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The manufacturing space in India has traditionally taken a ‘product-first’ approach, in that most manufacturers focus on making their product work without investing too much in the marketing side of things. While good products can and should speak for themselves, the challenge today isn’t developing the best product – it’s developing the best-knownproduct. And that’s especially important when entering new markets, where people have too little time and too many existing options to go hunting for brands that don’t come to them.

In industries like hospitality or FMCG, the ‘product’ isn’t hard for the layperson to understand. It’s a food item, or a shampoo, or a hotel stay – something they directly enjoy. In manufacturing and logistics, however, the product isn’t something they can touch or experience for themselves – it’s something that runs in the backdrop and makes those tangible goods and experiences possible. What makes such a product ‘cool’ to the end consumer? Answering that requires the manufacturing brand to educate the public on how the product works, using simple, catchy language that evokes interest. People may not be keen on hearing about the science behind an AI platform, but they will be excited to hear about a platform that auto-matches warehouses to available trucks so that their deliveries reach them sooner. It’s all about the right language, the right media and the right timing.

There’s also the matter of reputation building in PR. Reputation matters greatly in manufacturing – industrialists and end customers alike want to know that the materials and products they’re using will stand the test of time. The credibility bestowed on a brand name by a well-placed media article or press release far exceeds what an ad can accomplish. And good credibility attracts not only customers, but also investors, government projects and talented future employees who can help the brand grow further. It’s a win-win all around.

For manufacturing brands just starting out with PR, here are some outreach activities we recommend focusing on.

  • Whitepapers – These are research-intensive pieces that include studies the brand has conducted and the results they have obtained. While placing these may take some effort, whitepapers play a critical role in demonstrating empirically how and why a manufacturing solution works.
  • Thought leadership articles – These are less technical than whitepapers but contain valuable industry insights from the perspective of the manufacturing company’s CXO. Well-placed thought leadership articles help to establish the brand as an authority amidst the general public and are also likelier than whitepapers to be picked up by journalists for dissemination.
  • Press releases – Media announcements about things like product launches, mergers, celebrity endorsements or new hires are vital to getting the word out. Press releases are short and to the point, which make them easy for news channels to pick up, and they’re an excellent way for the brand to stay top-of-mind.
  • Case studies – These demonstrate concretely how a solution benefitted a client, in terms of time saved, money saved, profits boosted, employee/customer satisfaction boosted etc. These are ideal for attracting other clients in the same category who want to achieve similar results.
  • Presence at a trade show – Trade shows are ideal for connecting with industry peers and explaining new products or process innovations in detail to an invested audience. It can be daunting to speak in public, especially if one hasn’t done it before, but a top PR agency will have you covered with media training lessons.
  • Leadership profiling – The previous activities highlight what the company does and is an expert at; profiling, however, focuses on who the company is. What were the company’s origins? Who are the founders? What kind of team are they building? What are their growth plans? What values and social causes matter to them? Leadership profiles serve as an excellent reference point for anyone looking up the company online, and also as a boilerplate intro to add on to any press releases or thought leadership articles.

Manufacturing is a critical space, the backbone of our country’s industrial growth, and it’s only right that the public should know about the good work being done by companies big and small. At Star Squared PR, we pride ourselves on the specialised PR services we offer to manufacturing and logistics brands. We’re well-versed in the tone, content and authenticity standards specific to the industry, and we leave no stone unturned to get the word out to the right people. We’re especially keen to help brands set up their manufacturing PR strategy from scratch – reach out today to know more.