Your Online Presence should be Crystal Clear
In the realm of B2B marketing, particularly for industrial manufacturers in Thailand and the broader APAC region, establishing trust begins with a transparent online presence. Buyers are especially “risk averse” and tend to be “followers” rather than “risk takers”. This mean you need to make sure your online credibility is rock-solid.
- Showcase customer success references with logos, and if possible project names and photos. This will comfort buyers and give them an hint about the type of customers you can serve. Seeing a competitor will probably do more convincing than a full business meeting.
- Outline the industries you serve, as this point is often neglected. Highlight the scope and scale of projects you can handle, as this gives potential clients a sense of your capabilities.
- Make sure your News section is up-to-date with activities in the last 3 months. Make sure the content is relevant to a business audience (eg. participation to trade shows, relation with government, project completion).
- Introduce your management team. Feel free to include photos or links to LinkedIn profiles, offering social proof that reinforces your credibility.
- If possible, provide transparency regarding your pricing methodology, as this can alleviate concerns about hidden costs.
Personalize Your Outreach
When engaging in outbound marketing, thorough research is essential and will establish you are familiar with the company’s business and ecosystem.
- Clearly state the purpose of your interaction. Understand the specific industry your prospect operates in and tailor your communication accordingly.
- If you have the opportunity to communicate via phone or messaging apps like WhatsApp or Line, do so respectfully, ensure that your messages are concise and purposeful.
- Be mindful of business hours (especially for prospect in other timezones!) and local holidays when sending texts or when scheduling meetings.
- Prior to online meetings, feel free to send a quick personalized reminder to your prospect before the call, highlighting the time of the call, the participants and how you are looking forward to help them solve a particular problem. This will show professionalism and probably prevent some no-shows.
Tips to Engage in Quality Interactions
Quality interactions are vital in nurturing trust.
- As a general rule, prepare meetings and always show up a few minutes earlier. Be mindful of the time you borrow from your prospect.
- Demonstrate that you have understanding of their buying cycle, and respect it takes time. For instance, if they are in the budgeting phase, acknowledge this in your conversation.
- Ask thoughtful questions and listen. What you ask is key to showcase to your prospect you take interest in offering a solution to their problem. Open ended questions especially can lead to deeper discussions. Remember to let your prospect speak!
- Be clear about what you cannot deliver and possible limits. Over-promising will not serve you in the long term and may damage your relationship with the prospect.
