MANUFACTURING TIDBITS
THE MANUFACTURING MARKETING CAMPAIGN:
CONTENT MARKETING AND AWARENESS OF COMPETITION by Thomas R. Cutler
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience which drives actionable and profitable customer action. The marketing research division of TR Cutler, Inc. completed a national survey of more than 1000 manufacturing executives; they reported on average, the consumption of more than 300 pieces of work-related content every year. Thirty percent of respondents read more than 600 content professional items each year. Of equal importance nearly four in five (79%) reported that they were somewhat or much more likely to do business with a company that regularly produces new and current content. The Demand Gen Report shared the sources of content which typically perform best. Eighty-seven percent of B2B buyers give more credence to industry influencer content. Sixty-eight percent of
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Manufacturing Outlook / March 2020
buyers said they frequently give credence to peer reviewed and user-generated feedback. Sixty percent give credence to content authored by a third-party publication or analyst. The TR Cutler, Inc. survey reported that creating captivating content is a common headache among marketers in the manufacturing sector. By tailoring content correctly, manufacturers can create endless opportunities for the manufacturing sector. From boosting brand awareness to generating leads and gaining the trust of a target audience, content creation is no longer optional. Content marketing for manufacturing provides useful, actionable information to industrial leaders from lean manufacturing professionals to C-suite personnel. Manufacturers become disinterested with overt product, process, and technology claims. They are data-driven and information gatherers. These pragmatic business leaders want decision-making rationale.