Engineering marketing…or is it marketing engineering?

The world is continually changing with engineers in constant pursuit of innovation, creativity and ways to help us all in our day-to-day lives. The majority of today’s consumer products and services have been touched in some way by elements of engineering.

Talking about engineering in broad terms is probably unfair to all those in the industry. Engineers work in multiple sectors including: computing, aeronautical, defence, automotive, construction, infrastructure, chemicals, electronics, energy, and many more.

With that in mind, it’s important therefore, when it comes to marketing, that campaigns are carefully ‘engineered’ to communicate key messages to the right audiences. Brand perception, product awareness, product developments, sustainability are just some of the messages that engineering businesses should be considering.

In recent years, and especially throughout the pandemic, the development of available information and communication methods has affected all business environments. This has led to more and more research and analysis in making decisions, not to mention a bigger demand for a ROI. Potential customers are increasingly likely to carry out desk research before making an initial contact (it is estimated it takes an average of eight touch points for a lead to become a sale).

The scope of the marketing team in an engineering business can often be limited to supporting the sales team. The reach of marketing however is broader: it’s about communicating with potential and existing customers, promoting the brand and enhancing presence, particularly online. It’s at this point that an outsourced marketing company, like Shrewdd Marketing, with nearly 20 years’ experience in the sector can add value.

It is worth ensuring you consider a multiple channel approach in your marketing strategy delivery. After all, the goal is to ensure your message reaches all your target audiences, regardless of the communities, technologies or platforms they may or may not use. Therefore, a combined traditional and digital marketing approach is key.

It is also worth noting that your tone of voice should remain consistent across all channels but the content should be adapted to suit the medium you are using. The tone of voice you use can become a driving force and show the character of your business. If your tone varies too much it can be less professional and dilute your brand message. However, it needs to be distinguishable across all your marketing initiatives. This is why you need to adapt your content depending on whether it is social media, a thought leadership article or a website blog article.

With this in mind you can start to build your toolbox of marketing collateral to promote your products and services. Whilst marketing collateral covers everything from print material to digital content there are a few key items (covered below) that we have found particularly beneficial in our experience working alongside engineering businesses.

Case Studies

This is an excellent way to present qualitative and quantitative information to your prospects. If they are considering a particular product, a case study can highlight not only the benefits of working with you and the product, but the values you represent. It is a recommendation from one of your customers.

When putting together case studies you will need to consider your research questions carefully. You need to collect the concise information your prospects might want to know and then, using imagery, graphs (or data tables) and clear headings, create a concise document that captures the prospect’s attention and leads to an enquiry.

It is also worth considering converting these into video case studies. This way they can be shared on social media, websites and draw the attention of a wider crowd.

White Papers

A white paper is an in-depth guide or a report that aims to inform the reader of complex products or situations. Simply put, it should help the reader understand, help them solve an issue and help them decide their next step.

Before creating a white paper, you will need a topic that resonates with your audience. Perhaps your customers all have a common problem that your products can solve? The whole document should be descriptive and set out in a professional business style. Having said this, it should be relevant all the way through and start with an engaging introduction that encourages the reader to keep going. You want them to get to the part where you emphasise the value of your business and your products. This sell should also be included in the end summary.

Features

Writing a feature article, or editorial piece about your own product or service is a great marketing technique that can be used to build awareness of your business and establish you as an authority on the sector or industry. With many publications now having an online presence as well as the traditional paper magazine, it is a great way to cover multiple channels and reach more of your target audience. It goes without saying though that your content needs to be informative, engaging and jargon free.

Infographics

These are compilations of data, graphs and knowledge but are shown as a single, memorable, striking and engaging visual representation. The idea is that the key information you want your prospects to see is quickly and clearly presented to them without the need to read a long document. The fact that they are visual and concise makes them great for sharing on social media or even incorporating into email banners.

Multiple channels working together

The importance of multi-channel usage, such as those mentioned above, combined with a strong digital and traditional marketing strategy can not only make the written word more engaging and digestible for prospects but also build a strong relationship within your business between the engineers, sales teams and marketeers.

To see our past work with leading B2B engineering businesses and how we maximised their marketing potential take a look at our website.