June 2016 - The Repp Group

Inbound Marketing for Industrial is Not a One-Trick Pony

Inbound marketing for industrial can be tempting. Do not think it can work in a vacuum. It has to work with traditional channels to be successful

Many times my business peers accuse me of just promoting content or inbound marketing for an industrial marketing strategy.

I guess that is the hazard of passion.

You bet…I am excited about inbound marketing for industrial, but I have never advocated JUST inbound marketing as the only channel to market.

I am excited about the early adaptors of inbound marketing for my industrial marketing friends. Long term, a coherent inbound marketing strategy can build a significant competitive advantage…or, as I call it, a “digital moat”.

However, inbound marketing alone will not provide sustainable marketing success.

No way…

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Industrial Marketers: Time to Outsource Your Content Marketing?

Content marketing for industrial is now common. However, success is allusive for a fresh industrial marketing strategy. Try outside help for relief.

You felt like a real visionary. You remember several stocks in emerging industries and you, almost, bought them at a reasonable price. You quickly calculate what your earnings would be today if you pulled the trigger on that 100-bagger. You think, “I could retire”

“Oh well.”

Again, the creative juices are flowing. You feel on top of the marketing world because you have put in the due diligence to stay on top of industrial marketing trends. Again, you feel like a visionary. You feel like you are ahead of the crowd. After many late nights “off the clock”, you decide on a marketing automation platform and cobble together a content marketing strategy…in your mind.

You then put together a plan and get a budget approved by your owners. You spruce up your industrial brand, you re-design your website to trumpet your new brand message. You purchase your marketing automation license and start producing content to deploy on your shining new software platform.

“Boy o boy, is this marketing dashboard cool!”

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Inbound Marketing for Industrial. Could of, Would of, Should of

Questioning inbound marketing for industrial? It is critical to take a long view. In 5 years, don’t say, “I could have…would have…should have”.

Remember, a few years ago, when you had the urge to purchase Google or Apple stock and simply did not have the money or the guts to pull the trigger?

Five years from now, you will have a similar feeling.

You will watch as your industrial competitor fully embraces inbound or content marketing for industrial. You will, admirably, look at the digital moat he has built around his business by deploying quality, helpful, content that his prospects and customers love.

You watch, with anger, as his web pages rank much higher for the most critical keywords in your industry.

You watch, in envy, as he collects all the leads from the web by attracting more visitors to his website and turning them into customers using proven inbound marketing tactics.

Now…Imagine five years from now you took a critical look at your industrial marketing strategy today. You decided to pull the trigger and embrace inbound marketing for industrial.

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How to Reach Your Millennial Industrial Buyer

There are many reasons to embrace inbound marketing for industrial. From a statistical & demographic approach, this is the best reason. Millennials.

If you have read any of my blog, you know I promote inbound marketing for industrial. I often begin my argument with something like, “Your industrial buyer’s behavior has changed”.

Or…”Your industrial buyer starts the traditional buyer’s journey with search…you greet them with great content.”

Or…”One of the best ways to improve your industrial brand is by producing quality, helpful content that greets your online prospects.”

All valid arguments.

However, it just hit me today at I watched the CBS Morning News.

Probably the best and most valid reason to engage inbound marketing for industrial is the fact that your baby-boomer buyer is now replaced by the largest working demographic…the millennials.

80 million of them, according to the US Census.

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Industrial Marketing Strategy Need Help? Watch Donald Trump

Business owners on a mission to freshen up their industrial marketing strategy, can learn a whole lot from Donald Trump’s Presidential campaign.

Allow me to start with one of my favorite quotes from Guy Kawasaki, former Apple marketer & venture capitalist:

“If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing. If you have more brains than money, you should focus on inbound marketing.”

Love him or hate him, it is fair to say that Donald has some good grey matter between his ears…or under his hair. It is also fair to say we are watching traditional marketing and communications disrupted in a massive way.

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