A prospective Client asked me the question recently, Whats the difference between industrial marketing communications and regular BtoB marketing communications? The question took me by surprise, since I promote my business as an industrial marketing communications agency, and I thought any prospective Client of mine would understand what that meant. It led me to put my thoughts down on the subject: if one person didnt understand the difference there were bound to be others.
Key to the discussion is the definition of industrial marketing communications as opposed to BtoB marketing communications. Ive read some articles recently that use the term industrial media to describe more traditional marketing communications methods (printed materials, print advertising) as opposed to broadcast and digital media. I think this confuses some people who are already unsure of how industrial marketing differs from traditional BtoB marketing.
I define industrial marketing communications as:
Marketing communications tactics and tools created to promote an industrial service or manufactured product sold to industry.
The key is sold to industry. This is where industrial marketing and BtoB part ways. It is possible to offer what is considered an industrial service or to manufacture a product that are NOT sold to an industrial company. The word industrial indicates the production of an end product or a service that are not sold to businesses dealing with the mass consumer market. For instance, an industrial company is a refinery; a manufacturer of engineered plastic components; an engineering firm that specializes in building petrochemical plants; a valve repair company.
Heres an example of a service that could be provided to an industrial AND BtoB company:
Industrial Marketing Communications:
Maintenance company specializing in and targeting refineries, chemical and petrochem plants
Vs.
BtoB Marketing Communications:
Maintenance company specializing in and targeting large office buildings and retail establishments
In the first example, the decision maker for the service is probably going to be the plants maintenance manager, maintenance engineer, or if its a smaller plant, a GM. In the second example, the decision maker will be a leasing company procurement manager, a commercial real estate broker, the owner of the property, or possibly a building manager. Not only will their maintenance needs be uniquely different, the communications style and messaging for the two maintenance services will need to be different as well.
Typically, in industrial marketing communications, we are marketing a product to an audience that is mechanically or engineering minded. They are usually mid level operations management, as opposed to executive management. They are usually a much smaller and more easily defined target audience.
Here are some other distinctions between industrial marketing communications and standard BtoB:
1)Engineers often have a low opinion of advertising and advertising people. I have found that they will quickly dismiss an ad that uses an artsy or gimmicky concept. Since engineers are basically scientists, they do not like to view themselves as being influenced by slick graphics or ad copy (Artsy and gimmicky can work in many BtoB advertising campaigns.)
2)Someone with a more technical view of their job will generally make a decision to buy a product or service based more on logic than emotion. I realize that Advertising 101 stresses that an ad needs to trigger emotion, and this is effectively true in standard BtoB marketing. Ive found that most engineering and operations personnel will weigh FACTS and make comparisons based on the product or service that best meets his needs.
3)Industrial audiences want to know features, not just benefits. They want to know things like physical properties, performance characteristics, technical specifications, and efficiency ratings so they can make an intelligent decision. Typical BtoB ads do not stress this type of information; in fact, they most typically stress features and benefits.
4)Engineers and other technical types dont go glassy eyed when they read lots of industry jargon in fact, they like it. If you use jargon when you speak to an engineer, youre showing him that you speak his language. Dont just consider text as industry language. Engineers also have a visual language. Depending on their specialty, they use charts, graphs, tables, diagrams, drawings, and mathematical symbols and equations on a daily basis. When you use these visual devices it says to the engineer that hes seeing solid information not just marketing fluff.
It would be wrong to say that the same marketing principles don't apply. They actually do; but they're applied differently. Working with an industrial marketing agency that understands how to market to a more technical audience engaged in the production of actual products that make the world run can be a huge factor in getting it right straight out of the gate, or floundering while an agency tries to grasp the difference. If youre looking for industrial marketing assistance and interviewing agencies, ask them their definition of industrial marketing communications. If they cant give you some insight similar to whats in this article do yourself a favor and move on to the next candidate!
Key to the discussion is the definition of industrial marketing communications as opposed to BtoB marketing communications. Ive read some articles recently that use the term industrial media to describe more traditional marketing communications methods (printed materials, print advertising) as opposed to broadcast and digital media. I think this confuses some people who are already unsure of how industrial marketing differs from traditional BtoB marketing.
I define industrial marketing communications as:
Marketing communications tactics and tools created to promote an industrial service or manufactured product sold to industry.
The key is sold to industry. This is where industrial marketing and BtoB part ways. It is possible to offer what is considered an industrial service or to manufacture a product that are NOT sold to an industrial company. The word industrial indicates the production of an end product or a service that are not sold to businesses dealing with the mass consumer market. For instance, an industrial company is a refinery; a manufacturer of engineered plastic components; an engineering firm that specializes in building petrochemical plants; a valve repair company.
Heres an example of a service that could be provided to an industrial AND BtoB company:
Industrial Marketing Communications:
Maintenance company specializing in and targeting refineries, chemical and petrochem plants
Vs.
BtoB Marketing Communications:
Maintenance company specializing in and targeting large office buildings and retail establishments
In the first example, the decision maker for the service is probably going to be the plants maintenance manager, maintenance engineer, or if its a smaller plant, a GM. In the second example, the decision maker will be a leasing company procurement manager, a commercial real estate broker, the owner of the property, or possibly a building manager. Not only will their maintenance needs be uniquely different, the communications style and messaging for the two maintenance services will need to be different as well.
Typically, in industrial marketing communications, we are marketing a product to an audience that is mechanically or engineering minded. They are usually mid level operations management, as opposed to executive management. They are usually a much smaller and more easily defined target audience.
Here are some other distinctions between industrial marketing communications and standard BtoB:
1)Engineers often have a low opinion of advertising and advertising people. I have found that they will quickly dismiss an ad that uses an artsy or gimmicky concept. Since engineers are basically scientists, they do not like to view themselves as being influenced by slick graphics or ad copy (Artsy and gimmicky can work in many BtoB advertising campaigns.)
2)Someone with a more technical view of their job will generally make a decision to buy a product or service based more on logic than emotion. I realize that Advertising 101 stresses that an ad needs to trigger emotion, and this is effectively true in standard BtoB marketing. Ive found that most engineering and operations personnel will weigh FACTS and make comparisons based on the product or service that best meets his needs.
3)Industrial audiences want to know features, not just benefits. They want to know things like physical properties, performance characteristics, technical specifications, and efficiency ratings so they can make an intelligent decision. Typical BtoB ads do not stress this type of information; in fact, they most typically stress features and benefits.
4)Engineers and other technical types dont go glassy eyed when they read lots of industry jargon in fact, they like it. If you use jargon when you speak to an engineer, youre showing him that you speak his language. Dont just consider text as industry language. Engineers also have a visual language. Depending on their specialty, they use charts, graphs, tables, diagrams, drawings, and mathematical symbols and equations on a daily basis. When you use these visual devices it says to the engineer that hes seeing solid information not just marketing fluff.
It would be wrong to say that the same marketing principles don't apply. They actually do; but they're applied differently. Working with an industrial marketing agency that understands how to market to a more technical audience engaged in the production of actual products that make the world run can be a huge factor in getting it right straight out of the gate, or floundering while an agency tries to grasp the difference. If youre looking for industrial marketing assistance and interviewing agencies, ask them their definition of industrial marketing communications. If they cant give you some insight similar to whats in this article do yourself a favor and move on to the next candidate!
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