The medium-sized automation technology company has grown very successfully over the last ten years. The products, central components for automated assembly and production systems, are in demand from OEMs and suppliers to the automotive industry worldwide. In order to counteract the global economic slump in the automotive industry, the marketing manager's task was to supplement the marketing strategy with new digital sales tools.
Developing a marketing strategy without a CRM system
The core of the digital marketing strategy was the introduction of a CRM system. The planning phase had been completed and the lead management processes defined together with Sales. However, due to the economic situation, the introduction was canceled. The marketing manager therefore had to find ways to still deliver digitally generated leads to Sales. The strategy now included the following points:
- Creating the technical requirements for lead capture despite the lack of a CRM
- Creating relevant content for lead generation and communication
- Introducing LinkedIn as a sales tool
- Executing LinkedIn campaigns with concrete customer benefits
- Using the website and website apps for qualified lead acquisition
Developing a technical replacement solution for lead management
The existing ERP system had a rudimentary CRM systemSystem had rudimentary CRM functions. With specially programmed web services, it was at least possible to ensure that leads from all sources (website, campaigns, trade fairs, etc.) were transferred to the customer database for further processing by the sales department in compliance with GDPR.
This replacement solution for a CRM system was sufficient, as the nature of the product and the business makes lead nurturing with additional product information almost superfluous.
Content with utility value for the main target group of design engineers
Another essential basis for sales is content with high utility value for customers. Without content, there is no starting point for a customer discussion. Based on past experience, topics such as values or people in the company were omitted and the focus was placed exclusively on technology and its added value. Together with the Technical Sales department, the Marketing Manager developed relevant industry applications, product training courses and expert videos with corresponding technical depth for the main target group of design engineers.
Unused lead sources identified and addressed
As the final preparation for the operational part of the digital marketing strategy, the Marketing Manager carried out a comprehensive analysis of where interesting contacts or unused lead sources could be found for the company, what means could be used to reach them and what sales potential the respective source promised. The approaches ranged from reactivating former customers and poaching competitor customers to social media or identifying website visitors. This list was prioritized together with the sales management in terms of benefits and effort.
Social selling with LinkedIn introduced as a sales tool
The increased use of social media was out of the question. The aim of the marketing manager was to turn the LinkedIn channel, on which corporate information had previously been published, into a sales tool. This requires the intensive involvement of all sales colleagues. Sales employees were introduced to the topic of social selling with LinkedIn through training on various strategies for establishing and maintaining customer contact.
Regular posts from industry applications (title: Inspiring Automation) increased visibility and organic reach, while at the same time providing sales colleagues with topics for direct customer contact. Paid campaigns for new products, on the other hand, generated concrete leads.
Utilizing the lead potential of the website with web apps
The company's website offered several interesting opportunities to identify new prospects. With special tracking, the marketing manager found a still relatively unknown method of identifying the companies of the 600 anonymous website visitors each week. Knowing that the design engineers of the mostly medium-sized customers both search for products and make the decisions, it is easy for the sales department to find and contact the right person.
Another project that the marketing manager had been working on for some time was a complex ERP-supported product configurator on the website to generate CAD data for download. Without further ado, he expanded the corresponding specifications so that all information generated during a configuration process is saved and sent to the internal sales department.
The launch of a virtual trade fair was more of an experiment. With a 360° 3D trade fair stand, visitors were introduced to the product portfolio and future digital services with over 50 expert videos and product training sessions.
Insights and results
The basis for the digitalization of marketing and sales processes is a CRM system. However, it is not absolutely necessary for a quick start with quick wins. The linchpin for social media activities, especially on the LinkedIn platform, is content relevant to the target group, which must be carefully planned and created in advance. However, short-term sales successes are not to be expected.
So-called social selling with LinkedIn by the sales department is a more medium-term measure. It is important to train and support sales colleagues who are inexperienced in social media. The LinkedIn campaigns carried out each reached around one million users and resulted in around 110 leads per campaign. A conversion could not be calculated due to the lack of CRM. A special web tracking system closes the gap between unknown website visitors and registered, known users. It assigns anonymous visitors to a unique company and enriches the leads with further information. Around 75 percent of visitors were identified in this way. Of these, 50 percent were new visitors. 15 percent showed buying signals through their behavior and were contacted by sales.
The product configurator is also proving to be a valuable source of leads. As it is new, no comparative data is available. However, around 20 percent of abandoners were reactivated. The virtual trade fair, on the other hand, was no substitute for real trade fairs. With a click rate of less than one percent of all customers and potential prospects approached, the response was low. This format needs to be developed further and adapted to customers' day-to-day business situations.
