Does your company sell software, hardware, telecommunications, or professional services to manufacturers?
If so, you almost certainly need to identify each prospect’s or client’s unique manufacturing technology requirements as part of your sales process.
However, if handled poorly, this discovery work can quickly crossover into free consulting.
The following post is excerpted from a webinar: How to Market and Sell to Manufacturers
Whether you belong to a startup, scaleup, or small enterprise involved in computer-aided manufacturing, enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing intelligence, material requirements planning (MRP), manufacturing execution systems (MES), production scheduling software, or quality management software (QMS), it is irrelevant.
You’ll still need to pinpoint your manufacturing client’s technology requirements.
At a recent webinar, during the Q&A session, I was asked:
Q: How do you get manufacturing prospects and customers to identify their IT requirements?
In this video, you will learn how to get prospects and customers to identify their requirements.
Different types of manufacturers often need to think through their specific needs.
Before engaging in sales conversations, take these actions to make a significant impact:
- Use content
- Offer on-demand courses
- Establish an academy
- Conduct inexpensive workshops
- Encourage discussions among key stakeholders about the most critical issues
With precise requirements, you can help manufacturing prospects define their needs.
A: Each type of manufacturer has different IT requirements.
So often, manufacturing executives have yet to think these needs and requirements through.
If they have different requirements, and they have not thought these through, there's probably something that you can do before you even get to a sales conversation, that will make a remarkable difference.
You could potentially do this with content to get everyone aligned around how you see and how you navigate this discovery or diagnostic process,
You could have an on-demand course.
You could build an academy.
You could sell relatively inexpensive workshops where you help facilitate this conversation among the key stakeholders to get them talking about the issues that matter most.
But all of it leans towards:
If you don't understand the requirements because they don't know them, there is an opportunity for you to take an active role in helping them figure out their needs.
Other Related Blog Posts
- 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.
- 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.
- How to Market and Sell Manufacturing Software --- Do you provide manufacturing SaaS (software)? Learn how to market and sell manufacturing software.
- Old-School Manufacturing Marketing and Sales [Webinar Excerpt] --- Do you provide manufacturing technology? Are you considering using old-school manufacturing marketing and sales tactics?
- Should Manufacturing SaaS Startups Use LinkedIn? [Webinar Excerpt] --- Are you part of a manufacturing SaaS startup? Learn whether manufacturing SaaS startups should use LinkedIn.
- The State of Manufacturing Technology [Webinar Excerpt] --- Does your company provide manufacturing technology or software? Learn about the State of Manufacturing Technology.
Training Tools and Resources (Courses)
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Learn More When You Watch the Full Recording
How to Market and Sell to Manufacturers (Watch the Webinar Recording)
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