94% of B2B customers research extensively before they buy a product. This statistic is especially applicable to technical buyers, those purchasing components, architectural products, materials, equipment, and other technical services. Wendy Covey, CEO & Co-Founder of TREW Marketing, says that “Technical buyers spend more than half of the buying process online before engaging with sales, and those under 45 years of age spend even more time online than their older counterparts”. This shopping scrutiny makes technical marketing an essential proponent of sales.

What is Industrial Marketing?

The purpose of industrial marketing is to build brand trust in the market and convince industrial buyers to purchase products and services. Yes, industrial marketing is a type of B2B marketing; it’s marketing to businesses instead of consumers. But marketing to industrial buyers is anything but typical B2B marketing because of the involvement of various factors like the complexity of products, persuading expert buyers, and niche marketing.

Industrial products range from off-the-shelf bearings to robust, custom machines, and selling these complex commodities requires a high level of technical knowledge. Industrial marketers often sell products into multiple industries, requiring a high level of knowledge to market and sell. Even a seemingly simple component like a bearing has essential specifications that engineers need to make design decisions, and with 62% of engineers completing at least half the buying process online, presentation of features, performance, and overall fit are the cornerstones of industrial marketing.

Industrial Buyers are Expert Buyers

And are uniquely knowledgeable and they analyze products closely.

Engineers and procurement departments evaluate industrial products based on measurable specs, data, lead time, and ROI. Industrial sales teams, however, don’t always speak directly with the final purchasing decision-makers. Achinta Mitra, President of Tiecas, Inc. and founder of Industrial Marketing Today, says, “Today’s industrial buyers are in self-serve and self-select mode, preferring to remain anonymous for most of their buying journey. This makes it difficult for industrial sales teams to get in front of key decision-makers until the very end of the buying process, where they may face unexpected objections that could scuttle deals”. This means that industrial marketing strategies must be as engaging as they are informative.

Industrial products require niche marketing. In light, statistical market research methods don’t always find the right data, and when targeting campaigns, finding the right title and seniority level can be tricky. Joe Sullivan, Thinker & Founder of Gorilla 76, says that “One of the most important pieces of advice I can give is to consciously choose an audience segment. If you don’t, your content won’t resonate with anyone in particular and won’t gain the traction you need to make progress”. Additionally, the buying processes for industrial products can be extensive, with buyers’ journeys averaging from months to years. Marketing must secure and maintain buyer interest for longer periods of time than for consumer products, making a focus on engagement a must.

Using B2B marketing tactics to sell materials, products, and components is a complex and artful process. Master industrial marketing by reaching design engineers at the right time with the right information.