Email marketing for manufacturers is an indispensable way to engage customers, build strong relationships, and drive business growth.
Brochures, sales decks, and product cards all have their place, but for fast, efficient, tailored communications email stands alone. Whether you're promoting a new product, sharing industry insights, or nurturing leads, email offers a direct line to your audience.
Every company is trying to cut through the noise to reach their audience. Email marketing can help manufacturers do that. It’s a simple, effective tool that can deliver a targeted message that delivers results.
What is Email Marketing for Manufacturers?
Email marketing for manufacturers is all about using email to:
- Connect with potential customers
- Share product and industry updates
- Promote products and/or services
Instead of just sending generic emails, the goal is to build genuine relationships, nurture leads, and ultimately drive sales by offering relevant content straight to customers' inboxes.
Why Email Marketing Is Important for Manufacturers
Email marketing is a two-pronged effort:
- Converting leads into customers
- Building lasting relationships with them
With the right customer segmentation and email automation in place, manufacturers can tailor content to be more relevant to each person’s specific needs, whether they're just learning about a product or ready to make a purchase.
When executed correctly, email marketing helps position a manufacturer as an industry expert. This perception can go a long way toward building customer trust and loyalty.
Is Email Marketing for Manufacturers Needed?
Email marketing can be a valuable tool for marketers because of its immediacy and versatility. It helps manufacturers streamline communication with customers, nurture leads, share valuable product updates, and stay top of mind with customers.
Additionally, it allows manufacturers to segment their audience by category (i.e. size, industry, existing customer, or prospect) in order to send targeted communications. This not only improves engagement but also strengthens customer relationships and drives repeat business.
Benefits of Email Marketing for Manufacturers
From building stronger relationships with customers to driving sales, email marketing offers manufacturers a range of benefits.
Converting Leads into Customers
When delivering targeted, relevant content directly to prospects' inboxes, manufacturers can guide them through the buyer’s journey, increasing the likelihood of conversions. In fact, research shows “Segmented emails drive 30% more opens and 50% more click-throughs than unsegmented ones.”
Building Lasting Relationships
A key benefit of email marketing for manufacturers is how it can be used to foster long-term relationships with customers.
Using emails to consistently offer valuable content—like product updates, industry insights, or customer success stories—manufacturers can come to be seen as industry experts by their customer base. In fact, nearly 60% of respondents say marketing emails affect their purchasing decisions. This just shows how important maintaining a connection through email can be for business.
Positioning Your Brand as an Industry Expert
When manufacturers send out insightful, informative emails, it helps to position them as thought leaders in their industry. When this happens, people will begin to anticipate your emails and often disseminate them amongst colleagues. They see sharing your expertise as a way to be seen as thought leaders themselves. In turn, they go from being customers to brand apostles.
Increasing Customer Loyalty
Email marketing is not just about acquiring new customers; it also plays a key role in fostering loyalty among existing ones. Personalized emails, tailored to the recipient's past interactions or preferences, can significantly increase engagement. A study found that 81% of consumers say they prefer to buy from a brand that personalizes communication. This underscores the importance of customized email content in keeping customers engaged.
Power in Segmentation and Automation
Segmentation and automation are essential practices for manufacturers looking to optimize their email marketing efforts. These processes ensure that content is being delivered in a timely manner and that it’s relevant to the intended customer. Doing so helps to keep them on their sales journey.
A Cost-Effective Connection
An added benefit is that email marketing can be cost-effective. This makes it a powerful tool for boosting conversions, increasing sales, and fostering long-term success.
How to Market a Manufacturing Company Using Email
Marketing a manufacturing company using email involves a strategic approach that focuses on building relationships, providing valuable content, and driving both short-term and long-term business goals. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started:
1. Build an Email List
The first step is to create and maintain a targeted email list. Focus on gathering contacts who are genuinely interested in your products or services. This can include:
- Current customers
- Qualified leads
- Suppliers
- Industry contacts
You can build your list through website sign-up forms, industry events, or even social media campaigns that encourage people to subscribe to your updates.
2. Create Valuable and Relevant Content
Working with an email marketing agency can help manufacturers develop email content that solves problems or adds value. This could include:
- Product updates
- Case studies
- Industry news
- How-to guides
- Maintenance tips
3. Monitor and Analyze Performance
Once the email has been sent, you could use a tool like HubSpot email tracking software to monitor key metrics including open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to understand how your emails are performing.
