It is common business knowledge that it costs your company more time and money to attract new customers than it does to keep your current customers returning. Industry experts estimate that it is five times more expensive to chase new customers, which is borne out by customer retention statistics.



This article will provide you with some suggestions for your company's customer retention efforts, which will improve your bottom line.

E-Pax Systems, an environmental technology company founded in 2000 in Los Angeles, California, specializes in bailing and compaction equipment for commercial and industrial waste handling applications. While the company has an established product line, it also has a unique offering--rolling compactors for reducing air pockets in dumpsters for significant cost savings. However, they faced a sales challenge.

Doesn't it seem like talk of a recession has been going on for years now? Though it has yet to materialize in the post-COVID era, businesses are keeping a wary eye on the news, and that news can be confounding. One day, we have a great jobs report, the next a terrible industrial production report. The Federal Reserve finally lowered rates--great! But is it enough? And then there' s the election: could we be facing worse inflation? More tariffs? Boom times or recession? All of it leaving many in business development to ponder if they should pause investment until things get better--or at least more certain.

In the fast-paced industrial sector, where relationships and timing can make or break deals, we often emphasize the big moves -- massive outreach campaigns, market expansion strategies, or product launches. But there's an underappreciated aspect of success in sales and marketing that many overlook: the impact of small, seemingly insignificant data updates.



It's easy to dismiss a job title change or an updated phone number as trivial, but in reality, these little details can dramatically affect how you approach a prospect, your success rate, and how you close deals. Plus missing out on these changes can cost your organization big money. Let's take a look at some real-world scenarios that show how small data shifts can give you a competitive edge in the industrial sector.

In our post On the Road Again: The Power of Face-to-Face Meetings in Industrial Sales, we shared some intriguing stats on the value of in-person meetings for industrial salespeople, finding that even as the business world continues to embrace digital tools, in-person meetings are experiencing a resurgence in the post-pandemic world.

Are you struggling to close deals in the competitive industrial sector? Just as businesses began to recover from the pandemic's massive economic impact, a new looming recession in 2024 began to bring on more uncertainty. This involves layoffs and budget cuts. Because of this, B2B sales in 2024 requires a more thorough approach and needing a clear strategy to win more deals in the B2B industrial sector.

Email remains one of the most powerful tools for B2B marketers, especially in the industrial sector. However, the effectiveness of email campaigns heavily depends on the ability to reach the intended recipients' inboxes. With the increasing sophistication of spam filters and the ever-present threat of phishing and spoofing, ensuring that your emails are authenticated properly is crucial. This is where SPF, DKIM, and DMARC come into play.

In the competitive landscape of industrial sales, the power of a referral cannot be overstated. A referral acts as a bridge of trust between a potential client and your business, often leading to appointments that are more likely to convert into sales. Today, we're unpacking some effective strategies for increasing sales referrals to help you significantly boost your appointment bookings, enhance sales efficiency, and increase customer acquisition.

The digital age has ushered in a plethora of tools and platforms that have transformed the way salespeople interact with potential clients. Emails, video conferences, and social media have become staples in the sales toolkit, offering convenience and a broad reach. This, of course, intensified during the pandemic, leaving in-person meetings out in the cold. Now, however, face-to-face meetings in industrial sales are making a strong comeback. Today, we're exploring the latest statistics that support the enduring value of in-person interactions in industrial sales and examining some tricks and tools for maximizing the impact of your in-person meetings, and the #1 key to securing more in-person meetings.

Cold calling. It conjures fears of awkward pitches, immediate hang-ups, or outright rejection. But what if we told you it could be a powerful tool for generating leads and building relationships with potential customers? The truth is, many myths cloud the effectiveness of cold calling.

Roadblocks in appointment setting is a challenge you or your industrial sales team has likely come across. Roadblocks can come in many flavors such as long sales cycles, problems with identifying and reaching the right contact or working from an outdated database. Appointment setting is vital if you want the sales process to begin. It allows sales professionals to connect with potential clients, understand the needs of the prospect, and based on the needs, briefly discuss why this may be a good fit. A good way to secure the appointment. There are other effective appointment setting strategies. Let's take a look at a few more.

