Customer experience is everything. It's a significant differentiator for B2B sellers, and it's one of the keys to unlocking loyalty.



However, understanding how the experiences you offer shape the way buyers make decisions can be challenging. As a B2B marketer, you need to use a customer journey map to visualize this aspect of the buying process.

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.

It's the beginning of a new year and time to anticipate the B2B sales and marketing trends that will shape 2022. While some of these trends have defined the B2B landscape for years, there are some significant shifts to plan for. Explore 2022's biggest trends, including the latest in account-based marketing, third-party cookies, the B2B buyer's journey and more.

Our customers know MNI's industrial B2B data is the most accurate in the industry and many have wondered: how do we do it? Over the course of our 100+-year history, we've perfected a system that delivers high-quality, comprehensive company profiles to our customers. Today, we're presenting a new infographic that visualizes how company data is collected and perfected by real people for unmatched accuracy. Take a look!

As manufacturing companies scrambled to adjust to greater and greater challenges, our most popular stories on IndustrySelect for 2021 reflected the efforts of sales, marketing and business development professionals to stay abreast of new developments, improve communications with their valuable manufacturing clients, and discover new opportunities.

In marketing, as in many other disciplines, the first question is, "where do I start?" Frequently, marketers start where their strengths lie or feel comfortable.



Database marketers start with data, creative types start with creative, etc. Frankly, that's why so much marketing misses the mark, and does not produce the desired results. My advice to marketers is that micro-segmentation is the "head" position. If we get it right, the relevancy of our communication will follow, break through the clutter, engage the individual and start the sales/buying process.

You researched for days, met with potential vendors for months and pitched database providers to your boss more than you really wanted to and you finally have your new list of leads!



Now what?



I am often met with the question from new IndustrySelect users and I say, there are basically three options:

With Google ending support for third-party cookies sometime in 2023, marketers and salespeople need to rethink the way they generate and target leads. The answer to the coming cookiepocalypse is to focus on first-party data.

Your company has put the work into your B2B email marketing campaigns. You have segmented your customer lists and then segmented some more. You know where each potential buyer is in the purchasing process. And you've refreshed your marketing materials and updated your contacts. You were ready to push the button to start emailing -- but then Apple iOS 15 came into the picture. These changes will greatly impact your ability to track your efforts.



But don't panic. You've faced more devastating changes to your marketing strategy and survived (a.k.a. COVID-19). You completely re-tooled the way you did business, and you can survive this change as well.

B2B marketers can learn quite a few refinements from their B2C brethren. For the most part, B2C marketing techniques rely on personalized ads. B2C marketers do so by tugging on the consumer's heartstrings. B2B marketers, on the other hand, rely on convincing an entire company to buy their product.



Let's take a closer look at what B2B can learn from B2C.

As manufacturing month comes to an end, I am wrapping up this spooky Interview series with a look into the brains of a Freight Broker!



When I drive around, I am constantly amazed by the cool things we move in our country. Even with supply chain shortages, our freight movers are always on the job. I would like to shed some light on the industry as it pertains to brokering of freight services. I am sure we will all learn something.



I bring to you in closing, an interview with a Freight Broker, Pedro Angulo.

One of the best things about working in the manufacturing industry is that so many people are involved in manufacturing at all different levels, it�s easy to connect on topics of importance.



We read posts and articles every day about the labor shortage and all the need for workers. Today I am spending some time talking about the challenges in recruiting and talent acquisition with my role model and sister, Terri Lick, Talent Acquisition.

The great Facebook outage on October 4th upset many who couldn't post pictures of their meals or their pets for a few hours. For manufacturers and other companies, the outage was much more devastating.

Have you ever seen a robot in action? Me neither, but my friends at RMH actually design and control (and test) robotic systems for automation! How cool is that?! Or freaky?



I am so pleased to bring to you, another installment of my spooky October Manufacturing Month series. Today, I'll be talking with my friend Jenni Hill, Marketing Manager at RMS Systems.

Many opportunities have been afforded to me amidst this weird pandemic time. My favorite has been meeting and getting to work with professionals in manufacturing. I teamed up with some wonderful companies this year to assist in marketing needs and made some pretty incredible friends as well!



First in a new series for spooky season, a spoof off a popular book and movie (Interview with A Vampire by Ann Rice), I am so excited to bring to you: Interview with an Executive VP of Sales, Ryan Shaw of B&F Fastener Supply.

Planning a new email campaign calls for crafting attention-grabbing subject lines, writing compelling copy and creating clean graphics. But how do you make sure your recipients will see this content? The first step of a successful cold email campaign is about making it past spam filters.

Whether you're chasing down a lead or eagerly anticipating a response from a recent prospect, waiting for a reply that never hits your inbox can be frustrating. If you want to turn a lead into a recurring client, your follow-up tactics are essential. Keep reading to learn the best practices for crafting the best follow-up email responses for non-responders.

