How to Market and Sell Manufacturing Software

Does your company provide manufacturing SaaS (software)? Learn how to market and sell manufacturing software.

Table of Contents

• Agenda from Webinar: How to Market and Sell to Manufacturers
• The State of Manufacturing Technology
• Preparing Your Team for Today's Modern Digitally-Driven Buyers
• Reinventing Yourself
• The New Digital Buyer’s Journey
• Subject Matter Experts, Teachers, Trusted Advisors, and Thought Leaders
• Engaging Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew
• Buyer Personas Explained and Their Benefits
• Navigating Marketing Resource Constraints
• Why Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew
• Q&A
• Finding Manufacturing Software Decision Makers [Webinar Excerpt]
• Identifying Manufacturing Technology Requirements [Webinar Excerpt]
• Should Manufacturing SaaS Startups Use LinkedIn? [Webinar Excerpt]
• Buyer Old-School Manufacturing Marketing and Sales [Webinar Excerpt]
• Recommended Resources

A while back, SP Home Run hosted a webinar on How to Market and Sell to Manufacturers. (Preview Webinar for Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew)

For founders, marketers, sales, customer success, and product professionals -- the whole go-to-market (GTM) team -- at manufacturing software (SaaS) startups, scaleups, and small businesses

Including ISVs (independent software vendors) in manufacturing software such as computer-aided manufacturing, ERP (enterprise resource planning), manufacturing intelligence, material requirements planning (MRP), manufacturing execution systems (MES), production scheduling software, and quality management software (QMS).

Learning Objectives:

You’ll learn how to

• Integrate your sales process into the daily routines of CEOs and owners of SMB manufacturing companies
• Quantify the total addressable market for different roles within manufacturing companies
• Size up how your manufacturing software fits in with manufacturers’ biggest challenges, growth trends, industry opportunities, and technology gaps
• Adapt your sales process to support manufacturers’ buying process
• Jumpstart your go-to-market to achieve more sustainable product-market fit and go-to-market fit

Editor’s Note:

Kindly distribute this resource page among your go-to-market team, particularly those in marketing, sales, customer success, and product.

Achieving alignment and ensuring everyone is on the same page is paramount. If this guide can contribute even in a small way towards achieving that alignment and fostering a unified approach, it will have a significant and positive impact.

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Agenda from Webinar: How to Market and Sell to Manufacturers

The methods by which manufacturing companies conduct research and make purchasing decisions have undergone significant changes. 

This fact has been recognized by prominent players in the technology industry, who are actively emphasizing it:

• According to Gartner, a substantial 83% of the typical B2B purchase decision, which includes researching, comparing options, and evaluating pricing, occurs before a potential buyer engages with a vendor.
• McKinsey's findings reveal that 70% to 80% of B2B decision-makers now prefer to make digital decisions.
• In collaboration with Edelman, LinkedIn has determined that while thought leadership remains crucial for customer engagement, breaking through the overwhelming amount of information has become increasingly challenging.

However, most manufacturing SaaS startups, scaleups, and small businesses are ill-prepared to address this once-in-a-generation shift in purchasing behavior, which is rapidly approaching regardless of their readiness.

That is precisely why we organized this webinar:: to assist you and your team in developing the necessary skills and staying relevant to the preferences of manufacturing executives when it comes to purchasing.

• First, you'll learn about the state of manufacturing technology. 
• And you'll learn about the total addressable market (TAM) across the most common ideal client profiles (ICPs).
• You'll also discover some key market trends that some government bodies, trade groups, and research firms are pointing to, These trends can help you focus your product roadmap in the coming years.
• You'll learn what you can do to prepare your team for today's buyers. Why? Because manufacturing executives buy very, very differently than they did as recently as three, four, or five years ago.
• You'll discover how to more successfully engage with Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew -- the CEO, owner, partner, or lead person of a small- to mid-sized manufacturing firm.
• You'll get introduced to some recommended resources. And you'll get answers to some of the most common questions on marketing and selling manufacturing software.

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The State of Manufacturing Technology

As you learn about the current state of manufacturing technology, you'll discover

• Different types of manufacturing job roles in the industry
• Research and development activities
• Company size
• The economic influence of manufacturing spending
• Job growth and vacancies
• Government regulations
• Industry trends
• Business trends to keep an eye on.

