Web
Marketing Solutions
for Manufacturing and Logistics Companies
If your website hasn't reduced
the costs of outside sales leads by at least 30%, and improved the ability
of your sales organizations to close sales, then your site is a liability,
not an asset.
I have visited thousands of manufacturing sites. It amazes
me that an industry which could gain so much from the web has done so
little to use it for growing their business. In some cases, just a
few hours' effort could turn a site from an embarrassment into a real
performer.
What is the state of manufacturer adoption
of e-business as of 2005?
83%-88% of marketing executives consider
e-business important for the current needs of their company.
Growing sales and market share are top
priorities in 2005. 60% or more of
manufacturers re-designing their web site and performing
some sort of Search Engine or similar marketing strategy.
45% of manufacturers do not measure the
return on their-business investments.
A clear understanding of customer needs,
coupled with internal e-business skills and executive buy-in
are the top factors that contribute to e-business success.
A weak e-business strategy, lack of
funding and weak internal skills are the top barriers to
success.
Source: "Manufacturers Embrace E-Business" by
SVM Solns.
What is the problem?
I have taken a look1 at the approach used by most of these and
there are several patterns that emerge:
Weak strategy and confusion about web business2.
Listen. I breath this stuff daily and still learn a huge
amount every week. There is much to learn and you're running a
business.
Weak internal skills and lack of time2.
How many hats do you wear? I understand totally.
Lack of funding for web marketing efforts, or risk-aversion to them.
This is understandable. This is why I offer a money-back guarantee
on my labor for the first 30 days.
The site was done by an outside contractor,
and abandoned as is.
This may indicate that someone inside the organization realized
the importance of a professional site, but it was thought of as a
one-time effort. Luckily most are planning to re-design their site
in 20052.
A site was created by a professional
originally, and internal staff have taken it over. That
staff does not measure the impacts of their efforts, so changes are
haphazard.
Mistakes made most often:
Assuming your web designer / webmaster knows web marketing
techniques.
Setting up a website that does not provide measurement and feedback.
Not using the information provided by your site to make changes.
Services I offer to manufacturers:
Lay of the land study. Site Survey/Audit.
What is your potential? What are the problems that jump out on
your site?
Leads Strategy Plan. How will you get the leads that
turn into good customers from your website.
Leads System. Sending you GOOD leads for probably about
20% of what you're paying now.
Leads Distribution. Automatically get web leads to the
right people in sales.
Better Leads, distributed fast, for
less money.
If you do this right, you can cut your per-lead costs by as
much as 90% while improving the quality of every one. At
the same time, leads are distributed to the right salesperson
within minutes.
Web Marketing Services for Manufacturers:
Web site review (design issues, performance, etc.)
SEO review (web positions, problems, recommendations)
Headache
Free Pay-Per-Visitor packages with measurement and tuning.
Pay Per Call marketing solutions with measurement.