/ / HOW TO USE YOUR EXISTING MARKETING MATERIAL

To Generate More Leads And Grow Your Sales

Cold calling, trade shows and industry magazines were once the preferred tactics for lead generation in the manufacturing industry.

However, studies have shown that the effectiveness of this tactic is diminishing at a rapid rate. There is a good chance that the way you once generate sales is not that effective anymore.

The way your customer makes their purchasing decision is changing. A Gartner study revealed that B2B buyers are at least 57% through their purchasing process BEFORE they first reach out to a vendor, and that number is growing.

Become a part of their research

That means your potential customer is asking questions and researching on their own when looking for answers to their problems. In most cases, your sales team are not involved until they are halfway through making a decision! So where are they getting their information from, and how can your company be a part of their research?

Chances are the leaders in your industry may not have the best product. Still, they will have a proven and repeatable way to educate and promote to their most profitable customer. They will leverage their marketing content to gain exposure via industry websites, trade journals and online search ranking. They become a part of their customer's research and can shape the buying criteria during this research phase.

The secret weapon we use

A secret weapon we use to get in front of target customers is syndicated content. It is a fast way for manufacturers to create awareness and drive interest in new products with extraordinary results. In this short article, we will reveal what syndicated content is and how you can use it to grow your sales pipeline.

Let people know about your offer

The idea of marketing your business to lead customers to your door is universally understood. You can manufacture a world-class product, but if the world is unaware of your product, then your opportunity is significantly limited. Apply that same principle to your content to reach a broader audience. Your white paper or case study contains information and valuable knowledge that will build trust and credibility with your potential customers. Most businesses will overlook the power of content syndication when planning to increase their brand awareness.

You can create a considerable amount of interest and sales leads by simply leveraging the marketing assets you already own. All viable industries will have numerous websites, associations, magazines and social platforms that are always looking for fresh content. This is the perfect way to get your product in front of ideal customers in the market to purchase.

Your R&D department is a well of content

Manufacturers should tap into their R&D departments to highlight the research and benefits to their customers. Leverage your invested knowledge to educate your audience, and you’ll position your company as the go-to industry experts. A single piece of content can be used and recycled many times to realise its maximum potential to the business.

For example, a case study can be used to create a short-form article, a website video, an infographic and potentially a downloadable e-book. These assets are then used on other websites or social media to extend the reach and impact of your brand and sales pipeline.

Sales team efficiency

The days of relying on a traditional sales team to personally distribute your message are coming to an end. The efficiency that digital distribution provides is far more powerful and cost-effective. This does not mean that sales teams are no longer required. However, the early stage top of funnel work is better serviced via digital means.

The digital model eliminates time spent on low probability sales and allows teams to focus on the valuable opportunities that have a higher probability of closing. Sales teams become more efficient as they maximise their time on real sales opportunities.

More Website Traffic

Another benefit to syndicating your content is the improved Google ranking and SEO results that you’ll achieve as a by-product. When Google sees that your content is referenced on relevant industry websites, a clear message is received. Your rankings will be rewarded with increased organic traffic to your website. You may have heard that Google is not a fan of duplicate content, which is true. There is a method you will need to follow that lets Google know that you are the original owner to avoid ranking penalties.

Here you can read Google’s instructions to find out more.

The 2 paths to Content Syndication

As with most things in life, there is an easy way and a hard way of getting your content syndicated. The approach we take with our clients is a mix of both. Free syndication takes a lot of leg work and good old perseverance. Create a list of industry sites you would like to share your content with.

Paid content syndication is via platforms like Outbrain, Taboola and Scoop.it. The way they work is very much like Google ads. You set a budget for clicks or impressions and then identify the audience you would like to target. The magic of big data analytics will promote your content to the right people. Remember to use the appropriate geographic location in your distribution.

Expert tips that I will share

We have found that the conversion rates coming from promoted content are much higher when you create a content relevant landing page. Avoid sending traffic to a page where the reader has to find the content that attracted them in the first place. They simply won’t.

The second point is that paid syndication will not help with your SEO. All search engines, including Google, will view the content is an advert and not as a real backlink. You won’t see any ranking benefit, but you will receive more targeted website traffic.

Timing is everything

The truth is, syndicated content is one of the secret weapons we regularly use to get our clients in front of the right people at the right time. By raising brand awareness in your target market, you can shape perceptions and product positioning. Every business should leverage their content to maximise results, starting immediately. It is an easy first step to develop consistent communications. Compile a list of websites and organisations to reach out to and don’t forget our expert tip regarding your landing page. That one tip will make all the difference to your metrics and is vital to ensure extraordinary success for your business.

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