Marketing for manufacturers — Don’t be too ‘smart’…

On day two of our Marketing for manufacturers series, Rene Rose explains that while product specs and other technical metrics might interest you, your customers’ interests probably lie elsewhere.  

For the analytical types out there, you might think that now is a good time to stop reading this article. Wrong. It may sit uncomfortably outside the realms of your comfort zone but let’s give it a go!

I first fell in love with industrial marketing when I started work in a marketing position at a gearbox manufacturer. They were selling ‘drive technology’ – something I had related to ‘tech in cars’ at that stage. However, this was not so. In fact, it referred to industrial gearboxes driving conveyors, pumps, mixers, agitators, etc. You could find them in mines, bottling plants, food processing, agriculture, under elevators and escalators and heaven forbid – in sewage plants!

The story of Cinderella comes to mind. These hunks were working down below and behind-the-scenes in dirty and tireless efforts to drive the economy, deliver profits for so many glitzy executive annual report meetings and would result in the ringing of the bell at the stock exchange for many Porsche drivers.

Their story was unsexy and untold. Their work however was ground-breaking, and their technology was smarter than anything I had ever seen.

Unbeknown to me at the time, these hunks of steel would become a subject of adoration for me. The people selling it were already in love with the product and their customers bought it for a few key reasons: Price, quality and often relationships with the team. I knew there was more and that the story had to be told.

So, how do you get the buyer/customer/consumer of a product to choose you? You may have a great salesperson but what if that person is no longer there? You may have a great product but what if someone else has the same product at the same price point?

The key lies in brand value.

A brand is the company’s story. We even refer to a “brand personality” – if this brand were a person how would it come across? It encapsulates the stories of the people and the technology in a way that speaks to customers. Ask yourself what type of stories you remember? Stories with a human touch or that reveal a hidden fact or personality of the subject are often most memorable.

It is never a story filled to the brim with kW, torque ratings, codes, dashes, readings and a list of features and benefits.

Technology companies often get wrapped up in their own technology.

They get very excited about the latest variant of a product which usually has a longer product label with a couple of numbers and dashes thrown in for good measure. The thing is this…those specification sheets and product labels are only interesting to you!

A customer has no interest in asking you about a specific model and series. They are more likely to leave those tech skills up to the sales or engineering person from your company. What they want to know is “what can this do for me? How does this make MY business better and my life easier?” Note that here I have not asked how it works or what combination to assemble it in.

For any customer, the bottom line is always the bottom line. How does this improve my business, how does this give me more time, why should I use this product over what I already have?

A good marketing person has the knack for taking your specification sheet and finding the bottom line. The bottom line is usually short and to the point, memorable and easy to understand.

You don’t have a second chance to make a first impression.

Make sure the info you serve is so easy to digest it makes the customer feel smart… not the other way round.

Keep the smart stuff and the tech for further down the line in a face-to-face meeting with an engineer who would find it equally interesting. 

In conclusion my advice would be, don’t be too smart in your marketing communication. 

The only one impressed will be you.

Picture: Rene Rose

Rene Rose is Managing Partner at Positive Pty Ltd and a traditional B2B marketing specialist.

@AuManufacturing’s Marketing for manufacturers series is brought to you through

the support of Whyte Public Relations and the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre.

Subscribe to our free @AuManufacturing newsletter here.