Brian Wallace, Founder & President, NowSourcing

The inability to reach purchasing decision-makers is a major industrial marketing difficulty. Engineers visit manufacturing websites in search of part information, which they then use to specify components in their designs. Engineers, particularly those at larger companies, rarely purchase the item themselves. As a result, industrial marketers must figure out how to influence both the engineers who specify the item and the purchasing team who actually purchases the part. Every industrial marketing strategy must properly inform both buyers and engineers, making it a two-fold goal.

Design engineers are the foundation of industrial marketing. Engineers are the principal part specifiers. You will lose to your competition if you don't win them over early and keep winning their trust by offering what they need and keeping commitments. Sure, procurement departments have a role in the purchasing process, but 82 percent of engineers who download a part go on to buy it. That means the engineer who specifies the part into their design has a lot of influence on which components are ultimately acquired by their company, even if they don't physically hit purchase.

Engineers conduct research during the design phase to identify the exact part they require that meets stringent criteria for their specific application. Supplier websites are a valuable research tool for engineers. While in the research phase, industrial producers must give engineers access to the data they need to spec items into their designs. If the engineers can obtain the information they need to spec the part, there's a better chance they'll spec it and eventually buy it. To catch design engineers during the research process and provide them with the crucial data they require, when they require it, and in the format they require.

Embedding a product configurator with 3D previews is the most efficient way to provide engineers with product-specific information. They can easily browse through a product family, as well as see product metadata. Engineering teams need three-dimensional previews to provide information and visualization, and increased time on pages is crucial to ranking for product-specific keywords.

CAD models can be a powerful source of lead generation and marketing content, but it's imperative that you make sure your website offers quality downloads of your 3D CAD models. If engineers cannot download CAD files from a part supplier, 80% move on, 37% redraw the part, and 43% go to an alternative supplier. For 92% of engineers and architects, 3D previous is a vital factor in deciding which product to select. Make 3D CAD models part of your industrial marketing strategy, and see which doors open for you.

About the Author: Brian Wallace is the Founder and President of