Skip to content

Process walkthrough · B2B manufacturing and factories

B2B manufacturing and factories: from the quotation request to years of repeat orders

The industrial buyer is looking for a stable supplier: capacity, consistent quality and deadlines kept. The process shows the evidence before the first order and confirms it every month after.

The pain points this process addresses

  • Suppliers who miss deadlines or quality.
  • Dependence on a single supplier for critical parts.
  • Rising production costs.
  • Launches delayed by slow prototypes.

From cold traffic to LTV, stage by stage

1. Cold traffic

People who don't know you see you for the first time.

Strategy

Be found by buyers looking for a new supplier or an alternative.

Tools

  • SEO on processes and materials
  • Google Ads
  • LinkedIn
  • B2B directories (Europages)
  • Subcontracting trade fairs

Execution

  1. Capability pages: processes, materials, tolerances, certifications, capacity.
  2. A complete profile in B2B directories, with the same data as the website.

Metrics tracked

  • New visitorsPeople reaching the site for the first time, by source.
  • CTRThe share of people who clicked after seeing the ad or the search result.
  • CPCThe cost of one click.

2. Interest

They come back, read, watch and compare.

Strategy

The buyer checks capacity, quality and stability.

Tools

  • Certifications page
  • Factory video
  • Case studies
  • Capability sheet (PDF)

Execution

  1. A 2-3 minute video of the production flow.
  2. Certifications with number and validity, not just the logo.

Metrics tracked

  • Engagement rateSessions in which people read, scrolled or interacted, out of all sessions.
  • 50% video viewsHow many watched at least half of a clip.

3. Lead

They leave a signal: an enquiry, a booking, a sign-up or a basket.

Strategy

The quotation request is simple and accepts technical drawings.

Tools

  • Request form with file upload
  • CRM
  • Non-disclosure agreement on request

Execution

  1. A form with drawing upload and annual volumes.
  2. Instant confirmation and a committed quoting deadline.

Metrics tracked

  • Conversion rateThe share of visits that become an enquiry, a booking or an order.
  • CPLThe cost of one lead: an enquiry, a booking or a subscriber.
  • Time to first responseHow long it takes from enquiry to first contact.

4. Qualification and offer

You check the fit and make the proposal.

Strategy

Technical offer, samples and supplier audit.

Tools

  • Quoting with cost calculation
  • Samples or pilot run
  • Factory audit

Execution

  1. An offer with prices by volume tier.
  2. A pilot run with a measurement report.

Metrics tracked

  • Offer acceptance rateOffers or plans accepted, out of those sent.
  • Sales cycleDays from first contact to contract.
  • MQL → SQL rateHow many marketing-qualified leads become real sales opportunities.

5. Customer

The first order or the first contract.

Strategy

The first order is the trust test.

Tools

  • Framework contract
  • Quality plan
  • CRM

Execution

  1. A quality plan agreed before production.
  2. CAC calculated with samples, audits and trade fairs.

Metrics tracked

  • Win rateOrders or contracts won, out of open opportunities.
  • CACCustomer acquisition cost: everything spent on marketing and sales, divided by new customers.
  • Average valueThe average value of an order, a bill or a contract.

6. Delivery and activation

The customer reaches the first good result quickly.

Strategy

On-time deliveries and consistent quality.

Tools

  • On-time delivery report
  • Quality reports
  • Portal or email for orders

Execution

  1. A monthly report: on-time deliveries, non-conformities, actions.
  2. Proactive communication about any delay.

Metrics tracked

  • Activation rateCustomers who reach the first useful result within the agreed period.
  • NPSHow likely a customer is to recommend you, on a scale from 0 to 10.

7. Retention and expansion

They come back, renew and buy more.

Strategy

Repeat orders and new part numbers.

Tools

  • Annual framework contract
  • Business reviews
  • Cost reduction proposals

Execution

  1. A half-yearly review with the buyer.
  2. Cost reduction proposals through process changes.

Metrics tracked

  • Repeat purchase rateCustomers who buy again or renew within a given period.
  • ChurnCustomers lost in a period, out of those at its start.

8. LTV and referrals

Value over the whole relationship and new customers brought by existing ones.

Strategy

A good B2B customer means years of orders and referrals within their group.

Tools

  • CRM with history per part
  • Case studies with consent
  • Introductions to other plants in the group

Execution

  1. Track value per customer over 5 years and per part.
  2. Ask for introductions to other factories in the customer's group.

Metrics tracked

  • LTVThe margin a customer brings over the whole relationship.
  • LTV : CACHow much a customer brings compared with what it costs to win them.
  • Referral rateNew customers who came through referrals, out of all new customers.