It's nearly the end of the quarter, you're ready to close some deals and finish strong. You've got a call scheduled with your star prospect -- you know, the one who you've talked to so often you feel like a member of the family? You're sure her response will be a resounding "Yes, sign me up!" But instead you get:



"Uh...yeah, that all sounds good. Can I just have some time to think it over?"



If you're a salesperson - no matter how good you are - you've heard a client say some variation of that question before, and with manufacturers contending with historic supply chain and labor challenges right now, you're probably hearing this common sales objection more and more. Dealing with prospects who need to "think it over" can be frustrating, but it doesn't have to mean a lost sale if you handle it correctly.



You can overcome this hurdle next time it pops up during your sales pitch by reinventing how you approach this vague response.

Finding quality leads in a sector as niche as manufacturing can be a real challenge. On Thursday, August 12th, MNI hosted the weekly Tweetchat #USAMfgHour and dedicated the hour to discussing the challenges of generating quality leads in manufacturing. The #USAMfgHour Tweetchat was especially revealing, with manufacturers sharing a bounty of insights on data decay, the pandemic's impact on communicating with prospects, lead qualification, top lead generation resources and the pros and cons of lists, and more. Today, we're sharing some of these insightful comments from manufacturers on lead generation in their niche.

When it comes to sales, good marketing is critical. It's even more important that good marketing tactics target your key audience in an accessible way. This is especially important for manufacturers. Indeed, sometimes there are unavoidable obstacles to overcome in a crowded marketplace. Other times, there are industry-related issues such as a technology gap. It is also not uncommon for the chain of command in the manufacturing industry to forgo the use of email. With that being said, a strong and effective sales methodology is how you can avoid these types of issues and keep a successful business.

Welcome to Part Three of our "Common Client Concerns and How to Address Them" series, where we give salespeople and marketers in the manufacturing industry the tools they need to outpace competitors and seal deals.



Last week, we took a look at some winning responses to clients who say they need more time to think over your proposal.



But what about those prospects who are too busy to even take your call?

Even the most experienced salesperson doesn't land every prospect. If you find that your company consistently misses its sales goals, though, you may find yourself facing some tough questions regarding your sales and marketing strategy. Is your sales funnel too shallow? Does your marketing messaging match your sales tactics? Are your salespeople on the same page as your marketing people? Are you reaching the right audience at the right time with the right product? The following suggestions will help you out of your slump and shorten your sales cycle.

Things are starting to go back to normal for the manufacturing sector. More businesses are opening up to their full capacity again after COVID-19. The good news is that many prospects are considering their next step and looking at proposals from vendors. You can stand out in this competitive environment by reaching out to C-level executives directly. However, you�ll need to craft a strong C-level manufacturing sales pitch to convince these decision-makers.

"Listen, can I get back to you about this?"



It's a phrase that has killed countless sales. Say it to any experienced sales rep, and you'll probably see them deflate before your eyes.



But do clients who say, "I'll get back to you" just want to let you down easily? The answer may be more complicated than you think. Let's explore what clients really mean when they hit you with this phrase.

The typical buying journey has changed over the past few years. B2B prospects and decision-makers increasingly belong to the millennial generation. They prefer doing research on their own before speaking with a salesperson. Self-directed research on the internet accounts for 27% of the B2B buying journey, while offline research represents 18%. So, it should come as no surprise that you'll often encounter B2B prospects who say they need to do more research.



Are prospects being genuine with this objection? Let's look at the real reasons behind this phrase and how you can respond without alienating your B2B prospects.

Following top-notch manufacturer blogs is among the best ways to get a feel for the industry you're doing business with and to make new connections. Countless manufacturers are telling their stories every day and engaging with their content can help you build relationships with prospects and become part of a vibrant manufacturing community. Here are some manufacturing blogs across various industries that stand out.

Do you still receive emails beginning with, "Dear so-and-so?" While this sales tactic used to be the height of customization for years, it completely misses the mark for a personalized sales pitch today.



Now, everyone craves an individualized approach across all platforms. Especially thanks to the recent pandemic year, everyone is looking for personalization in order to get the most effective and relevant solutions for their company in the most cost-effective way. They aren't looking to settle for solutions that kind of meet their needs or those that only address one of their problems.

Being successful in industrial B2B sales means being efficient. But you cannot be efficient if you're wasting effort on the wrong strategies. Key performance indicators, or KPIs, are how the most successful companies keep track of what works in their teams and what doesn't. Let's take a look at some of the most important B2B sales KPIs you should be tracking.

By now, we are all familiar with the myriad of ways the pandemic has impacted our individual lives. Whether that impact means mask-wearing, vaccination, working remotely or helping our children with their online schooling, the pandemic has transformed our lives. Equally impactful is the way in which the pandemic has transformed B2B sales and how businesses can adapt. That impact can be summed up in one word: digital. Is your B2B company ready for this transformation?

Sales enablement is when marketing resources are used to directly support sales. As the name suggests, it's the process of using marketing strategy and content to further the goal of closing a sale. Let's see how this process works on the inside.