Many advertising agencies will tell you there's really no difference between a consumer agency and an industrial agency, and when it comes to the task of putting together ads, they may be right. But is that all your agency should be doing?
Since we are a specialized industrial agency, we believe there are some fundamental differences between industrial selling and consumer selling that profoundly affect the planning, scope, and implementation of advertising programs. Understanding these differences is essential in deciding which type of agency is right for you.
Before we go any further, we should define industrial selling. To us, it is selling that is done primarily by salespeople who see prospects at their place of business. The product doesn't have to be technical or industrial in nature, since by our rules, the method of selling is what determines an industrial company.
Aggressive salesperson involvement is the key difference. While field salespeople are an industrial company’s most effective means of communication, they are also its most costly and least efficient. The challenge for industrial sales and marketing managers is in defining their markets, locating prospects within these markets, and reaching the prospects by the most cost-effective method.
To make the best use of a sales force, you have to combine it – in a well-planned mix – with other communications methods that are admittedly much less effective, but more efficient.
Simple rule: If a sales call costs over $300 (based on recent research), then you shouldn't waste sales calls doing anything that can be done with other, less expensive communications methods.
In order to produce the most cost-effective results, the industrial advertising practitioner must consider all available methods and plan a mix of communications that includes field sales calls supported by literature and presentation materials, telemarketing, direct mail, and publication advertising.
The specialized nature of industrial markets and the difficulty in defining and reaching them with a reasonable degree of precision and cost-effectiveness further add to the complexity of the task.
So, is there a difference? Probably not much when it comes to writing ads. But, when it comes to total program planning and implementation, we think the difference is like night and day.
At Norris & Company, we understand the need to thoroughly integrate sales and advertising through well-planned programs that make use of a variety of communications methods. If you would like more information on this subject, or a reprint of this and other ads in the series, please contact us: (508) 510-5626 • info@norrisco.com
