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Discover how today's pallet buyers are finding suppliers, and what your company can do to become one of the businesses AI recommends.
What's Covered in This Series
Part 1: Why Buyers Choose Some Pallet Companies First
Part 2: Why AI Visibility Is the New Competitive Edge
Part 3: How AI Chooses Pallet Suppliers
Part 4: Preparing Your Website for AI Recommendations
Part 5: 5 Ways to Get More Customers with AI
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Successful B2B (business-to-business) pallet customer acquisition focuses on companies most likely to regularly purchase pallets as part of their business. Examples include warehouses, beverage companies, retail chains, fulfillment centers, and exporters. Without effective customer acquisition techniques, your pallet business will not have a steady pipeline of recurring revenue. The online marketplace is today's most effective opportunity for finding new customers. That said, how can pallet manufacturers get more customers online? What makes some shoppers choose one pallet company over another? Most importantly, what could be the reasons why shoppers are visiting other manufacturers first?
The sales funnel exists for every product, including pallets. Here is what it looks like:
That said, you are not yet done. You can also harness the power of the internet to retain customers through consistent account management.
The first step to working the sales funnel is to make customers aware of your products, services, and business. For many smaller to mid-sized businesses, digital tactics to increase pallet sales are not always top of mind. However, to remain competitive, online lead generation is a must for pallet suppliers. Successful online lead generation also puts you in the first position when customers are looking for a pallet manufacturer.
Local search engine optimization (SEO) involves using phrases your customers are most likely to enter into a search engine when looking for pallets. Examples include "used pallets," "bulk pallet suppliers," and "custom pallets near me." When your business ranks well in local search results, you have the chance to connect with buyers who are actively looking for a supplier.
Even if your advertising budget is small, it may be a good idea to invest in pay-per-click advertising. These ads target businesses that are actively searching the internet for pallets. Just like local SEO, you can customize the keywords that will make your business stand out. Consider phrases that you have not already covered with local SEO. You might buy ads for "new pallets," "used pallets," or "heat-treated pallets."
Your website is an excellent digital channel to get new pallet orders. Through blogs, vlogs, and tutorials, you create educational content that builds credibility and increases the visibility of your products and services. Here, you can get a little deeper into the weeds that will help internet search engines bring up your content when the buyer is looking for specific information. Titles could include "how to choose the right pallet size," "what are the ISPM-15 heat treatment requirements," and "how can I reduce shipping costs with a better pallet design?"
We have mentioned that your website plays an integral part in acquiring industrial buyers online. Is your site optimized to attract qualified B2B buyers? Does it rank well in search engines? Does it successfully convert visits into quote requests? If your website has been an afterthought thus far, it is time to put it into the spotlight.
Start by building pages that directly address business problems your pallets can solve. It is no longer enough to have a product page that names every pallet type and service your business offers. In addition to this page, you also need dedicated product pages for each product. Having pages named "custom pallets," "pallet delivery services," and "used pallets" will direct prospective customers to the information while concurrently improving SEO rankings.
While creating these pages, remember to focus on local SEO. You most likely already have a defined service territory. Create additional pages that focus on each city and county you serve. As a result, you could have pages optimized for "pallet manufacturing in Orange County, CA," "pallet manufacturing in Huntington Beach," and "pallet manufacturing in Anaheim."
Today's buyer does not want to wait patiently for a callback. Instead, they are looking for instant options and quotes. Your website is the tool that makes this element possible. Because each page features a call to action – "request a quote today" – it makes sense to link this element to a form page. Shoppers can enter data such as their company name, contact information, product requirements, pallet dimensions, delivery location, and the expected timeline. Some pallet manufacturers have gone a step further by including a shopping cart application that lets buyers place orders and pay.
How can you attract a large volume of pallet buyers?
If you are introducing your brand or need to quickly find new customers, consider expanding your online presence. Introduce your business on IndustryNet, the Alibaba website, Facebook, Craigslist, YouTube, and any trade association websites you can find. The Chamber of Commerce website is also an excellent place to list your business.
Your SEO is strong, your website focuses on local searches, and you have broadened your reach by listing your company on websites that decision-makers tend to browse. How can pallet manufacturers get more customers online if these steps are already in place?
Your blog is a great tool for (local) SEO content. However, you can also use it to publish articles that build your brand's authority in the field. Educational blog content only indirectly promotes your company. That said, the content appears in organic search results. Let's say a would-be buyer is looking for "custom pallets."
You already have a web page that focuses on this term as part of your SEO. To boost your authority, expand on this term by offering content such as "how custom pallets reduce product damage and increase warehouse safety." The main SEO still focuses on custom pallets. However, the added information makes you stand out from competitors.
Another element is the downloadable resource. You frequently see e-books and white papers that companies offer for download when an internet user provides an email address. These resources should be practical and help your customers meet specific needs. Examples include pallet maintenance guides or a how-to for pallet selection.
Industry-specific content is a good option when you want to expand within your current customer segment or break into a new one. Content and case studies that highlight the use of pallets in e-commerce fulfillment drive more online marketers to your site. Other possible customer segments you might address are the agricultural sector, food and beverage manufacturers, and third-party logistics companies.
By the way, what is a good case study? Something as simple as a real-world success story involving one of your established customers can help a shopper visualize how your company can help them. Include measurable outcomes (with photos), such as reduced product damage, lower shipping costs, and improved inventory management.
The emails you get from current customers and those signing up for downloadable resources are perfect for online marketing. Many small to mid-sized pallet manufacturers outsource email marketing because it is most effective when you can segment your email lists to address customers who are new to the brand, established buyers, and those at any stage in the sales funnel. Of course, you always have the option to bring this marketing in-house using customer relationship management (CRM) software. Email topics run the gamut from industry trends to new products or services you are introducing.
Hand in hand with email marketing is marketing automation. These messages reach out to customers in response to specific actions taken. For example, after a shopper downloads a guide, send a welcome email. After you respond to a quote request, use a follow-up email sequence that asks for the sale. If you have several inactive customers, use emails to re-engage them. Moreover, you can always send messages with personalized recommendations based on shoppers' browsing histories.
While you may not be able to account for every new customer your online marketing brings to your business, there are key performance indicators (KPIs) that help determine whether your marketing efforts are paying off. Concurrently, these KPIs clearly show which marketing efforts are not working at all or need improvement.
Let's look at the most common KPIs.
There are only a few small- to mid-sized pallet manufacturers who have the time to invest in KPI measurement or in developing website content and email campaigns. That does not mean that you cannot take Advantage of these tools. Instead, partner with the experts in pallet marketing. Go ahead and schedule a strategy session to get more customers today!
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Winning More Customers in the AI Era
A Five-Part Executive Series for Pallet Manufacturers
✅ Part 1: Why Buyers Choose Some Pallet Companies First
🔜 Part 2: Why AI Visibility Is the New Competitive Edge
🔜 Part 3: How AI Chooses Pallet Suppliers
🔜 Part 4: Preparing Your Website for AI Recommendations
🔜 Part 5: 5 Ways to Get More Customers with AINOTE TO VIRGINIA:
