EP 40: Katie Smith: Beyond the Sales Pitch: A Fresh Take on Authentic Marketing

How do you stand out in the competitive world of B2B manufacturing? In this episode of MFGMonkey, Dustin McMillan sits down with Katie Smith from Wild Path Consulting to explore the evolving landscape of marketing and sales. From her unique journey as an outdoor guide in Montana to becoming a marketing strategist, Katie shares insights on crafting effective marketing strategies, understanding customer needs, and building trust through authentic content. They dive into real-world examples—like how Great Northern Metal achieved significant growth through tailored marketing efforts—and discuss the role of AI, the changing sales process, and why consistency and transparency are key to long-term success. If you're looking to refine your marketing approach and create lasting customer relationships, this episode is a must-listen!

Katie’s Websites & Social Media:

https://followthewildpath.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiesmithwildpath/

Head over to our website at mfgmonkey.com for the full transcript of today’s episode. It’s packed with links, resources, and more insights from our guests to help you dive deeper into the topics we covered.

If you have any questions, comments, or topics you'd like to hear about in future episodes, please let us know! [email protected]

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:51 Transition to Marketing Consulting

05:52 Case Study: Great Northern Metal

09:05 Marketing Strategies for B2B Manufacturing

11:53 The Importance of Customer Journey

14:57 Differentiation in Manufacturing Marketing

17:56 Building Relationships and Trust

23:22 The Evolution of Trust in Transactions

24:56 Navigating the New Sales Process

27:47 Understanding Engineer Research Behavior

29:35 The Role of AI in Marketing

32:56 The Shift Towards Authentic Marketing

36:19 Building Trust Through Transparency

40:36 The Importance of Consistency in Marketing