When supply shortages hit, the first place many manufacturers look to cut costs is the marketing budget. Robin Cordy, Marketing Director at NBS, explains why this can be counter-intuitive and how forward-thinking marketing strategies can lead to more orders down the line.
COVID-19 and Brexit have compounded a lasting building supply shortage affecting manufacturers across the UK. As budgets are squeezed, many businesses in the sector are considering dialling down their marketing strategies.
Slashing the marketing budget can, however, risk cutting your business off from an audience with huge potential that is actively looking for your product.
Find the digital footfall
The digitisation of construction methods has transformed many aspects of the industry; most notably, how projects are planned and designed. A recent NBS and the Construction Products Association study found that 72% of architects would look to download information about a desired product for “immediate use”, and 95% want product information in digital format.
Specifiers, designers and architects are increasingly planning projects months and even years in advance using digital platforms to source and specify products. By ensuring your product is on the platforms specifiers are using, your product is immediately in front of the right audience.
Being able to easily find and use digital product data is essential for architects and designers. And having products listed digitally doesn’t just make it easier for specifiers to find them; it can also enable architects to re-specify trusted products, resulting in a steady sales pipeline for listed manufacturers.
Real-time results
Listing your products on digital platforms like NBS Source can offer manufacturers huge benefits. Ideal Standard International won sole supplier agreements and greatly increased their market share by launching their BIM offering and ensuring architects could easily access their product information, digitally.
It’s time to take a different approach. While competitors slash their marketing budgets, a new strategy and a little investment will raise your profile among specifiers – and you’ll reap the rewards long-term.
Learn more at our webinar
To find out more about NBS and see how you can list your products on their leading specification platforms, for the built environment, NBS Source and NBS Chorus, join the online webinar: “Bathroom & Kitchen Manufacturers: How to get specified”
Explore how NBS users are actively searching for your products, see how you can gain visibility and increase sales – even in an unpredictable marketplace.
Visit the NBS website for more information: www.thenbs.com