A large material handling and assembly solutions company located in the Southeast part of the U.S. was attempting to try new programs in order to reach new customers. With six experienced sales professionals covering a large territory including Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia, it became clear to the president that the company needed to find new avenues for uncovering sales leads to grow the business. But with the sales staff already stretched with managing current customers, the question the company needed to explore was, "Do we need to hire additional sales staff or can we find a more efficient...and even effective solution?"

While you might be hearing the countless numbers of prospects you talk with in a typical day, are you really listening to them? When you're hyper-focused on meeting your goals, it's a little too easy to fall into the trap of focusing on your product pitch rather than truly understanding the customer's needs. This is especially fatal in industrial B2B sales, where building long-term relationships with multiple stakeholders is the key to success. The fix? Here's the secret: the most successful salespeople have mastered the art of active listening: a critical skill that can transform your sales interactions. Let's dig in:

The sales funnel has long guided marketing and sales efforts, but its linear approach in increasingly falling short in today's customer-driven landscape. The funnel focuses on getting customers in the door, but what about keeping them there? The flywheel model, a dynamic strategy prioritizing customer satisfaction and loyalty, flips the script for B2B sales. What is it and how might this look for the average organization? Today, we're exploring the flywheel model in detail, examining its advantages, disadvantages, and providing a hypothetical scenario to understand the flywheel's transformative potential for businesses.

Industrial companies are constantly seeking ways to enhance their growth and expand their reach. One of the key decisions faced by businesses is whether to outsource their business development or expand their in-house team. Both options have their own merits and drawbacks, and it's essential to carefully evaluate which approach suits your company's specific needs and goals. With IndustrySelect's Prospecting Services, we focus on opening new doors for your sales team. We find qualified sales leads and work within the framework of your ideal customers. How can our services help your business continue to grow?

The southeast industrial air compressor distributor, the star of this story, stands out in the market with their reliable and proven product and service offerings, which has garnered them a loyal customer base over the years. With a professional tone, it is evident that whenever they have the opportunity to present their solutions to a prospect, more often than not, they succeed in converting them into new customers; whether that is new equipment sales, preventative maintenance plans, or current service needs. But that wasn't often enough. The challenge was this: How could the field sales engineering team grow their sales, get in the door and in front of potential industrial customers in their territories--often?

The new year is a time of renewal, reflection and resolution, but let's not forget it's also a time of opportunity - especially for B2B marketers who want to generate more leads and grow their business. But how can you capture the attention of your prospects and customers in the crowded inbox? How can you stand out from the generic "Happy New Year" messages and offer something valuable and relevant?

As an industrial sales and marketing leader, you may find yourself and your team frustrated with the responsibilities that come with constantly filling the sales funnel and pipeline. From prospecting and sales lead generation to nurturing and helping to close deals, it can be challenging to keep up with it all. This is where prospecting expertise in the industrial market can make a significant difference in your teams -- sales success. Together, we will explore the benefits of adding a dedicated team of hunters to the mix and help you determine if it's the right move for your business.

If you are a sales, marketing or business development professional in the B2B sector, you know how important email marketing is for your success. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach and engage with your prospects, customers and partners -- but also is among the most challenging and time-consuming tasks.



That's where AI comes in. AI can help you automate and optimize many aspects of your email marketing campaigns, saving you time and money, while increasing your conversions and revenue. AI can also help you create more relevant and personalized content for your audience, based on their behavior, preferences and needs. AI can even generate images for your emails that match your brand and message.

Are you currently working with the U.S. manufacturing market? If not, why not?



Manufacturing is an often-overlooked sector. That oversight could cost your company significant sales. The nearly 400,000 manufacturing companies in the United States have tremendous buying power.

Year-end marketing strategies play a pivotal role in driving sales, engaging customers, and setting the stage for the upcoming year. As the year draws to a close, businesses have the opportunity to capitalize on a variety of factors, from seasonal holidays to customer expectations. But how do you launch a holiday campaign that really fits in with your B2B business and doesn't stick out like an off-brand thumb? What steps can you take to ensure success? In this article, we will share some strategies, tactics, and even some unique campaign ideas that can help you make the most of your year-end marketing efforts.

