The first edition of The Digital Marketing Summit for Manufacturers is in the books! The day focused on thought leadership and discussion around true return on digital marketing investments, as well as insights into trends within the manufacturing space.
The event, which was hosted by BusinessOnline and held on November 15th in Chicago at the DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, featured sessions from BusinessOnline as well as as industry partners: Google Partners, LinkedIn and DialogTech.
For those who could not attend, here’s a quick wrap-up of the day’s takeaways.
The first key point that we saw throughout all the sessions is the importance of data. Industry-wide it’s now imperative to not just collect but thoughtfully analyze (end to end) data to realize the true value of your marketing efforts.
Understanding and capitalizing on the continued mobile evolution was something that every single session touched on as well. With statistics like 42% of researchers using a mobile device during the B2B purchase process, it’s hard to ignore that the industry is moving to mobile, and not addressing that shift leaves opportunity on the table.
Finally, understanding your customer was a thought-provoking topic both during the sessions, as well as during our networking hour. Manufacturers have a variety of purchase models (direct, distribution and reseller, etc.) that all contribute to the unique buying journey in this industry. Understanding and addressing how to reach your customer in the right moment via digital strategies is the key to gaining an edge over the competition.
The feedback from those in attendance was that it was a great opportunity to meet others in the space and discuss the challenges and tactics we are all facing daily. The conversation is continuing through our LinkedIn group, Digital Marketing for Manufacturing, as well – we’d love for you to join the conversation!