighting their dependability and commitment to meeting sustainability and quality standards.
By mapping out personas, you gain a deeper understanding of the decision-makers involved and can develop marketing strategies that speak directly to their concerns, making it easier to build long-lasting partnerships with OEMs or higher-tier suppliers.
We explore the communications strategy you should adopt in the article Cracking the Code: How to Effectively Communicate with OEM Decision Makers.
Want to reach the right people?
At Beach Marketing, we specialise in helping Tier 1 to Tier 4 suppliers build marketing strategies that leverage the power of personas. Our persona mapping process ensures that your messaging is tailored to the specific needs of each decision-maker in the supply chain, whether you’re targeting engineers, procurement managers, or quality control specialists.
Complimentary Persona Mapping Workshop
By combining persona-driven insights with targeted marketing activities—such as technical content, case studies, and email campaigns—we help you stand out in the crowded manufacturing supply chain. And right now, we’re offering a complimentary half-day persona mapping workshop to help you better understand your audience and tailor your marketing strategy for maximum impact.
To book your sessions, fill out our contact form below and take the first step towards building stronger connections with OEM’s and key decision-makers across the supply chain.
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