Copywriting on the industry's pain points

The same message written in five different frameworks. We use each at the right stage and test them against each other.

AIDA

Cold traffic ads and landing pages. · Cold traffic

Attention
Is your current supplier missing deadlines?
Interest
We have free capacity for small and medium runs, at the required tolerances.
Desire
A pilot run with a measurement report before the first contract.
Action
Send the drawing and the annual volume for a quotation.

PAS

Ads and emails, when the pain is clear and recognised. · Interest

Problem
A single supplier for a critical part.
Agitation
One delay can stop your line.
Solution
A second qualified supplier, with a pilot run and an agreed quality plan.

FAB

Product pages, technical sheets and offers. · Qualification and offer

Feature
Dimensional inspection on every batch.
Advantage
Non-conformities show up before delivery.
Benefit
You receive parts you can assemble straight away.

BAB

Case studies, retargeting and nurturing emails. · Lead

Before
Missed deadlines and quality complaints.
After
On-time deliveries and consistent quality, reported monthly.
Bridge
A simple quotation request, a pilot run, a quality plan and a monthly delivery report.

4U

Headlines, email subject lines and the first lines of ads. · Cold traffic

“A second supplier for critical parts: a pilot run with a measurement report in [N] weeks”

  • Useful
  • Urgent
  • Unique
  • Ultra-specific

Proposed A/B test

Hypothesis
A form that accepts drawings directly brings more qualified requests.
Variant A (control)
“Form without file upload”
Variant B
“Form with drawing upload and annual volumes”
Primary metric
MQL → SQL rate

Language and visuals adapted to the industry

Lexical field

  • capacity
  • tolerance
  • certification
  • lead time
  • batch
  • prototype
  • consistent quality
  • traceability
  • cost per part
  • framework contract

Words to avoid

  • the best supplier
  • superior quality (without data)
  • any order, any deadline

Word family

to manufacture

  • manufacturing
  • manufacturer
  • manufactured
  • remanufacture

Language structure

Formal and factual, centred on verifiable capabilities. Figures with units, certifications with numbers, committed deadlines. Formal courtesy.

Visual structure

The production flow on film, the factory's machines, measurement reports, finished parts, certifications with number and validity.

Calculator: from budget to LTV

Change the values and see how CAC, LTV and the payback period move.

Monthly results

Visits
714
Leads
17.9
New customers
1.8
CAC
€1,120
LTV (margin)
€22,500
LTV : CAC
20.1 : 1
CAC payback (months)
3

The calculator values are an example calculation for the chosen industry, not a client's results. Enter your own figures.

Visits = budget ÷ CPC · Customers = visits × conversion 1 × conversion 2 · CAC = budget ÷ customers · LTV = value × purchases per year × margin × years · Payback = CAC ÷ monthly margin per customer

The metrics, in plain words

New visitors
People reaching the site for the first time, by source.from Google Analytics 4
CTR
The share of people who clicked after seeing the ad or the search result.clicks ÷ impressions
CPC
The cost of one click.cost ÷ clicks
Engagement rate
Sessions in which people read, scrolled or interacted, out of all sessions.engaged sessions ÷ sessions
50% video views
How many watched at least half of a clip.50% views ÷ impressions
Conversion rate
The share of visits that become an enquiry, a booking or an order.conversions ÷ visits
CPL
The cost of one lead: an enquiry, a booking or a subscriber.cost ÷ leads
Time to first response
How long it takes from enquiry to first contact.average, in hours
Offer acceptance rate
Offers or plans accepted, out of those sent.accepted ÷ sent
Sales cycle
Days from first contact to contract.average, in days
MQL → SQL rate
How many marketing-qualified leads become real sales opportunities.SQL ÷ MQL
Win rate
Orders or contracts won, out of open opportunities.won ÷ opportunities
CAC
Customer acquisition cost: everything spent on marketing and sales, divided by new customers.total cost ÷ new customers
Average value
The average value of an order, a bill or a contract.revenue ÷ orders
Activation rate
Customers who reach the first useful result within the agreed period.activated ÷ new customers
NPS
How likely a customer is to recommend you, on a scale from 0 to 10.% promoters minus % detractors
Repeat purchase rate
Customers who buy again or renew within a given period.repeat customers ÷ customers
Churn
Customers lost in a period, out of those at its start.lost ÷ customers at the start
LTV
The margin a customer brings over the whole relationship.value × purchases per year × margin × years
LTV : CAC
How much a customer brings compared with what it costs to win them.LTV ÷ CAC
Referral rate
New customers who came through referrals, out of all new customers.from referrals ÷ new customers

Further reading

Other industries