Ask any salesperson, and they will say that sales is the most important position in the company because it drives revenue. Ask any marketer, and they will say that marketing is the most important position in the company because their words drive the leads.



Smarketing relies on putting egos aside and realizing that the two teams are intertwined. A combined approach of sales and marketing, with each recognizing and appreciating the strengths of the other, produces higher-quality marketing materials and higher-dollar sales closures.

New data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that the U.S. manufacturing sector shed jobs for the first time since the height of the pandemic-related job losses suffered in the spring of 2020. But which specific industries lost and gained jobs? We'll take a look at that in a moment, but first let's let the general takeaways from the employment summary.

B2B sales professionals face a raft of obstacles and challenges, from the prospecting stage to pitching a proposal to closing a deal. But it's important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to common presumptions in B2B sales. Keep moving forward with these 21 eye-opening sales & prospecting statistics!

The textile industry ranks among the oldest manufacturing industries in the United States, starting with Samuel Slater's yarn spindle plant, established in Rhode Island in the year 1790.



The industry has expanded significantly since then, but suffered greatly from the Great Depression and other more recent factors such as COVID-19 and trade disputes. Nevertheless, this industry remains a critical one. This article will explore some of the key facts and trends in the textile industry in 2021 and will explore the industry's largest textile mills.

U.S. manufacturers started out 2021 on an especially strong note. New orders, production and employment remain in expansion territory, while domestic sourcing continues to trend up on the industrial marketplace IndustryNet.



And, in a particularly good sign for the U.S. manufacturing sector, we saw a flurry of new plant announcements in January 2021. Several new facilities opened up in response to the pandemic, while some major new operations were announced in the transportation equipment, biotech and cannabis industries. Today, we are going to explore the new manufacturing plants announced this busy month.

Hoists and cranes are used extensively in a large number of industries. At docks, massive harbor crane units transfer shipping containers from intermodal trains to ships. Electric utility and telecom companies use service trucks to elevate workers and equipment up to lines for maintenance. Both construction and manufacturing companies use hoists and cranes for moving large objects around plants and job sites.



With the versatility and importance of hoists and cranes, this industry is crucial for global economic success. Here are the top hoist and crane manufacturers in the U.S. that help enable that success.

Your company provides an array of quality goods to manufacturers, yet your sales are slipping. Your company prides itself on the services you offer to manufacturers, yet sales remain stagnant. Why? Competitors.



You know that you have competitors. Successfully running your company is at the forefront of your mind, but somewhere in the back, you know that competitors exist. You may even think that you have a pretty good idea of which companies comprise your main competitors.



It's time to bring those thoughts to the forefront and perform a competitor analysis.

Data decay is a leading cause of data inconsistencies, which can result in wasted time, resources and ultimately can have a negative impact on your bottom line. Plus, working with outdated and inconsistent data is just plain frustrating. But how prevalent is this problem?

You know that data decay impacts your sales & marketing efforts, but do you really know the extent of the damage? See how the costs of data decay might be far greater than you think and learn more about why good data matters in this infographic.

New data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that manufacturing employment in the U.S. rose even as the larger economy lost jobs in December.

Losses were sharpest in leisure and hospitality, which saw a decline of 498,000 jobs as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the service economy.

Good data is worth its weight in gold, helping you explore new markets, build better relationships, make better decisions and propel your business. In short, good data helps brings in the dough and choosing a data provider is among the most crucial decisions you'll make for your organization. To aid your data decision, explore the top attributes of a good B2B data provider, and see what IndustrySelect has to offer in this infographic.

Between distractions and sudden changes in the business environment, it can be difficult to stay on task and be productive.



To get the most out of your business, you need to use productivity tools. There are a vast array of products and services that can help you optimize your time in the office. Below is a description of some of the more critical productivity categories and a list of some solutions that we think you'll find very useful in 2021.

2020 was undoubtedly one for the history books. The manufacturing world was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, from supply chain disruptions to labor shortages and widespread shutdowns. In many ways, IndustrySelect's most popular stories for 2020 reflected the efforts of sales, marketing and business development professionals to understand the struggles of their valuable manufacturing clients, improve communications and discover new opportunities amid this remarkable year.

2020 was an unprecedented year for manufacturers. As coronavirus swept the globe, industrial companies faced the worst downturn since the Great Depression, and several months later experienced the sharpest rebound since the 1980s. Through it all, U.S. manufacturers continued to open up new manufacturing companies and expand existing ones as the sector progressed in its slow climb back from pandemic lows. Today, we've compiled the most exciting new manufacturing companies announced in 2020.

