It might be over 67 years since the famous advertisement for McGraw-Hill Magazines was produced, but the message it contains remains as valid today as it was then. We might just need to rewrite the copy slightly.
Engaging with customers and potential customers is perhaps even more important now than ever and with more tools in our marketing toolbox than ever before the only question is, are you taking full advantage of them? Here's our list of eight must-do things for companies supplying engineering products and services to industry.
1 Develop amazing, useful, engaging content for your website and update it regularly with new material
Don't just feature your products and services on your web site, include a news section, publish case studies that showcase your company's products and services successfully on real applications. Add useful articles on things like installation and maintenance with how-to guides and best practice articles. Such content helps to position your company as the voice of authority within your industry.
2 Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
By ensuring your website content includes phrases and industry-specific terms that potential customers might use as search criteria, you'll gradually improve your company's position in search results. Optimise page titles and meta descriptions in the same way and add new content on a regular basis, by utilising blogs and a news section. If you're issuing press information it should be rewritten in a different style for your web site than the version issued to the press.
3 Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
PPC advertising is a powerful tool that will drive new trafic to your website immediately. Your ad will appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) by targeting key words and phrases likely to be used by potential customers looking for suppliers of products, services and technologies like yours.
4 Be seen regularly in the engineering press
Issue regular press releases and articles to the engineering press combined with advertising in the most relevant magazines. We know from readership research that most magazines have at least two pass-on readers per copy and so that means with a circulation of say, 20,000 copies the reach within your target market could be as high as 60,000 engineers from the print magazine alone! Combine that with the online publication and you will reach more potential customers than everything else combined in a single hit. Consider paying for your content to be included in magazines' email newsletters too and you'll be seen in the inboxes of engineers all over the UK across multiple industry sectors.
5 Attend engineering exhibitions
We have some of the very best engineering exhibitions in the UK offering companies not only the opportunity to exhibit and meet customers and potential customers alike, but with a platform to engage in seminars and workshops.
The very best UK engineering exhibitions tend to be organised by the engineering press and most will have a package to suit your budget.
6 Make the most of social media
Social media is an excellent way of keeping in touch with customers, potential customers, your employees, suppliers and the engineering press. Make sure you connect with all your customers and post regular news stories and engaging content showcasing your most exciting case studies, promoting new content on your web site, launching new products and building your brand.
7 Email newsletters
Launch your own company newsletter with content that mirrors that of your social media. Publish regularly and keep the content useful and engaging.
8 Lead generation
Engage with multiplatform lead generation to generate qualified leads from potential customers who are engaging with your content. Showcase your brand, your products, your experience, your ability to meet challenges and provide solutions then follow up with potential customers who have shown interest and keep in touch with them all through social media and your email newsletters.