Four Manufacturing Business Sales Tips

Manufacturing can seem like a complex and demanding market.

In terms of market segmentation, there are different categories of production: for example, discrete, process and serial. In addition, manufacturers support a wide range of IT systems from the back office to the shop floor. In addition, there is the challenge of helping companies that face the twin challenges of controlling costs while continuing to innovate. However, the production vertical does not go beyond the reach of a dedicated trading partner.

As a business owner, I've noticed that manufacturing customers aren't always seen as a market that IT vendors typically advertise in, due to the false belief that it won't be profitable for their business. This is due to the fact that IT providers are afraid of outdated systems and round-the-clock work. However, by properly planning and initiating your relationship, manufacturing customers can easily become your most profitable and most rewarding.

Here are some important tips for successfully selling profitable services in the vertical manufacturing market:

1. Offer the right plan for your clients' business. Just because they're open around the clock and seven days a week doesn't mean they need you to reset the user's password at 4 a.m. We offer managed service plans that offer full support during our standard hours of operation and mission-critical after-hours support. However, if they want full 24/7 support, they can opt for a premium add-on for this option; it's not cheap, and some customers absolutely need it.

2. Have production recommendations available. Almost every manufacturing capacity we encountered, customers asked for production recommendations. Production vertical managers are very interested in finding a supplier who understands manufacturing and need to be sure that you can handle their systems. So, having the right recommendations can help close a deal. Remember that your satisfied customers are better salespeople than any of your employees.

3. Discuss obsolete equipment. Be sure to discuss their outdated equipment and gain understanding. During the discussion, don't forget to alleviate their anxiety and let them know that even though they have outdated devices, you can handle them. Hey, after all, it's just old computers: does the plumber see the old pipes and run? I've found that most outdated products really just work, and most companies have a factory employee who knows outdated products better than anyone. Once you've struck a deal, make sure you use that employee's services and create knowledge base tickets for everything the employee tells you about outdated equipment.

By properly planning and initiating your relationships, manufacturing customers can easily become your most profitable and most useful.

4. "Precious Assets" – Make sure they understand that your customers have the highest priority and will be treated accordingly. Check out your support policies and don't be afraid to show them a few examples, such as a call or support email, so they can see how responsive your team is.

Following these few tips can help you get a few new and lucrative customers, and hopefully you'll have a new client for life.