8 Modern Approaches to Manufacturing Sales
Manufacturing sales have undergone significant changes in recent years due to technological advancements, evolving buyer behaviors, and new sales methodologies. To remain competitive in this dynamic landscape, manufacturers must adopt modern approaches that cater to these shifts. By leveraging the right strategies, manufacturing sales teams can improve their effectiveness, streamline operations, and ultimately increase revenue.
Let’s explore eight modern approaches to manufacturing sales that can help your team stay ahead of the curve.
Tips for Modernizing Your Manufacturing Sales Strategy
The manufacturing industry is one that has often clung to traditional or even “old school” sales and operations practices. But as other industries continue to modernize, there’s a demand for more modern manufacturing practices.
Update and optimize your manufacturing sales strategy by implementing these eight tips:
1) Prioritize Sales Enablement
Sales enablement is a critical component of any modern sales strategy. It involves providing your sales team with the tools, resources, and content they need to effectively engage with prospects and close deals. In the manufacturing industry, this might include access to product catalogs, technical specifications, and industry insights, all of which can be shared with potential buyers at the right time.
Sales enablement also emphasizes training and coaching, ensuring that sales reps are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the specific challenges of manufacturing sales. By investing in sales enablement, you empower your team to be more agile, knowledgeable, and confident when interacting with prospects.
2) Leverage Automation & Tech
Technology has become a game-changer in manufacturing sales, offering numerous opportunities to automate tasks, streamline processes, and gather data. By leveraging automation tools, your sales team can focus on high-value activities instead of getting bogged down by repetitive tasks. CRM systems, marketing automation, and AI-driven sales tools can help identify prospects, nurture leads, and provide insights into customer behavior.
For example, the DIGIDECK presentation software integrates with popular CRMs and enables manufacturing sales teams to automatically pull data into their presentations, ensuring that every pitch is personalized and relevant. Automation not only saves your team time but also enhances the overall customer experience by delivering tailored content quickly and efficiently.
3) Show, Don’t Tell
In manufacturing sales, visuals are crucial. Prospects want to see how your products work, how they’re made, and how they can solve their specific challenges. Relying on text-heavy presentations or long verbal explanations is no longer cutting it—today’s buyers expect dynamic, interactive experiences.
With platforms like DIGIDECK, you can create engaging multimedia presentations that showcase your products through videos, animations, and 3D renderings. These visual elements allow prospects to better understand your offerings and see them in action, making your sales pitches more compelling and memorable.
To take it a step further, you can also utilize downloadable PDFs within your DIGIDECK presentations so that prospects can view spec sheets, product info, and other critical information in one click.
4) Identify Goals
Setting clear goals is essential for any sales strategy, but in manufacturing sales, it’s important to go beyond revenue targets. Modern sales strategies involve setting specific goals for customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction. These goals should align with your overall business objectives and be measurable to ensure progress is being made.
Regularly reviewing and adjusting your goals based on market trends and customer feedback allows you to stay agile and responsive to changes in the manufacturing industry. This continuous improvement mindset helps sales teams focus on the most impactful activities and adapt to evolving buyer needs.
5) Understand Your Target Market
A deep understanding of your target market is crucial for effective sales in the manufacturing industry. This includes not only knowing who your potential customers are but also understanding their pain points, needs, and decision-making processes. Manufacturers often sell to a variety of industries, each with unique requirements, so tailoring your sales approach to fit each market segment is key.
Conducting thorough market research and leveraging data analytics can provide valuable insights into your target market. By understanding what drives your prospects, you can position your products as the ideal solution to their specific challenges, increasing your chances of closing deals.
6) Boost Your Online Presence
In today’s digital world, having a strong online presence is no longer optional— it’s a necessity. Manufacturers that invest in their online presence are more likely to attract new prospects, build credibility, and stay top-of-mind for potential buyers. This includes having a user-friendly website, active social media profiles, and engaging content that showcases your expertise.
Your website should clearly communicate your value proposition and provide easy access to:
- Product information
- Case studies
- Contact details
Additionally, a strong SEO strategy ensures that your company appears in search results when prospects are researching solutions to their challenges. A well-executed online presence can significantly increase your visibility and drive inbound leads.
7) Don’t Neglect Reviews & Testimonials
In an industry as complex as manufacturing, trust plays a critical role in the buying decision. Prospects want to know that your products and services are reliable, effective, and deliver results. One of the best ways to build trust is through customer reviews and testimonials. Positive feedback from satisfied customers can serve as powerful social proof, helping to reassure potential buyers that they’re making the right choice.
Encourage your existing customers to leave reviews on industry platforms, and consider creating case studies that highlight the success stories of your clients. These testimonials can be integrated into your sales materials and presentations, providing prospects with real-world examples of how your products have solved challenges for other companies in their industry.
8) Diversify Your Sales & Marketing Mediums
Gone are the days when sales teams could rely solely on cold calls and in-person meetings to close deals. Modern manufacturing sales require a multi-channel approach that includes:
- Email marketing
- Social selling
- Webinars
- Virtual product demonstrations
- SEO
- Referral incentives
- And more
By diversifying your sales and marketing efforts, you can reach prospects through the channels they prefer and increase your chances of making meaningful connections.
A mix of traditional and digital mediums ensures that you’re meeting prospects where they are— whether that’s on LinkedIn, through an industry webinar, or during a live chat on your website. This omnichannel strategy helps build stronger relationships with prospects and keeps your brand top-of-mind throughout the buying journey.
Let DIGIDECK Streamline Your Manufacturing Sales
Modernizing your manufacturing sales strategy is essential for staying competitive in today’s rapidly evolving market. By adopting these eight approaches, you can empower your sales team to be more effective, build stronger relationships with prospects, and ultimately drive growth for your business.
As you consider how to leverage more tech and automation and prioritize sales enablement, consider DIGIDECK for your presentations and proposals. DIGIDECK is the leading sales presentation platform for manufacturing, as it supports the sales process with built-in brand consistency, time-saving automations, viewer analytics, and memorable multimedia.
See how DIGIDECK can streamline and modernize your manufacturing sales with a free demo today!