Analyzing these results can help you optimize future campaigns by determining what content resonates with your audience, and what messages need to be refined.
Types of Emails to Send Manufacturing Customers
From announcing new product releases and offering exclusive discounts, to sharing valuable industry insights and providing technical updates, each type of email serves a specific purpose in keeping customers informed, engaged, and loyal.
Strategically using these different email formats can help manufacturers maximize their marketing efforts and achieve long-term success.
Product Announcements
Informing customers about new product releases or upgrades
When a new product is launched or an existing one is enhanced, sending targeted emails to your subscriber list ensures that your customers are among the first to know.
Product announcements can include detailed information about features, benefits, and how the product can solve specific problems for the customer. Including a clear call to action, such as a link to the product page or a limited-time offer, helps drive immediate interest and conversions.
Newsletters
Sharing industry insights, company updates, or educational content
Regularly sending out newsletters that feature industry trends, expert insights, and educational content establishes the manufacturer as an industry thought leader.
Newsletters can also include company updates, like new partnerships or sustainability initiatives. Offering this “look inside,” enhances their engagement with the brand.
Promotional Offers
Offering discounts or special deals on products and services
Manufacturers can use emails to offer exclusive promotions on products or services, which incentivizes customers to make a purchase.
Including a clear call-to-action in your email, such as "Shop Now" or "Claim Your Discount," drives immediate results because, when customers feel like they’re getting a great deal, they’re more likely to take action.
Case Studies and Success Stories
Demonstrating how your products have solved problems
Sharing case studies or success stories in your emails helps potential customers visualize how your products or services could benefit their business.
Showcasing real-world examples of how you have solved specific challenges, or improved efficiency for other businesses, helps you build credibility as you demonstrate your value.
Technical Updates
Providing information about product improvements or maintenance schedules
Keeping customers informed about product maintenance or technical updates is crucial, especially for industrial products that require ongoing care. Regular technical updates sent via email can include information on:
- Product improvements
- Software updates
- Upcoming maintenance schedules
Offering proactive information about product upkeep or potential issues helps you build customer satisfaction and grow trust in your long-term reliability.
10 Tips for Creating a Successful Email Marketing Strategy for Manufacturers
For manufacturers to stay top of mind, position themselves as industry experts, and create lasting connections with customers they will need to develop a successful email marketing strategy. This doesn’t have to be designed from the ground up though as there is a proven roadmap in place.
1. Segment Your Email List for Better Targeting
Divide your email list into meaningful segments based on factors like customer type (B2B or B2C), purchasing behavior, or industry. This allows you to send more personalized and relevant content which can result in improved engagement and conversion rates.
2. Use a Clear and Compelling Subject Line
Your subject line is the first thing recipients see, so make it attention-grabbing and relevant. Concise subject lines that include a clear benefit and create a sense of urgency or curiosity increase the chance of your email being opened.
3. Provide Valuable, Educational Content
Manufacturers can build trust and position themselves as experts by providing valuable, informational content. This could include how-to guides, industry trends, case studies, or product updates that are all designed to help your audience solve problems or stay informed.
4. Personalize Your Emails
Personalization goes beyond just using the recipient's name in an email. To achieve strong personalization, tailor your email content based on previous interactions, purchasing behavior, or business needs.
For example, if a customer recently purchased a product, send a follow-up email offering related accessories or maintenance tips.
5. Optimize for Mobile Devices
41% of people check email on their mobile devices. This makes it essential to ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. This can be done using a responsive design technique so your emails look good on any device.
6. Focus on Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)
Every email should have a clear goal. It could be:
- Driving traffic to your website
- Encouraging a product purchase
- Downloading a white paper
You’ll want to make sure that whatever your goal is, people can easily understand it. One email marketing mistake is “hiding” the CTA that should direct people to take action toward your goal. Make sure your CTA is easy to spot and compelling enough for recipients to take action.
7. Automate Where Possible
Email automation helps streamline communication with customers and prospects. Setting up an automated email series like:
- Welcome emails
then - Product recommendations
then - Abandoned cart reminders
saves marketing teams time and ensures timely, relevant email follow-ups that nurture leads effectively.
