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The manufacturing sector has experienced a boom in 2023.
Production rates have increased by 33.9% for the past two years, seeing the total value of UK manufacturers’ product sales rise to £429.8 billion in 2022.
This growth can be attributed to a couple of reasons: new marketing strategies, revolutionary techniques, and sector-wide growth aspirations.
And because the manufacturing industry has adopted an inbound sales approach for 2023, it’s vital you now organise your sales process in preparation for 2024.
Whilst we may not be manufacturing experts, we do specialise in sales.
If you want to know how to increase sales in manufacturing business, here are our top tips to help skyrocket performance.
How To Increase Sales In Manufacturing Business
Gather The Best People
Recruiting salespeople can be a tricky process.
Hiring salespeople with industry-specific experience can be even more tricky.
So, how do you find a great manufacturing sales representative?
Well, here are the attributes that we believe make a great salesperson.
- They understand your audience.
- They’ll use a variety of tools to source new business.
- They care about the quality of their pitch.
As a dedicated sales recruitment agency, we understand what top sales talent looks like.
We’ve sourced thousands of candidates globally and placed them into various sales positions.
From Trainee Sales Executive to Heads Of Sales – we’ve seen it all.
Know What Your Buyers Want
Great sales success stems from understanding what your customers want from your business.
Whether you’re a B2B or B2C manufacturing business, you need to know your target audience like the back of your hand.
Researching buyers and industry trends is something you’re likely already practising, so how can you take your preparation to the next level?
Well, by maintaining a constant presence in the industry, you can hop on trends and be the first to inform prospects of sector trends.
For example, did you know that Manufacturing sales increased 1.2% in May 2023?
You likely did, but did your buyers know this?
Could you be the one to inform your buyers of the trends happening in the sector?
Doing this will build your trust and credibility whilst also helping you understand what customers want.
If your sales reps need help conducting market research, we can help you proactively prospect and create a sales process that will catapult your business.
How To Increase Sales In Manufacturing Business
Engage With Your Audience
In today’s digital world, a large portion of sales happen online.
Whether it’s a direct purchase on a consumer site, or marketing material spread across websites and social media, how customers see your product continues to evolve and technology changes.
A strong online presence is a lead-generation tool that many manufacturing businesses don’t take full advantage of.
There are several chances to see and interact with your prospects before you even start pitching to them.
There are a reported 75,000,000 manufacturing LinkedIn users in 2023.
Think of how many prospects you could reach.
We suggest connecting with people in your sector, interacting with posts and building genuine relationships with professionals.
Doing this will enable you to get a head start in your sales pitch.
If digital and social selling is a priority for your business, we have dedicated sales trainers who can help you get the most out of your online presence.
Enhance Your Sales Pitch
Depending on how your business operates, your preferred method of selling will be different to other names in the industry.
Some manufacturing businesses find increased results with face-to-face selling, whilst some find cold-calling to be fruitful.
To help all businesses elevate their sales pitch, we’ll cover some tips to help all manufacturing businesses sell more.
Get Your Opening Right – More than 40% of salespeople say prospecting is the most challenging part of the sales process. This is because it can be hard to find a hook that will draw attention. Find something that is unique about your business that you can use to hook customers in.
Ask The Right Questions – Effective questioning is crucial to the success of any manufacturing business. Ensure you’re asking questions that are open-ended to avoid yes/no answers. Get to the bottom of the customers’ needs and tailor your pitch accordingly.
Learn Your Product Inside Out – Effective sales come from believing in your service. If you’re not excited by what you sell, how can you convince a customer to buy from you? Show a genuine interest in what you have to sell.
We can elevate your sales function to new heights.
The is how.
If your manufacturing business needs help improving your sales performance, it would be beneficial to invest in external support.
AvA-V can be that external help.
Having helped source, attract and train top sales talent in the manufacturing sector, we understand the needs of businesses in 2023.
We pride ourselves on giving a 7-Star experience.