How to Source Manufacturing Sales Leads

The manufacturing industry is among the largest in the world, with the market size (in terms of revenue) in the U.S. alone being over $6.4 trillion in 2024. Industries as big as that are constantly seeking innovation and improved efficiency. For a sales team looking to fill their sales pipeline with new manufacturing sales leads, this presents a fantastic opportunity.

But lead generation in any industry is no easy task, let alone in one as competitive as manufacturing. For your sales reps to find enough qualified leads to sell to, they'll need a whole range of manufacturing lead generation skills and marketing strategies to see results.

But manufacturing companies may be struggling with a more fundamental question even before that stage: namely, what is the best way to source manufacturing sales leads?

Forget stale databases and outdated lead generation efforts - jump into the future of manufacturing lead generation with services that know how to source high quality leads that convert. We're here to give you the lowdown on everything you need to know in order to generate leads in the manufacturing business.

Let's get started.

Understanding your target audience

Unfortunately, too many sales reps build all their sales efforts on weak foundations - i.e., they don't define their ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) enough. When your target audience is too broad, you end up wasting vast resources (both time and money) on low-quality leads that are unlikely to convert.

In the manufacturing industry, this'll often look something like this: 'we're selling to CEOs of a manufacturing company.' That may be true, but it's not enough in today's competitive landscape.

Instead, try this: 'we're selling to Directors of Operations in medium-sized U.S. manufacturing companies who want to improve their logistics planning capabilities.'

See the difference? In the second example, we've included:

• Product or service-specific job title
• Company size
• Location
• The prospect's needs/pain points

If you want proof of how important this is in your marketing efforts, check this out: companies who go to market with a comprehensive ICP see a 68% higher win rate. Who doesn't want that?

Leverage online platforms and digital marketing

It may sound obvious, but the internet is the best and easiest place to find new customers and potential buyers. But 'internet marketing' doesn't have to mean email marketing and outdated databases; today's lead generation process employs a range of online platforms to source prospects.

• LinkedIn
• With over 830 million users (more than 20 million of whom are manufacturing industry decision-makers) and its unique range of lead generation features, LinkedIn holds the top spot for generating a steady stream of potential customers.
• Not only are manufacturing leads already there, but LinkedIn makes it super easy to find them. The LinkedIn Sales Navigator tool, for instance, leverages the platforms data insights to help salespeople identify and analyze relevant prospects at scale.
• Online advertising
• Aside from social media outreach, the other clear digital marketing method is online advertising. PPC ('Pay Per Click') ads, for instance, are a great way of reaching consumers looking for specific services, especially within a specific geographical area. They're far better at targeting queries than standard content, too: 89% of PPC-generated traffic isn't replicated when the ads are paused.

Build a strong network

For certain industries - basically, industries or businesses that are product-focused rather than service-focused - in-person networking holds the key to many fantastic opportunities to bolster your sales pipeline. That's because events such as trade shows give you the opportunity to interact with existing customers and demonstrate your product to new ones.

• Industry events
• In some ways, you can think of industry events (like trade shows) as pools of ready-made qualified leads: the very fact those attendees are there is because they're in your industry and are interested in networking (or buying).
• There are literally hundreds of events attended by manufacturing businesses every year in the U.S. - you can find a comprehensive list of them at Manufacturing USA.
• Such events are a great opportunity not only to meet potential customers and reach manufacturing companies, but also to hone your sales pitch and cut through the 'online' noise.

Generate leads with enhanced content marketing efforts

We've already mentioned leveraging online platforms to reach more people, but let's take a closer look at some inbound marketing strategies your sales team can use to better attract manufacturing companies online.

• Relevant content and valuable resources
• Today, decision-makers want more control over the buying process than ever before. A record percentage of consumers now begin their buying journey by searching for a specific product/service online (rather than being cold-contacted by the seller). So what's content marketing?
• Basically, it's an inbound sales strategy whereby businesses produce high-quality, useful content (this could be a landing page, social media posts, articles etc) that will attracts potential customers and demonstrate thought leadership. Of course, search engine optimization is a huge part of this.
• According to some studies, content marketing efforts can save you 62% on costs and produce an eye-watering three times as much revenue.
• Email marketing
• Although inbound marketing is slowly becoming industry standard, cold outreach through email marketing remains the number one outbound outreach method. Simply put: even though many manufacturing sales leads use social media, more leads use email (there are over 4 billion active email users worldwide!)
• But email marketing doesn't have to just mean sending lifeless calls to action; it can also be a great way to provide social proof, offer a free sample, and deliver useful manufacturing-related ebooks and white papers. Why not give it a try?

Utilize CRM and lead generation tools

Modern lead management software is perhaps the best way to source potential buyers and nurture leads to boost sales.

That's because these integrated systems help organize a lead list, target specific demographics, manage the buying cycle, crunch data, and ultimately close deals. CRM is so popular that 70% of reps agree that it helps them with closing deals.

Popular CRM software includes:

• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Pipedrive
• Creatio
• Monday CRM

Partner with lead generation and sales development agencies

Of course, manufacturing lead generation can be a tough task. As you can see from this article, there's a lot to unpack. That's why some sales manufacturing companies prefer to outsource lead generation to external agencies instead. Outsourcing has many benefits, including:

• It's generally cheaper (as you don't have to pay to build your own in-house team)
• Your lead generation research team comes ready-made
• You tend to see quicker results
• You gain access to hands-on expertise
• It's scalable
• The agencies are already experts in the relevant technologies

Choosing which agency is right for you depends on many factors. In general, though, it's a good idea to look out for founder-led agencies with experience in your industry and who take a multi-channel approach to lead generation.

Leadium is one such example; they've helped many companies streamline their sales processes and find manufacturing sales leads that convert every time. Why not give Leadium's services a look?

Help your sales team find the manufacturing company leads they deserve

Manufacturing is one of the best industries to break into in 2024, but it's not without its competition. In order to design a water-tight sales process and turn potential customers into existing customers your teams need to be proficient in several key areas.

While some of those areas include traditional lead generation outreach like cold calling and direct mail, many are online; social media platforms and online advertising are key methods to explore. Likewise, reps need to build their networks offline through important events, up their content game, and leverage the full power of CRM and sales engagement software.

One surefire way to give your lead generation a boost is to partner with a B2B lead generation and sales development agency. They'll help you cut costs and gain access to the very latest in B2B lead generation technology and methodology.

Leadium offers comprehensive programs in everything from multi-channel engagement strategies and dedicated lead-sourcing to appointment setting campaigns and content management. To see what Leadium can offer your manufacturing company, check out our homepage, or reach out for a consultation today.