8. Test and Optimize Campaigns
Regularly test different aspects of your emails—such as subject lines and the email copy—through A/B testing. Doing this helps you find the combination that resonates best with your audience. You can use this data to optimize future campaigns.
9. Keep Your Emails Consistent
Establish a consistent schedule for your emails—weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Consistency keeps your brand top of mind.
10. Monitor Analytics and Adjust Strategy
HubSpot email tracking software enables manufacturers to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and unsubscribe rates.
Analyzing these metrics will help you identify what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to refine your strategy over time for even better results.
Email Marketing Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Email marketing can be incredibly effective for manufacturers, but like any marketing strategy, it comes with its own set of challenges.
Challenge: Low Open Rates
Why it happens: Low open rates often stem from poorly crafted subject lines, irrelevant content, or emails getting lost in crowded inboxes. If recipients aren't immediately compelled by the subject line, they may not even open your email.
How to Overcome It
- Optimize subject lines: Make them compelling, clear, and relevant. Test different approaches (e.g., questions, urgency, value proposition) to see what resonates best with your audience.
- Personalize emails: Use the recipient's name and tailor content based on their interests or previous purchases.
- Perform A/B tests: Experiment with different subject lines, sending times, and email content to find out what drives the best open rates.
Challenge: High Bounce Rates
Why it happens: Bounce rate is the term used when emails can’t be delivered to a recipient’s inbox. They often occur because of an invalid or outdated email address.
How to Overcome It
- Clean your email list regularly: Remove inactive, invalid, or incorrect email addresses to reduce bounce rates. List-cleaning tools, or a double opt-in process, can help ensure the accuracy of your list.
- Use a verified email service provider: Choose a reputable email service provider (ESP) that has a good reputation for deliverability to avoid being flagged as spam.
- Segment your list: This allows you to target engaged subscribers more effectively and avoid sending emails to outdated contacts.
Challenge: Low Engagement (Click-Through Rates)
Why it happens: Low click-through rates (CTR) can occur when your emails lack a strong call-to-action (CTA), are too generic, or don’t offer enough value.
How to Overcome It
- Create strong CTAs: Make sure each email includes a clear, actionable CTA. Whether it's "Learn More," "Get a Quote," or "Download Now," it should be prominent and easy to understand what action should be taken and why.
- Provide value: Ensure that your content resonates with your audience’s needs. Exclusive discounts, informative resources, or product tips can incentivize clicks.
- Optimize Visuals and Layout: Use compelling images, infographics, and a clean, mobile-responsive design to make your emails visually appealing and easy to navigate.
Challenge: Compliance with Regulations (e.g., GDPR, CAN-SPAM)
Why it happens: Manufacturers must be sure that when they send an email they follow regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe or the CAN-SPAM Act in the U.S. Non-compliance can lead to legal penalties and reputational damage.
How to Overcome It
- Get explicit consent: Use a clear opt-in process to collect email addresses and ensure you're only sending emails to individuals who have agreed to receive them.
- Offer easy unsubscribes: Always provide a simple, visible option for recipients to unsubscribe.
- Stay informed about regulations: Regularly consult legal experts to stay up to date on privacy laws and compliance guidelines.
Challenge: Email Fatigue and Unsubscribes
Why it happens: Sending too many emails, or irrelevant content, can overwhelm recipients leading them to, at best, not engage or, worse, unsubscribe.
How to Overcome It
- Maintain email frequency balance: Find the right balance between staying top of mind and not overwhelming your audience.
- Provide opt-out options: Allow subscribers to choose the type of emails they receive (e.g., product updates, newsletters, promotions). This customization can reduce unsubscribes.
- Monitor engagement: Pay attention to open rates and unsubscribes to identify when, and why, recipients are losing interest.
Conclusion
Email marketing provides manufacturers with an effective way to communicate directly with customers, build brand loyalty, and drive long-term success. By embracing its importance, implementing targeted strategies, and overcoming common challenges, manufacturers can use email to stay ahead of the competition.
With so many variables involved in developing an email marketing campaign, working with an email marketing agency allows manufacturers to harness the full potential of this valuable marketing channel.
