In the highly competitive landscape of contract electronics manufacturing services (EMS), providers face the challenge of attracting and engaging prospective buyers at the right moment. To build an effective lead generation sales pipeline, it is crucial for EMS providers to utilize strategic marketing tools and activities that place their company’s services in front of potential buyers at the moment of relevance.
Understanding the moment of relevance
The moment of relevance refers to the specific point in a electronics equipment manufacturing company’s buyer’s journey when they become aware of a need or problem and actively seek a solution. How and where this moment of relevance falls into the sequence of events for EMS provider marketing and sales professional building sales funnels and pipelines, looks like the following, with the moment of relevance indicated by (*) asterisk :
- EMS provider marketing department researches OEM TAM
- EMS marketing defines ideal OEM target customer
- EMS marketing and EMS sales create OEM equipment company prospects list
- EMS marketing qualifies some OEM prospects
- EMS marketing identifies ‘qualified’ OEM prospects
- EMS marketing categorizes / prioritizes OEM leads
- EMS marketing passes OEM leads to EMS sales department
- EMS sales contacts OEM leads
- EMS sales then qualifies, or disqualifies, the OEM leads, again.
- EMS sales begins nurturing the qualified OEM leads
- * OEM requests quote pricing for services offered by EMS manufacturer
- OEM audits the EMS provider
- OEM-EMS provider contract negotiations
- OEM contract signing
EMS sales cycles can last 24 to 36 months and, in some cases, cost EMS providers hundreds of thousands of dollars to land a new customer when all staffing, software, training, travel, trade show and other marketing and sales related EMS industry activities and actions are taken into consideration.
Therefore, it is essential for EMS manufacturers to position their services at the precise moment to capture the attention and interest of prospective OEM buyers. By being present and offering relevant information that informs or helps to solve OEM buyer problems and pain point, EMS manufacturers can establish themselves as trusted partners and guide OEM buyers through their EMS provider selection and decision-making process.
By engaging OEM buyers at the moment of relevance, when OEM buyers are in the RFQ phase, as noted above, EMS providers can shorten their sales cycle time, and lower cost of acquisition for ‘new’ customer program wins.
Targeted content creation
One of the most effective marketing tools for EMS providers is the creation of targeted content. By developing high-quality content such as blog posts, white papers, case studies, and educational resources, EMS manufacturers can address the pain points, challenges, and industry-specific needs of their target audience.
This content should be optimized for search engines, enabling it to appear in relevant searches and attract potential buyers who are actively seeking EMS manufacturing solutions. By providing valuable insights, thought leadership, and actionable information, EMS providers can position themselves as experts and build trust with prospective buyers.
Implementing a robust SEO strategy is also important for EMS manufacturers to ensure their services are visible and discoverable by prospective OEM equipment buyers of EMS solutions.
By optimizing website content, meta tags, headers, and relevant keywords, EMS manufacturers can improve their organic search rankings and increase the chances of appearing in search engine results pages (SERPs) based on buyer interest, and relevance.
Effective SEO practices, combined with keyword research and competitor analysis, allow providers to align their content and messaging with the needs and search queries of potential buyers, ultimately driving traffic to their website and generating qualified leads.
Above all else, solve problems
To effectively engage prospective buyers in the contract electronics manufacturing industry, creating specific content that solves their problems is paramount. Here’s why it is crucial:
By developing content that addresses the challenges and pain points faced by buyers, EMS manufacturers position themselves as knowledgeable experts in the industry. Problem-solving content demonstrates a deep understanding of the needs of electronics OEM equipment buyers building extended contract EMS manufacturing supply chains and, therefore, needing, EMS manufacturing services.
OEM equipment buyers are constantly seeking information and solutions to their problems. By offering valuable, problem-solving content, EMS manufacturers provide buyers with actionable insights, best practices, and strategies to overcome their challenges. This value-driven approach helps builds a positive relationship with potential OEM customers and can help position the EMS manufacturer as a helpful resource.
Differentiation from EMS industry competitors
In a competitive market like contract electronics industry, standing out among other EMS manufacturers in a ‘sea of gray’ is crucial. Problem-solving content allows EMS providers to differentiate themselves from competitors who may focus solely on promotional content.
By addressing buyer pain points and detailing practical solutions, EMS providers can showcase their unique value proposition and position themselves as the go-to knowledge resource and solution provider.
Publish content where buyers will see it
Creating problem-solving content is only effective if it is published and distributed in the right places where electronics equipment buyers of EMS manufacturing services are most likely to come across it. Here’s why the placement of content is essential:
- Placing content where buyers are most likely to see it ensures it reaches the intended audience. By conducting thorough market research to find where buyers congregate online, and understanding buyer behavior, EMS providers can identify the websites, platforms, channels, and online communities where their target audience actively seeks information and solutions. This targeted approach maximizes the visibility and impact of the content.
- Publishing EMS manufacturing industry content online in domain locations where buyers frequently visit increases the chances of it being discovered. This includes leveraging search engine optimization techniques to ensure content appears prominently in search engine results when buyers are seeking relevant information. Additionally, sharing content on social media platforms, industry forums, and online communities amplifies its reach and allows it to reach a wider audience.
- Consistent publishing of problem-solving content online helps EMS manufacturer build brand awareness among prospective buyers. When EMS providers consistently deliver valuable content that addresses buyer challenges, they establish themselves as trusted industry authorities. Buyers are more likely to remember and engage with a brand that consistently offers valuable solutions to their problems.
- Facilitating engagement by placing helpful EMS industry content where OEM buyers will see it increases the likelihood of engagement and sharing. When buyers come across valuable content that solves their problems, they are more likely to save it for reference or share with colleagues. The latter is important as most decision-making internal OEM equipment firms concerning finding and vetting EMS manufacturers is done so by OEM committee. This engagement not only boosts brand visibility but also helps extend the reach of the content as it gets shared within the buyer’s network.
- Publishing content in the right places ensure EMS manufacturers that OEM buyers encounter relevant information at various stages of the OEM buyer’s journey. Whether OEM buyers are in the identifying and information gathering, vetting and consideration, or decision-making stage, OEM buyers want access to problem-solving content that addresses their specific needs and guides them towards making informed decisions about EMS manufacturer partner selection.
By strategically placing content where electronic OEM buyers of EMS services are most likely to see it, EMS manufacturers can effectively capture buyer attention, generate qualified leads, and drive top-line growth while decreasing the sales cycle for ‘new’ customer wins.
Contract electronics EMS providers can view some of the ways Venture Outsource helps services providers with their sales and marketing business objectives, here.
