Free playbook for manufacturing and industrial marketers

The Manufacturing Marketing Growth Playbook

Six strategic decisions that determine whether your marketing influences industrial buyers, long before the RFQ arrives.

TheManufacturingMarketingGrowth Playbook Six Strategic Decisions that Determine WhetherYour Marketing Influences Industrial Buyers Strategy + Marketing for Manufacturers & Industrials RHBLAKE.COM
  • 26 pages, built for marketing and commercial leaders
  • Original 2026 research from RH Blake, ISA, and Automation.com
  • Working frameworks for markets, positioning, AI search, and measurement

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    Your next opportunity may be decided before the RFQ

    By the time a manufacturer receives an inquiry, the prospect may have already compared technical capabilities through search, summarized alternatives with AI tools, reviewed supplier websites, and verified claims with peers. Our 2026 research shows how much of the decision takes shape before a supplier hears about it.

    81%

    81% had already created a supplier shortlist before contacting any vendor.

    64%

    64% first engaged a vendor within the first quarter of their buying journey.

    83%

    83% used supplier websites during the research and decision process.

    48%

    48% had used AI to research suppliers in the preceding 90 days.

    Source: RH Blake and ISA / Automation.com, 2026 B2B Manufacturing Buying Journey & Thought Leadership Research, 121 global respondents. Findings describe this survey sample and should not be interpreted as universal market rates.

    Six decisions, in sequence

    The playbook starts with market priorities and buyer insight, then uses that work to guide positioning, visibility, activation, and measurement. Settle where to compete and why customers should choose you before committing budget to campaigns and channels.

    Strategy: where and why Execution: how Learning

    01

    Growth opportunities

    Concentrate on the growth opportunities that matter

    Prioritize markets using commercial evidence, and account for the buyer's option to keep the status quo.

    02

    Buyers and decisions

    Understand the buyers, the decisions, and the events that move them

    Direct buyer insight, the compelling events behind purchases, and the full decision-making group.

    03

    Differentiated value

    Make your differentiated value clear, relevant, and credible

    Translate capabilities into customer outcomes, and support each claim with proof a buyer can examine.

    04

    Visibility and authority

    Build visibility and authority across search, AI, and the supplier website

    SEO foundations, AI-assisted supplier research, independent credibility, and useful conversion paths.

    05

    Sustained program

    Build a sustained program that supports the full buying process

    Thought leadership, connected channels, and sales enablement that hold up over long evaluations.

    06

    Measurement

    Measure commercial progress and improve the system

    Metrics tied to pipeline, honest attribution, and AI use with appropriate controls.

    Frameworks you can put to work this quarter

    Many manufacturers already invest in websites, content, advertising, trade shows, and sales support. Those activities are not always guided by a clear view of which markets present the strongest opportunities, or why customers choose one supplier over another.

    Each chapter closes that gap with a tool your team can apply to its own markets, buyers, and pipeline.

    Get the playbook
    • The opportunity lens Seven factors for weighing markets, applications, and customer segments against your right to win.
    • A Voice of Customer interview list Who to speak with, and the questions that show how a purchase really unfolded.
    • Capability, outcome, proof A simple structure for turning technical specifications into claims a buying group can verify.
    • A four-part measurement framework Visibility, buyer progression, pipeline quality, and efficiency, each matched to the job marketing is doing.
    • A five-step starting sequence Where to begin, from aligning leadership and sales on priority markets to setting a review cadence.

    What manufacturers say about working with RH Blake

    “I've gotten all that I'd hoped for from the RH Blake Growth Roadmap™ and more. Based on the research and insights, we adjusted our offering scope and sales approach. And this adjustment has been effective at generating new opportunities.”

    Diane Reko
    President
    REKO International

    “RH Blake is such an incredible asset. They have helped improve our internal and external product presence and done a great job developing and executing their projects for ABB.”

    Ashley Liddil
    Global Marketing and Communications Manager
    ABB Industrial Automation

    About RH Blake

    RH Blake is a strategy and marketing agency focused on manufacturers and organizations within the industrial ecosystem. For more than 30 years, we've helped industrial clients identify growth opportunities, understand technical buying decisions, clarify positioning, and develop marketing programs to support complex sales.

    The RH Blake Growth Roadmap™ helps identify priority markets, buyer requirements, and the marketing activities needed to pursue growth. We then help clients translate that direction into positioning, content, digital marketing, AI search visibility, thought leadership, account-based programs, product launches, and sales enablement.

    Ready to identify where your manufacturing marketing program could have the greatest impact?

    Talk through your markets, buyers, and current program with an RH Blake strategist.

    Book a strategy call