Manufacturers are increasingly open to exploring digital ecommerce as a means to accelerate sales. However, many of these are mostly driven by B2B sales and as a result, spend little time and money on marketing beyond a website, digital brochures/catalogs, trade events, etc.
Industrial manufacturers, medical device/supply manufacturers, and the like should learn from their consumer goods manufacturing cousins when it comes to marketing to achieve sales success. The B2B buying journey is complex and can’t be simplified through a purely digital storefront. In order to attract new customers as well as retain and grow wallet share with existing customers, manufacturers must market across a multi-channel landscape.
The top four reasons manufacturers need a multi-channel integrated sales and marketing approach.
Seamless Communication and Collaboration
Aligning sales and marketing in manufacturing fosters seamless communication and collaboration between the teams. By working closely together, these departments can develop a comprehensive understanding of customer needs, market trends, and the competitive landscape in the ecommerce realm.
Aleran’s platform enables shared data, consistent messaging and a coordinated customer digital experience by integrating with CRM’s including Salesforce and through a centralized reporting dashboard.
Also, by having individual personalized online commerce platforms per customer that are also optimized for Search Engine Optimization, B2B manufacturing sales and marketing teams can better track SEO impact as well as refinements in the B2B customer journey.
Optimal Lead Generation and Conversion
Aligning sales and marketing efforts in manufacturing facilitates more effective lead generation and conversion. Through strategic digital marketing initiatives like targeted online advertising, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO), manufacturers can attract high-quality leads to their ecommerce platforms. By integrating marketing tools with the sales team’s customer relationship management (CRM) system via the Aleran platform, both teams have better visibility into which sales channels are performing for different B2B audiences and also further helps personalize the lead qualification experience.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Sales and marketing generate a wealth of data that, when analyzed collectively, can drive informed decision making. By aligning these two components, manufacturing companies gain a holistic view of their customers, identify patterns and trends, and make data-driven adjustments to their ecommerce strategies. This alignment enables better understanding of customer preferences, improved targeting, and the ability to optimize marketing campaigns based on real-time sales feedback. Manufacturers using Aleran can then allocate their resources effectively, refine their messaging, and achieve higher returns on their digital ecommerce marketing investments.
Increased Return on Investment (ROI)
The alignment between sales and marketing directly impacts the return on investment in the ecommerce realm. A synchronized approach enables targeted marketing efforts that attract high-quality B2B leads, resulting in reduced time and effort required for sales representatives to convert leads into customers. By working in synergy, sales and digital marketing teams optimize their strategies, minimize wasted resources, and achieve a higher ROI on ecommerce marketing spend. Aleran’s integrations from CRMs to ERPs and more, facilitates this optimization and increased ROI.
Takeaway
In the fiercely competitive market, the need for sales and marketing alignment is vital for manufacturing companies to achieve revenue success. Collaboration, communication, and a shared understanding of customer needs play a pivotal role in this pursuit.
By aligning sales and marketing efforts, manufacturers can streamline their operations, enhance their online customer experience and digital ecommerce, optimize lead generation and conversion, make data-driven decisions, and ultimately achieve higher returns on their marketing investments. Embracing sales and marketing alignment is not just a choice but an imperative for manufacturers seeking to thrive in the dynamic world of multi-channel sales.
