Top 5 Challenges manufacturers must face and how they solved (Part 2)

Cybersecurity

As technology advances, so do the efforts and skills of cybercriminals. While ransomware was once the most common form of cybercrime, after years of rampant growth it’s been overtaken by two “new” threats: banking trojans and crypto miners.

The majority of manufacturers are relying on outdated security systems incapable of addressing the number and complexity of threats today, leaving many of them vulnerable to costly breaches. Businesses need to employ more sophisticated ways of securing their networks, as the traditional firewall approach may not be adequate to keep hackers from accessing them and doing real damage. The best weapons for combating cyber attacks are ensuring that all computer security software is routinely updated, and educating employees about the warning signs that the company’s security is being breached.

Global Competition

Deloitte’s report suggests that for manufacturers to be competitive in the future, they will have to shift production to higher value, advanced technology products and processes, in part to avoid price wars, and in part to make it possible to offer new product-as-a-service and service-based pricing models. Manufacturers themselves predict that by 2020, 47% of all their products will be smart, connected and capable of generating product-as-a-service revenue. One estimate suggests that if manufacturers accelerate their efforts to develop smart, connected products, the industry could add up to $685 billion in value by 2020.

Attracting Qualified Leads

Traditional marketing efforts for manufacturers are proving far less effective than in the past; trade shows, trade ads and cold calls aren’t working like they used to. In the digital age, organizations need to do more than put up a website and hope that their best prospects will stumble across it. Industrial B2B marketers need to leverage inbound marketing and SEO tactics by creating content that provides answers to potential customers’ questions and problems.

Robust manufacturing marketing strategies generate sales-qualified leads by building trust through relevant blogs, case studies, eBooks, infographics and other helpful resources. Once that trust is built through online engagement and leads are nurtured through the sales funnel, those leads are more likely to engage on a personal level by requesting a free consultation, demo, assessment or other offer from the company.

Creating all that content takes time, and a high level of expertise is needed to make your organization’s content rank higher in search engine results. Enlist the help of inbound marketing experts who understand your pain points and are laser-focused on the manufacturing sector and you’ll be better equipped to meet these challenges head on.

Productivity and Quality Office