Manufacturing companies are known for quickly implementing new technologies to improve efficiencies on the factory floor; now, they’re adopting digital-first solutions in their marketing and sales operations to help boost customer acquisitions and retention. More and more marketing and sales departments are investing in digital-first technologies because of the increase in remote work and the decrease in face-to-face customer interactions. In fact, Gartner’s Future of Sales reports that by 2025 more than 80 percent of B2B sales interactions will occur on digital channels.

More and more manufacturers are turning to cloud based communications tools to connect with customers, create better experiences for employees and customers, and drive sales.

Digital Marketing with Business SMS

Marketing professionals in all industries must respond to continuous changes in the buyers’ journey. Perhaps one of the biggest changes is that customers now expect to interact with businesses on digital channels. Manufacturers can easily accommodate this expectation by investing in a cloud based business text messaging (SMS) solution. With the help of business texting, marketing teams can:

• Automate promotions. Texting with a UCaaS-integrated solution like Bubble by Broadvoice enables manufacturing marketers to distribute marketing promotions quickly and easily. Not only can you reach thousands of possible customers instantaneously, but SMS messages almost guarantee engagement: 95 percent of SMS messages are read and responded to within three minutes.
• Supplement email marketing. Only 22 percent of B2B emails are opened, much less acted upon, making SMS messages a valuable marketing tool to supplement your business’s email campaigns. With a feature-rich text messaging platform, you can schedule texts in a series — just like your traditional email campaigns — with improved response rates.

Digital Sales with CCaaS and UCaaS

The most recent State of Sales report from the leading CRM company, Salesforce, reveals that adapting hybrid and virtual sales models is expected to be the top tactic for driving growth in 2023. The report also found that sales leaders strongly believe that boosting digital sales will be the key to success this year. A CCaaS platform offers unique features that can help manufacturing firms embrace digital sales tactics.

• Omnichannel interactions. A cloud based contact center solution like GoContact allows manufacturers to easily field inbound inquiries from customers on their channel of choice — voice, chat, email, and even social media.
• Outbound call campaigns. GoContact’s intelligent and powerful outbound dialer enables business development representatives to forgo manual dialing and improve contact ratios, which is crucial for driving sales.

Once prospective customers are in the sales funnel, sales executives can nurture one-on-one conversations using UCaaS features such as:

• Video conferencing. Digital sales require increased collaboration between customers and coworkers through video conferencing and video calls. The b-hive Communicator app provides a simple and reliable platform for video conferencing, video call recording, and screen- and file-sharing.
• Mobility and portability. One of the most attractive aspects of any UCaaS solution is its mobility and portability. Your sales associates can remain on the go, calling and texting from their personal devices with a company number. Additionally, customers can reach their dedicated salesperson anywhere at any time with the same number.

While field sales in the manufacturing industry won’t disappear, digital sales can help increase revenue. Providing existing and prospective customers with simple yet intuitive experiences supported by seamless communications tools ensures sales messages are received on the right channel with the right customizations. Don’t let the factory floor have all the fun — it’s time to bring your sales funnels and buyers’ journeys into the digital realm.

Want to learn more about how Broadvoice can help your manufacturing business? Check out our dedicated manufacturing page.