Social Manufacturers

Successful businesses know that their sales rely on one thing, people. A recent study by Pew Research showed that 3 out of 4 adults use the internet, and 61% of them use social networking. In order to connect with this vast market of potential customers, manufacturers need to become social manufacturers.

Instead of relying on traditional marketing, a social manufacturer optimizes the use of various social media outlets to add to their company’s perceived value and build a following for its products and services. Social media sites allow businesses to gather customer ratings and reviews to get a sense of what people are saying about their products. They also allow manufacturers to pick up ideas from customers that can be implemented in future products.

Procter & Gamble is a great example of social manufacturing success. According to a recent Automationworld article, 15 percent of Proctor and Gamble’s product development ideas were from outside resources in 2000.  With the use of social media monitoring, that percentage has changed to 50 percent. This shows that manufacturers of all sizes have much to gain by becoming social.
Social manufacturing doesn’t have to be hard. In order to socialize your company’s way to success, here are four easy ways to utilize social media:

Use Blogs to Communicate with Customers and Prospects
Blogs are a great avenue for adding perceived value to your company for your prospects. They give manufacturers an opportunity to promote their company’s product and services using a rich form of media. Manufacturers can use blogs to announce major company milestones, as well educate on current industry trends and the latest news. By striking a balance between promoting your brand and sharing valuable insights, manufacturers can drive their sales in just about any market condition.

Use LinkedIn to engage prospects
With LinkedIn, manufacturers can do more than just make professional connections. Manufacturers can boost their sales figures by using social networking to gain access to sales prospects. With just a few hundred contacts, your network can reach millions. This network can be used to get introduced to potential prospects or to connect with someone that can help you strategize on how to contact a potential prospect. LinkedIn is also a great place to add to your company’s perceived value by demonstrating your industry expertise in relevant community discussions as well as sharing and commenting on LinkedIn Today.

Use YouTube to Demonstrate your Product
Video marketing is one of the increasingly popular online marketing strategies. It can be a great tool to educate buyers on your industry while subtly marketing your company.  Manufacturers can create YouTube videos that demonstrate their products and services, take a tour of their factory, and even showcase customer testimonials. Using a combination of these videos will help to increase your online visibility, instill trust in consumers, and improve your website’s traffic rate.

Use Twitter to Increase Brand Awareness
Twitter allows a company to create a personality. With only 140 characters, you can craft your Twitter presence using your company’s ideas, products, and marketing messages. This is an incredible opportunity to build brand awareness and credibility amongst potential consumers. As your Twitter followers grow, your company will be perceived as more knowledgeable, highly valued, and maybe even famous.
Building a social network can take time, but it doesn’t have to be a headache. To find out more on how social manufacturers can leverage upon social media contact us at: http://www.i95dev.com/contact/