Social media is almost a requirement for all businesses, including industrial and manufacturing businesses.  If you aren’t on social media, a competitor is top of mind.  Don’t let that happen.

Tips

To make sure you are successful regardless of the social media you choose for your industrial or manufacturing business, I have provided some tips.   Us them to set yourself apart from the competition.

1. Create A Personality

Don’t feel that industrial or manufacturing posts must be ho-hum and boring.

Give your posts personality and here are some specific tips to make that happen:

• Use a conversational tone. Your company can be its own entity. For instance, you can use words like “we” and “our” when you’re speaking about your company.
• Engage with other users instead of just broadcasting your message. Social media is all about conversing and being able to have real-time conversations. Don’t be afraid to talk to your audience (whether they’re angry or happy) through your social media platforms.
• A little humor is always welcome. Social media wasn’t created for businesses, it’s for humans. Social networks are where people can have fun, share content and converse. So why not let your hair down a bit with your social media content? Just make sure not to go over the top.

2. Learn Social Selling

It’s very important to make sure your social media efforts are paying off, particularly for B2B companies. Social selling can make a difference for your industrial or manufacturing business.  Social selling is using social media to introduce prospects into your funnel.

It is not cold calling. It is not hard selling.  It’s much more powerful when done by individuals rather than from your brand’s social media profile.

The goal is to find businesses who could benefit from your product and build a relationship with them by providing helpful content and value. You’re not just posting a link to your product every time someone mentions they have a problem.

Social media has changed the buying process and B2B industrial companies are not immune. Today, buyers don’t need companies to reach out to them to discover new products and services. They’re finding things on their own by looking at reviews, using google for solutions and searching for new companies.

Statistics show  55% of B2B buyers search for information on social media.

Another reason why social selling is beneficial for industrial and manufacturing companies is that there are so few companies doing it. Many still rely on outbound tactics like cold calling and direct mail. Building your presence on social media sets you apart from the competition.

3. Learn What Your Target Market Likes

Who is your target market, and what do they like?  How do they prefer to be sold to?  It isn’t just boomers out there.  We have the Gen X folks, the millennials, and now Gen Z is entering the workforce into positions where they are making decisions for companies.

As this group continues to enter the workforce, they will depend on getting their information through social media and “ephemeral” communication apps – think “Snapchat and Slingshot.”  They provide information and then do a planned disappearing act.  This may be a way to reach the upcoming generation who work in industrial businesses.

4. Consider Using Messaging

Statistics show 95% of Americans have a smartphone.  That opens the door to messaging.  In 2018, people were spending more time in their day on messaging apps and this is expected to grow.

Messaging apps are not only great for sales but for customer service and building relationships.  Don’t overlook their use for your industrial business.

5. Video

Everyone seems to be jumping on the video train.  Why should your industrial business use video?  Because video helps make buying decisions.

Check out this statistic, “In the past 30 days, more online video content has been uploaded to the web than the past 30 years of TV content.”  Your industrial business needs to be using video too!  You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity.

None of us knows what the future holds for social media, many new and different platforms may emerge, but as industrial businesses, we need to stay in the loop and provide what the businesses we sell to need.   You will determine which social media platform to use based on the industry trends and what will help your business reach its goals.

In the coming posts, we will look at the most popular platforms and how they might help your industrial business.