Topics covered include the 

• Number of LinkedIn members in the manufacturing industry,
• How LinkedIn categorizes subcategories within manufacturing,
• The most popular job titles, seniorities, and functions within manufacturing
• The research and development of manufacturing companies and their sizes
• The impact of manufacturing on the overall U.S. economy
• The number of unfilled manufacturing jobs
• The impact of federal regulations on manufacturers
• The latest manufacturing industry trends from Deloitte and Gartner

Read the full guide on the State of Manufacturing Technology 

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Preparing Your Team for Today's Modern, Digitally-Driven Buyers

Given all this, how can you prepare your team for today's manufacturing software buyers? 

Because the reality is your clients and prospects have completely changed how they research and purchase technology. 

Gartner found that 83% of a typical purchase decision, all the research, comparing options, and evaluating pricing, now happens before a potential buyer engages with a vendor. 

If you are in the U.S. and know some baseball fans, you're likely familiar with the idea of innings. If you're a basketball or football fan, it's the same analogy with quarters. Let's stick with innings for now.

Imagine your company sponsors an event, and your sales team is persona non grata, not welcome anywhere near the stadium during the early and middle parts of the game.

So, despite the fact you're paying the bill, security doesn't allow your sales professionals into the stadium -- into the suite -- until the bottom of the seventh inning  -- after the seventh inning stretch, 

Can you imagine that? You're footing the bill -- and the people you invited, who are on your guest list, don't want you around until the bottom of the seventh fending. That's what's going on. 

Reinventing Yourself

So it would be best if you had a way to reinvent yourself to make yourself relevant again. 

So you have an essential role in the pre-game and the first seven innings, the first 83% of the buyer's journey. (Gartner's research)

And this isn't just a few people. 70% to 80%, the overwhelming majority of B2B decision makers now prefer to decide digitally. (McKinsey's research)

So what does this mean? 

If you're ignoring everything at your own peril, it's a tiny slice of the market.

Maybe 20% of manufacturing executives are deciding what to do with manufacturing software at the next offline trade show or golf tournament.

The outliers may still be influenced by a piece of direct mail or a cold call.

The New Digital Buyer’s Journey

But for everyone else, the buyer's journey changed dramatically. 

LinkedIn and Edelman have found that thought leadership is a huge, huge part of getting that customer engagement. But it's getting more complicated than ever to break through that noise. 

So what can you do?

Most manufacturing software and IT service providers must prepare to confront these once-in-a-generation changes in buyer behavior. 

Because, in many ways, your best prospects and customers look to Alexa and Google, webinars, social, review websites, and streaming podcasts, -- on their phones for answers. 

This massive behavior change has been challenging for legacy teams stuck in the past, messaging people -- cold messaging all day long on LinkedIn and begging for 15-minute meetings to pitch their product or service. 

Begging for attention is not how you want to present yourself. 

Subject Matter Experts, Teachers, Trusted Advisors, and Thought Leaders

But these changes provide incredible opportunities for go-to-market teams at manufacturing SaaS companies that can position themselves as subject matter experts, teachers, trusted advisors, and thought leaders. 

So can you do that? 

It's crucial to recognize that jumpstarting your go-to-market is critical for early-stage companies that still need product/market fit and go-to-market fit. 

Early software startups often need to learn who their buyers are, the price points, the quantities and services, and the frequency of purchases. And these are all essential things to figure out and accelerate as much as possible.

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Engaging Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew

Buyer personas are crucial for businesses looking to stand out, attract, and engage with their ideal clients. 

So let’s explore the significance of buyer personas and how they can contribute to the success of your go-to-market strategy. You’ll also be introduced to a cost-effective solution for gaining expert customer insights, even if your company lacks executive-level marketing personnel or the budget for large marketing agency retainers.

Buyer Personas Explained and Their Benefits

For some background:
A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal client or stakeholder. 

It is based on extensive research and educated speculation. Developing accurate buyer personas is essential for achieving relevance and differentiation in a competitive marketplace. When competing for attention in a crowded digital space, standing out and capturing the interest of your target audience becomes paramount.

To effectively capture the attention of potential clients, you need to offer prospects something relevant and valuable. Generic marketing messages often get lost in the noise. 

