The Impact of Media On Industrial Marketing - Part III

Further insights from AJ Sweatt...

Brand awareness is critical, especially in industrial marketing where the stakes are so much higher and the buying cycle protracted. Many projects to select technology solutions take months, and in many cases years. So the brand must resonate consistently in the minds of prospects as they enter and progress through the stages leading up to comparison and selection.

Push media (magazines and e-Newsletters) are strong branding vehicles. They deliver information about new technologies and products, R&D, and knowledge leadership in ways that are much more effective than hoping a prospect encounters those messages on their own. Trade magazines still play a vital role in connecting prospects to solutions and options.

Then too, ads in industry-focused websites offer an interesting "brand bump." And, surprisingly, ad banners offer branding advantages beyond measuring a "click." A substantially majority of visitors to top advertiser websites came from people who saw at least one online display ad, but never clicked on the banner.