Five Strategies to Market Your Machine Shop
Here are some proven ways to attract new customers and grow your business.
Marketing your machine shop isn’t rocket science, and it doesn’t need to break the bank. It does, however, require time and attention. The nature of manufacturing means that you are trying to build long-term relationships with customers who will come back again and again. Your marketing priorities should focus on building trust and your reputation.
1. Focus on Your Website
Everyone looks for what they need online. Even if they get a referral from someone, they still probably check you out on the web. Make sure your website looks good and is easy to find for people searching for what you do. This is referred to as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which is basically trying to get listed on the first page on Google. Here is a resource for SEO for beginners. Start by making a list of words or phrases people looking for your services would type into Google. Be sure to think like a customer! SEO is a science and an art, and it is worth hiring someone to help you with this at the beginning. See tip below.
If you service local customers, optimize for local search (Local SEO) by using your location in page titles, meta descriptions, and content. List your shop on Google My Business for FREE to boost visibility.
Branding and the User Experience Matters! It is better to have a few well-designed, mobile-friendly pages than a whole bunch of bad ones. Here are some examples of small/medium businesses that got it right: https://www.digitalsilk.com/digital-trends/best-small-business-websites/. And some who didn’t: https://colorlib.com/wp/bad-websites/. For inspiration, here are some Datanomix Customers who have great sites:
Pro Tip: There are lots of places where you can hire freelancers to do SEO, design, or build the whole site for you! Freelancers: Upwork, Fiverr. You can also check out local community colleges, interns, etc. This job NEVER ends – you need to keep your website fresh with regular updates like blog posts, project or customer case studies, etc. This helps with SEO. You don’t want to be on the 9th “o” of the Gooooooooooogle at the bottom of someone’s search results!
2. Network Like It’s Your Job
Get involved with your local industry groups like PMPA, NTMA, AMT, MEP, and SME. You should also get involved with local business development groups and chambers of commerce. If you haven’t already, partner with local/regional vocational and technical schools to build relationships, find employees, and promote your shop. If you can, go to regional trade shows and industry conferences to see what’s new and meet potential clients and partners from a broader area. Getting out there is very important for small business owners.
Pro Tip: When you are a member of various organizations, they often have publications. Ask about being the “featured member” or see if they want to do a story on your shop because of something unique or new you are doing. Example: Datanomix featured in the July issue of The Record from NTMA.
3. Get Listed on Online Marketplaces and Directories
Local: Get your machine shop listed on local business directories and industry-specific marketplaces. This boosts your visibility to local companies searching for your services. Keep track of where you are listed so you know what to update with any changes.
Regional / International: Expand to national and international directories on sites like ThomasNet and MFG.com. Both offer FREE listings that connect you with clients around the world.
Pro Tip: Keep your profiles up-to-date with photos, service descriptions, and customer reviews—it makes you stand out. Look in the directories you use and see which companies stand out and why—copy them!
4. Build Value-Added Partnerships
Partner up with local/regional businesses that complement your services to bring more value to customers. If you specialize in precision machining, team up with local fabricators, shipping companies, suppliers, etc. The goal is to have everyone recommend their partners to their customer base. If the partnership is strong, explore joint marketing activities like events, mailers, open houses, and happy hours.
Oddly, you should also reach out to your competition. Create a mutually beneficial relationship where you recommend each other when you are too busy or don’t have certain equipment like cylindrical grinding. Make sure that they have the same level of service and quality you do! Why? Lower quality can ruin your relationship with the customer, and better quality might cost you future business.
Pro Tip: Stay in regular contact with your partners to explore joint marketing opportunities and cross-promotional activities. Quarterly calls are a minimum to stay top of mind, or else they will fizzle and die.
5. Deliver AWESOME Customer Service and Quality
Consistently delivering quality parts on time for a fair price is rarer than you think. Having happy customers willing to recommend you is the BEST way to find new customers. Their referral carries tremendous weight and people will naturally want to do business with businesses good enough to get them. It’s all about trust.
Pro Tip: Encourage happy customers to leave a review on Google, industry directories, and your website. Highlight these in your marketing materials to show off “social proof” that you are what you say you are. Use technology, including automation to deliver quality parts on time.
Wait, What About Social Media?
Using social media to market your machine shop and drive people to your website is great, but the five things above will be more effective in finding and keeping new customers. If you only have a little time, attention, and money to allocate to marketing focus on these things first. If you do have bandwidth for social media, the top ones for small- to medium-sized B2B manufacturing-focused companies are usually LinkedIn and YouTube.
Doing these five things will help you find new customer for your business. They are practical, economical, and proven to work. So, start with your website and add the others once that is up and running. Marketing your business is an ongoing, never-ending process. Doing these things will build a strong foundation you can keep adding to.
