How to Hire the Right Manufacturing Marketing Talent

Your manufacturing business will only go so far without a great marketing team supporting it. Sourcing the perfect blend of marketing manufacturing talent can feel like finding a needle in a haystack in a field as complex and demanding as manufacturing.

The manufacturing industry is constantly changing, with evolving consumer preferences and new technological advancements. Marketers must be adept at navigating and adapting to new landscapes. Finding standout marketers can be challenging, but as experts in the art of recruiting, we have the insights to help your business.

Following are tips on hiring the best marketing candidates in the manufacturing industry.

What Makes Manufacturing Marketing Unique

Marketing in the manufacturing sector differs significantly from marketing in many other industries. Instead of promoting trendy clothes or gadgets, manufacturing involves intricate processes to produce goods. Due to its technical nature, marketers must often translate complex jargon into easily understandable terms for all audiences.

Sales dynamics in manufacturing can also be quite different. Decision-makers often deliberate longer, weighing factors like product cost, quality, and long-term value. Marketers must adopt a strategic multi-funnel approach to furnish information at each stage of the customer journey.

Additionally, many manufacturing firms engage in business-to-business (B2B) transactions and need marketing professionals with relevant experience in that area. Marketers must articulate the value proposition for businesses, fostering trust and credibility with key stakeholders.

Given the global operations of many manufacturing companies, marketing teams must navigate language barriers, a wide variety of regulations, and cultural nuances when targeting international markets. Adapting strategies to accommodate these differences is essential for successful global marketing campaigns.

Skills Your Manufacturing Marketing Hire Should Have

Marketing for manufacturers requires some specific (and often hard-to-find) skills due to the industry’s technical landscape. When seeking to hire the best manufacturing marketing candidates for direct hire or freelance roles, here are some skills and abilities to focus on:

• Digital marketing experience: Manufacturing digital marketing can be more challenging than business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing because traditional channels may not be as effective. Instead of marketing on Instagram or TikTok, manufacturing marketing is often more successful when leveraging professional channels (posting on LinkedIn and hosting webinars, for example). You’ll also want to be sure the candidate is skilled in content marketing, email marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO).
• Strategic thinking: For a manufacturing marketing strategy to work, you must ensure it aligns with business objectives. Your marketers must be able to devise innovative marketing strategies that differentiate your brand, capitalize on market opportunities, and drive growth.
• B2B focus: Many manufacturing companies sell to other companies, not consumers. This requires a different skill set, including nurturing leads, running account-based marketing strategies, and building relationships with external stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Effective marketing in the manufacturing industry requires close collaboration with product development, operations, and sales teams. Your marketing candidate needs to know how to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Technical knowledge: Manufacturing is a more complex industry than many others, so your marketing team should have a strong foundational understanding of product specifications, industry standards, and manufacturing processes.

How to Identify Top Manufacturing Marketing Talent

While knowing what skills to look for is essential, finding top manufacturing marketing talent is another story. Follow these steps to find the best candidates for your marketing team:

1. Define your ideal candidate: Begin by clearly outlining the specific skills, attributes, and experiences you’re seeking. Define key responsibilities of the role, considering both hard and soft skills. It can also be beneficial to study the performance of current top performers in similar roles.
2. Tap into industry networks: Leverage industry connections through online platforms or professional associations to connect with potential candidates who possess strong experience in manufacturing marketing.
3. Look for industry experience: Prioritize candidates with experience in similar manufacturing markets as they’ll likely have a deeper understanding of the sector’s unique dynamics, challenges, and opportunities.
4. Assess organizational cultural fit: Evaluate candidates not only based on their skills but also on their alignment with your company’s values and vision. Look for individuals who can contribute positively to team cohesion.
5. Conduct a thorough interview: Use the interview process to delve into candidates’ experiences and qualifications. Ask detailed questions to assess their suitability for the role.

Interview Questions to Ask Manufacturing Marketing Candidates

Knowing the right questions to ask during the interview will help you find the best manufacturing marketing talent for your open role. Ask questions that get to the root of their industry and marketing expertise but also uncover insights into their work style. Here are some questions to consider asking:

• What do you see as the biggest challenges in marketing for manufacturers right now?
• What would your first step be in developing a marketing strategy for a new manufacturing product or service?
• How do you stay on top of marketing industry trends?
• Can you discuss a time when your employer or client dealt with negative publicity or a PR crisis and how you handled it from the marketing perspective?
• How do you decide which marketing channels to prioritize when reaching manufacturing industry professionals?
• Can you share an example of successfully collaborating with the sales team?

How 24 Seven Can Help You

Finding highly skilled manufacturing marketing talent can be challenging. That’s where 24 Seven comes in. We have niche experience sourcing and hiring these candidates. Our recruiters understand the marketing and manufacturing industries, and we know what to look for to recruit the right candidates. To speed the process, we’ll leverage our exclusive and expansive marketing talent pipeline.

Remember, a successful marketing strategy is only as strong as the marketers running it. Work with the experts in manufacturing recruiting to build out your team.