IEEE-2017工业品营销趋势（英文版）-2018-23页-1mb

2017 Trends in Industrial Marketing Summary

Core Content

This document outlines the key trends and insights from the 2017 Industrial Marketing Trends Survey conducted by IEEE GlobalSpec Media Solutions. It provides an overview of marketing goals, challenges, budget allocations, channel usage, and the role of content marketing in the industrial sector.

Main Points

Marketing Goals and Challenges

• Customer acquisition remains the top marketing goal for 42% of industrial marketers, a trend that has persisted for six consecutive years.
• Demand generation is the second most popular goal.
• The key differentiator for most companies is the quality of their products/services (54%), followed by customer service/experience and price.
• The top three marketing challenges are:
  • Limited marketing resources (people, time, and money)
  • Generating enough high-quality leads for sales
  • Increased competition
• Marketers also face challenges in driving more customers to their websites, improving ROI, and increasing the effectiveness of content marketing.

Marketing Channels and Programs

• The top three marketing channels in 2017 are:
  • Email marketing using in-house lists
  • Trade shows
  • Social media
• Search engine optimization (SEO) and online directories/websites are also widely used.
• Content marketing is becoming increasingly important, with 58% of marketers increasing their spending on it. However, only 12% can demonstrate how it contributes to sales.
• Social media is primarily used for branding (65%) and content delivery (59%). Only 30% use it for lead generation.
• Webinars, video, and online directories are also seeing increased spending.

Marketing Budgets

• 79% of industrial marketers are spending the same or more on marketing in 2017 compared to 2016.
• Marketing budgets have remained steady since 2011.
• 39% of companies are increasing their online marketing budgets, while 45% report no change.
• The main areas of increased spending include:
  • Content creation and distribution
  • Company website development
  • Search engine optimization (SEO)
  • Email marketing using in-house lists
  • Social media, video, and webinars

Marketing as a Profession

• 29% of marketers cite lead generation as their biggest challenge.
• 25% mention measuring ROI as the main issue.
• 70% of marketing departments have seen no change in headcount, while 22% are increasing staff.
• Only 17% have a full-time employee dedicated to social media, indicating a need for more specialized roles.

Key Insights

• Customer-centric focus is a top priority for industrial marketers, with customer acquisition and satisfaction being the primary metrics of success.
• Resource limitations are a common challenge, with many marketers struggling to allocate time, money, and personnel effectively.
• Content marketing is growing in importance, but many marketers are still in the early stages of implementation and lack clear metrics to demonstrate its impact.
• Diversification of marketing channels and tactics is encouraged, especially in online marketing, to better engage with technical professionals.
• Social media is used more for branding and content delivery than for direct sales, which aligns with how engineers prefer to consume information.

Recommendations

1. Diversify Your Marketing Mix

• Marketers should expand their use of both push/outbound (e.g., email, direct mail) and pull/inbound (e.g., website, online catalogs) tactics.
• A balanced mix of channels is crucial for reaching technical professionals, who use a wide range of digital resources.

2. Improve Content Marketing

• Develop a content strategy with clear, measurable objectives.
• Create content for all stages of the buying cycle.
• Use a content-publishing calendar and repurpose content across different formats and channels.
• Track how customers access content and its impact on sales.

3. Solve the Resources Challenge

• Consider partnering with a trusted media expert to optimize marketing efforts and free up internal resources.
• This is especially important given the limited budgets, staffing constraints, and increased complexity of marketing in the industrial sector.

Conclusion

The 2017 survey highlights a customer-centric shift in industrial marketing, with an emphasis on content marketing, digital channels, and brand awareness. Despite budget stability, marketers are under pressure to optimize resources, generate high-quality leads, and differentiate their companies in a competitive market. Strategic diversification, improved content strategies, and expert media partnerships are key to success in this evolving landscape.