Recently, our manufacturing creative agency joined forces with Industry Today to participate in a webinar discussing the role that messaging plays for manufacturers. Featuring a number of other industry experts, the overwhelming consensus pulled from the webinar was that manufacturers that wish to stay relevant with customers must update any and all outdated messaging. This requires a thorough reevaluation of all branding and marketing materials from the logo to the website and everything in between.
Titled “Manufacturers: Is Your Outdated Messaging Costing You Customers?” the webinar featured our president, Paul Kiesche, along with other industry professionals and manufacturing copywriters, including:
• Susan Poeton from Industry Today
• Jessica Clark from The Content Creamery
• Todd Hockenberry from Top Line Results
• David Caron from Industrial Sage
The first portion of the webinar was a presentation delivered by Kiesche and Clark. It opened with a brief overview of the industry and acknowledged the fact that because so many manufacturers have been in business for 25, 50, even 100 years, they tend to rely on outdated content more than other industries. While this tactic might have worked in the past, the reality is that the industry is far more saturated than it used to be. For this reason, manufacturers must update their messaging to stay ahead of the competition. Even companies that claim to still generate sales despite using outdated branding and content are undoubtedly limiting their potential in the long term.
Companies should evaluate all of their messaging across the board, including
• Branding
• Website
• Collateral and sales material
• Events and exhibits
• Catalogs
• Email marketing
• Presentations
• Social media
• Press releases
• Blog
• Internal communications
The presentation then covered all of the touchpoints that manufacturers need to address when updating their messaging. This includes everything from updated customer personas to company differentiators and unique selling propositions (USPs). Once company leaders meet and collectively agree on these identifiers, they can then execute the strategy in-house. However, for companies that lack in-house marketing departments or cannot allocate the time and resources it takes to do a quality messaging overhaul, manufacturers can elect the help of an industrial creative agency that offers manufacturing content writers.
Branding also plays a key role in messaging and manufacturers must ensure that their logo isn’t holding them back. No matter how updated the content itself may be, if a logo looks like it was created 20 years ago, this will keep any company trapped in the past. Even if you are the most cutting-edge company in terms of your services and capabilities, customers will evaluate your branding first. And if it looks outdated, they’ll automatically question your abilities to meet their current and contemporary needs.
Following the presentation, Poeton hosted a panelist discussion featuring Hockenberry and Caron. Some of the many topics discussed include:
• How manufacturers can reframe their messaging to emphasize the customer experience over the product. This is a key tactic manufacturers should use to stand out. In an industry that’s largely defined by commodity products, companies must differentiate themselves by discussing how their service and ways of conducting business add value for the customer.
• Considering the “why” when it comes to any form of customer engagement. Customers do not want sales pitches and will actively avoid companies that try to push them. Instead, manufacturers must align their messaging with customers’ actual needs. This requires an updated and accurate customer profile that details who the ideal customer is and what exactly they want from a company like yours.
This Industry Today article further discusses the webinar and why manufacturers need to make the message a top priority. You can also watch the full webinar right here on this page.
Now is a prime opportunity for manufacturers to reevaluate themselves and decide what kind of message they want to deliver in 2021 and beyond. Though it’s certainly a challenge, there is also good news: there are manufacturing copywriters who not only have a way with words, but also fully understand the industry and can help you craft the right message.
