Engineers are different than the average consumer.

They are trained to analyze information critically, and they tend to approach decisions logically, rather than emotionally. Engineers pay close attention to detail and are very methodical in their approach.

Engineers undergo a very demanding academic curriculum, and their jobs require they pay close attention to detail. Mistakes can result in schedule delays, cost overruns and even loss of life. The old adage “measure twice, cut once” definitely applies to engineers.

Being measured decision makers means engineers are naturally skeptical. They question every message they hear and compare it with their own experience and knowledge. Because of this, traditional marketing techniques are often less effective with engineers, as they require more than just feel-good messages.

Engineers use the power of information to educate themselves about industrial products. They rely on their acquired method of thinking, research, and judgment before making a decision.

It’s this rigorous attention to detail and calculated decision-making that makes engineers so valuable during their company’s purchasing process. While engineers are not always the final decision maker, they provide input into the buying decision. And if you are selling an engineered product (as opposed to a commodity), it is imperative that you gain the technical buy-in of the customer’s engineer.

Clearly, winning over this group of influencers is critical. But how do you market to engineers?

A fundamental tenet of marketing is “know your audience.” To appeal to an engineer, you must offer what he wants: relevant information from a credible source. Connect with the engineer and show him how you are qualified to solve his problems like no one else. Reach him on a personal level.

Engineers respond well to demand marketing techniques that address them as knowledgeable, technical professionals in search of solutions to engineering problems. Hosting PDH events is an effective demand marketing strategy for reaching engineers on a personal level.

A PDH event is a webinar or lunch & learn where you present an educational topic related to the products you sell, and award professional development hours (PDH) to the engineers in attendance.

PDH events allow you to:

• Demonstrate topic authority and position yourself as a valuable resource that engineers can rely on to help solve their problems.
• Create an authentic human connection with engineers, so they see real people when they think of your brand – not a faceless corporation.
• Build goodwill with engineers by providing something of real value to them.

Hosting a webinar or lunch & learn gives you a wealth of time to establish yourself as an authority on a topic and gain the trust of engineers.

If you are an industrial manufacturer that sells engineered products, you need to connect with engineers.

Engineers are the people who produce the specifications and data sheets for industrial products. They are the people who perform the technical bid evaluation of submitted proposals. They are the people who build a business case for convincing management to allocate money. And most importantly they are your prospects who are out looking for your products and services when they need them.

Many engineers have a problem you can help solve, but they aren’t currently in a buy cycle. Only about 1-3% of potential buyers are looking for a solution right now. If your marketing is only geared towards buyers who are ready right now, you’re missing out on all the prospects who could be buying from you in 6 months or a year from now. Demand marketing tools, such as PDH events, allow you to get in front of engineers and gain their trust BEFORE they have a need for your product.

If you’d like to speak with an expert to learn more about how to use PDH events to connect with engineers, book a free consultation.

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