In the industrial sector, appointment setting plays a crucial role in generating sales leads and driving revenue. It is a powerful strategy that helps businesses connect with potential customers, build relationships, and ensure an efficient sales process. However, appointment setting in the industrial sector can be a resource-intensive task. To optimize this process and achieve profitable results, businesses can implement highly-effective tactics and strategies. In this article, we will explore some appointment setting tactics that can help sales teams enhance their sales pipeline and maximize success.

In the retail world, we all know Black Friday as an iconic day where shoppers storm stores and websites in pursuit of the year's best deals. But what about B2B marketers who primarily cater to manufacturers and suppliers? No longer just the domain of big box stores on the day after Thanksgiving, the Black Friday "season" provides a strategic opportunity for all marketers -- even those in industrial B2B. Applying the right strategies, however, it crucial to attaining real results from your campaign. Our in-depth guide provides everything you need, from winning strategies and timing your campaign to exclusive campaign ideas to get your prospects gobbling up your best deals this season.

In industrial sales and marketing, you know the stakes are high and competition fierce, and understanding your clients' unique needs and priorities is paramount. As the year draws to a close, many businesses zero in on the crucial process of budget planning for the upcoming year. For industrial sales and marketing professionals, the ability to secure a share of these budgets hinges on more than just offering valuable solutions; it requires aligning those offerings precisely with the budgets and priorities of your target clients. In this article, we'll explore how data analytics can be a game-changer in achieving this alignment, ultimately boosting your chances of winning contracts and fostering long-lasting client relationships.

Customer feedback is one of the most valuable sources of information for any business. It can help you understand your customers' needs, preferences, expectations, and satisfaction levels. It can also help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the market. By gathering and using customer feedback effectively, you can improve your marketing strategy and achieve better results. In this article, we'll explore how to gather and effectively use customer feedback to boost your marketing efforts.

Fall is a time of change, renewal, and reflection. It's also a perfect time to re-engage with your B2B prospects who may have lost touch with your company over the summer (or longer!). Whether they were busy with vacations, projects, or other priorities, you want to remind them of the value you offer and the benefits of staying connected.

For selling business-to-business (B2B), you require a unique set of skills. While business-to-consumer (B2C) sales can hinge on a catchy slogan or intriguing packaging, you must present a convincing pitch because it's how you address your customers' specific pain points and explain how your product or service brings relief.



While you are making your way past gatekeepers to decision-makers, competing sales reps are pursuing similar paths. To prevail, you need every advantage you can get. Ongoing education for B2B sales professionals provides the edge to seal the deal.

You've heard the saying, "It takes a village." That's the case when Vice President of Sales & Marketing, John Rabon came to MNI and SalesLeads to help turn around their sluggish sales. Fluid Systems, an equipment provider for mining, industrial operations, and oil & gas, had begun to experience a downturn in business. The company turned to Mr. Rabon to lead them back on the right track.

With minimal resources, informing your audience of your company's name and superior solutions takes time and effort. But you can do B2B marketing on a budget if you define your costs, leverage email marketing and social media, collaborate with influencers, and harness user-generated content (UGC). We'll tell you how to do that below.

If you are a sales or marketing professional in the B2B industrial world, you know how challenging it can be to generate and nurture leads. The manufacturing industry is complex, competitive and constantly evolving, and your prospects may have long and unpredictable buying cycles.



But what about the leads that you already have in your database? The ones that showed some interest in your products or services, but never converted into customers? Are they still worth pursuing, or should you focus on finding new leads?



The answer is: it depends. Some old leads may have gone cold and lost interest in your offerings, while others may still be open to hearing from you and learning more about how you can help them solve their pain points. The key is to identify which old leads are worth re-engaging, and how to do it effectively.



In this blog post, we will share some key ways to re-engage old leads in B2B manufacturing.