Conventional wisdom has long said manufacturers don’t need to focus on having a good website. Until recently, many companies managed to keep pace with the market – if barely – by relying on a handful of long-term, high-value clients.
The world is changing, however, and manufacturing concerns need to evolve. New companies are entering once-exclusive market segments with innovative solutions.
New and established brands need to prioritize digital differentiation.
Make Your Website a Key Sales Channel in 2016
Many manufacturers are limited by the idea that their website is similar to a traditional sales brochure. On the contrary, it’s important to make your site interactive and adaptive to get attention in an era of increasing pressures on your buyers’ time.
Some simple steps make a big difference:
Make Your Unique Solutions Easy to Find and Understand
Where do you add the most value to your customers’ business? Put your specialties in the foreground and share information about what makes your products – and your process – different. Never assume your products will “sell themselves”: Instead, focus your site on providing assistance and personalized advice that matches each one of your buyer personas.
Use Social Proof and Case Studies to Your Advantage
When buyers consider your products, they want to know they’re in good company. A testimonial page shows them others with similar needs have had success – and many of today’s mobile-friendly Web designs let you integrate testimonials on multiple pages. Have a success story? B2B buyers often look for case studies in the final phase of their vetting process.
Clarify the Calls-to-Action Throughout Your Site
If people don’t know what you want them to do, they won’t do it – even if it should be obvious. Clear calls to action are among the most important tools for generating leads. For each page, what is the most important thing a prospect should do next? Make sure each page has your phone number and other contact details that are easy to find if prospects break off the path.
Define Your Brand – Use Concise, Compelling Messaging
How do your customers expect to be addressed? What do they look for when deciding which business partners can be relied on? What keeps them awake at night? Align the language of your site to buyers’ needs and they’ll be more inclined to place their trust in you. First and foremost, that means respecting their time by making sure every word adds value.
Manufacturers capture greater efficiency and more sales by designing a site that educates and persuades prospects. Your site is an extension of your brand, so make it’s a good one by re-engineering it to take prospects’ needs into account at every step.
At AIMG, we have helped manufacturing clients with their web design needs for over 20 years. Contact us today to see how we can help your business grow.