Instead, you can establish a deeper connection and increase engagement by tailoring your marketing efforts to align with your buyer personas' specific needs, preferences, and pain points.

To create accurate buyer personas, analyze social profiles, posts, and search engine footprints of target customers and prospects. 

Social media and search results provide essential signals that help you understand their behaviors, interests, and preferences. By leveraging these insights, you can develop targeted marketing strategies that resonate with your buyer personas, increasing the likelihood of capturing their attention and driving conversions.

Navigating Marketing Resource Constraints

For many businesses, allocating extensive time and resources to create effective go-to-market strategies can be challenging. 

Startups and smaller companies often lack the luxury of hiring high-level marketing executives or engaging marketing agencies. 

While marketing coordinators and administrators can handle various tasks, developing a comprehensive go-to-market plan requires expertise and experience that might not be readily available.

Why Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew

Manufacturer Matthew provides a cost-effective solution to address this challenge. 

Leveraging over 20 years of experience assisting SaaS companies, IT service providers, custom software developers, and consultancies, Manufacturer Matthew offers C-level agency-level expert customer insights without the hefty price tag. 

This solution particularly benefits bootstrapped businesses or those with limited resources who want to stay low-budget, but still gain valuable market insights.

Engaging with buyer personas is essential for businesses seeking to differentiate themselves and attract their ideal clients. 

By understanding the importance of relevance and utilizing insights from social media and search results, you can create targeted marketing strategies that stand out in a crowded digital landscape. 

Even with resource constraints, cost-effective solutions are available to help you develop effective go-to-market plans and drive business growth. Embrace the power of buyer personas and unlock the potential for success in your marketing endeavors.

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Q&A

Finding Manufacturing Software Decision Makers [Webinar Excerpt]

Does your company market and sell manufacturing software? Learn how to find highly-qualified manufacturing software decision-makers [Webinar Excerpt].

(see: Finding Manufacturing Software Decision Makers [Webinar Excerpt])

Identifying Manufacturing Technology Requirements [Webinar Excerpt]

Does your company market and sell manufacturing technology? Learn how to identify manufacturing technology requirements.

(see: Identifying Manufacturing Technology Requirements [Webinar Excerpt])

Should Manufacturing SaaS Startups Use LinkedIn? [Webinar Excerpt]

Are you part of a manufacturing SaaS startup? Learn whether manufacturing SaaS startups should use LinkedIn.

(see: Should Manufacturing SaaS Startups Use LinkedIn? [Webinar Excerpt])

Buyer Old-School Manufacturing Marketing and Sales [Webinar Excerpt]

Do you provide manufacturing technology? Are you considering using old-school manufacturing marketing and sales tactics?

(see: Old-School Manufacturing Marketing and Sales [Webinar Excerpt])

Other Related Blog Post 

• Digital Marketing for Manufacturers and Distributors -- Do you work at a manufacturing or distribution company? If so, how is your digital marketing adapting to stay relevant? Read this post and watch the video.

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Recommended Resources

The Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew training course includes the following:

1. Blueprint  with goals and plans and challenges, skills identifiers, conferences, and LinkedIn Groups that are most influential in the space
2. Getting Started Training-- Throughout nine lessons with a handful of worksheets, you get exposed to some essential considerations for acting on this kind of customer insight. Plus, you'll get access to market intelligence across what to do with the information about their goals and challenges, job title alternatives, LinkedIn Groups they belong to, and how they identify themselves and where they hang out online and offline. The Getting Started Training helps you with crucial messaging soundbites to test in your cold outreach, what the decision maker thrives at, and identifiers so your marketing and sales team knows they're talking to the right person. Goals plus challenges to infuse into your content, lead generation, nurturing, website copywriting, and product marketing. If you're doing copywriting and strategy for your website and don't have this framework, it's likely egos and guesses. And you may not be resonating nearly as well as you need to stand out in crowded marketplaces. What are the identifiers for building out paid social campaigns? Plus, get introduced to the communities and publications that matter most to Manufacturer Matthew.
3. Ask Me Anything Live Q&A Workshop -- Plus, get access to the recording and transcript.

Training Tools and Resources (Courses)

• Enroll in Buyer Persona: Manufacturer Matthew
• Enroll in Go-to-Market Strategy Reboot Camp

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