Engineering and marketing may seem like two different worlds. While engineering is about precision and practicality – dealing with tangible and real-world processes – marketing traditionally focuses on perceptions and feelings, to influence the decision-making process.
Strategically bridging this gap is at the heart of B2B marketing for engineers.
WHY MARKETING IS IMPORTANT FOR B2B ENGINEERING COMPANIES
Do you have a strong reputation and offer an outstanding service, but enquiries remain stubbornly low? While most engineering companies and engineering consultants have traditionally relied on word of mouth, industry networking, and referrals for their business, that simply isn’t enough anymore.
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Growing competition According to IBISWorld, there are over 45,000 engineering enterprises in Australia, growing by 4.5% every year. Without effective marketing, you risk getting lost in this sea of competitors. |
Digital transformation While many engineering companies don’t prioritise their digital presence, Dialogtech highlights that 90% of B2B clients start with an online search when looking for a product or solution. |
Complex sales cycle Gartner says that an important B2B buying decision typically involves six to 10 key stakeholders. A targeted marketing strategy can nurture these prospects through the sales funnel more effectively. |
WHAT BUSINESSES OFTEN GET WRONG IN B2B ENGINEERING MARKETING?
When you work with marketers who don’t specialise in this space, or you focus on the wrong areas of marketing, you’ll likely achieve lacklustre results. The nuances of marketing for B2B engineering require a deep understanding of the industry, its challenges, the services offered and the decision-making processes.
| Minimising brand-building As engineers, you’re selling your business. Don’t discount the power of professional and trustworthy branding. Your brand must stand up to scrutiny and evaluation – since clients are buying a long-term partnership. | Failing to differentiate Marketing engineering services poses a unique challenge. Clearly communicating what you do and how you do it differently requires a more intricate strategy. That’s hard if marketers don’t understand you. |
| Overlooking thought leadership Your clients value expertise, prioritising rational decision-making backed by data. B2B engineers must spend the time to develop content that positions them as experts who can be trusted to do the job. | Creating one-size-fits-all content Generic messaging, or a focus on yourself, doesn’t resonate with your professional target audience. Campaigns miss the mark when they don’t tailor content to address the client’s specific challenges. |
HOW YOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY CAN START IMPACTFUL B2B MARKETING
Before you can build an effective B2B marketing campaign, you need to get the fundamentals right. Starting with advertising and social media posts, with no strategy and an unclear value proposition, won’t lead to project enquiries.
| 1. Question your clients How well do you really know your clients’ pain points and what they value about your partnership? Take the time to enquire with them about your offering, so that you can use that information in your marketing. | 2. Modernise to stand out Engineering consultancy is full of dated brands that don’t tell prospects anything meaningful about their values, strengths or capabilities. Be brave and take another look at how you’re presenting yourself. |
| 3. Talk about them – not you It can be easy to default to marketing that boils down to “we deliver quality projects” or “our experience is industry-leading” – but this doesn’t say anything. Focus on how you solve the client’s problems. | 4. Highlight your track record Businesses have thousands of options for an engineering partner. Don’t just say you’ve worked on top projects – show it. Set aside time to update your projects and case studies to illustrate your success. |
SEE HOW B2B MARKETING CAN WORK IN ENGINEERING
In a wide digital ocean, where ads and content come and go like waves, make sure that your brand and its messaging is a lighthouse: standing tall and offering direction for potential clients.
MindMoB are the experts at building enduring brand equity for engineering companies. Talk to us about how we can help develop a brand and marketing strategy that’s meaningful and gets results.