New data released this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that job openings in non-durable goods manufacturing hit an all-time high in October. This follows a disappointing jobs report released by the Labor Department earlier in the month which found the U.S. manufacturing sector added just 27,000 jobs in November, down slightly from October�s gain of 38,000.



Manufacturers hired at a much brisker pace in the late spring and early summer as industrial firms resumed production, but the sector is still 599,000 jobs shy of pre-pandemic levels.

Even with a vaccine on the horizon, the specter of COVID-19 looms large over your operations and those of your customers. So, the adage "Proper prior planning prevents poor performance" is especially true as you solidify your marketing strategy to increase sales in 2021.



In addition to the vaccine, governments and businesses are learning more about mitigating COVID-19's spread, allowing health and economic concerns to be addressed at the same time without adversely affecting one another.



In January 2020, the world was just beginning to experience the pandemic and its widespread effect. As your company approaches 2021, uncertainty remains, but you also bring with you the lessons learned in 2020, allowing you to be more proactive in your sales and marketing initiatives.



In the words of Bill Gates, "Success today requires the agility and drive to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react, and reinvent."[i]

Amid unprecedented times, U.S. manufacturers continue to open up new facilities and expand existing ones as the sector progresses in its slow climb back from pandemic lows.

In November, several new facilities opened up in response to the pandemic, along with some major wins for the transportation equipment and food processing industries. Today, we are going to explore the new manufacturing or expanded operations announced in November.

We've all heard the folk song "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."



Substitute the word "friends" for "customers," and you have found the key to a successful business model.

Screw machine products are components created through the use of turning lathes. As evidenced by the name, the first products produced were metal screws.



Today, the range is far broader and includes hardware, bolts and mechanical parts. Screw machine products are used in every industry imaginable, making this sector quite resilient.

On May 27 of this year, B2B sales and marketing expert John Coe, provided us with a detailed look at the challenges B2B marketers face when it comes to old or "decaying" data: B2B Data Decay: The Achilles Heel of Marketing.



Today, John is following up on that article, sharing some crucial steps B2B sales and marketing professionals should take to remediate old or aging data.

For many companies in 2020, profit margins are taking a hit. As part of the executive team, you want to have a comprehensive view of the challenges ahead and how to right the ship. Creating a seamless B2B customer experience can help boost your profit margins, putting your company back on the path to success. In this post, we'll explore the concept of the customer experience and provide the four fundamentals for enhancing the experience of your best prospects.

The U.S. manufacturing sector added 38,000 jobs in October -- roughly half the number of jobs added in September. Manufacturers hired at a must brisker pace in the late spring and early summer as industrial firms resumed production, but the sector is still 621,000 jobs shy of pre-pandemic levels.



However, in October, manufacturing gains were seen across a wider span of industries, some of which saw lukewarm gains or posted losses during the recovery period.

Many of the same factors that motivate individual buyers to choose one product over another also motivate industrial buyers[i] � quality, price, performance, etc. The Harvard Business Review recently published a hierarchy of value propositions from base expectations at the bottom of the pyramid to loftier purchasing goals such as a feeling of social responsibility at the top of the pyramid. Matching these values to each buyer persona helps manufacturers complete more sales[ii].



The following buyer personas are designed to help manufacturing companies motivate industrial buyers to choose their product[iv]:

Sheet metal fabrication is not new, but it is newsworthy.



As the world races to create a vaccine to fight COVID-19, part of the solution has been in existence for thousands of years. The same virus that can live for several days on plastic lasts only four hours on copper surfaces[i].



Hundreds of antimicrobial copper alloys are recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency as able to kill harmful bacteria. If used in hospitals, HVAC systems and other high volume areas of potential contact, antimicrobial copper alloys could help control the spread of many diseases until a vaccine or a cure can be found.

Even with the effects of COVID-19 shutdowns, the manufacturing industry still requires freight and shipping services to create and deliver their products to the nation.



As a freight company, finding companies that need freight hauled does not need to be a difficult endeavor. Here are some ways that you can find opportunities regardless of outside forces.

We've been reporting on new plant announcements and expansions through most of 2020 and October saw some major announcements, with two new PPE operations, several food processing facilities and a massive new steel operation.



Encompassing nine states and representing a diverse set of industries, these are the major new or expanded U.S. manufacturing operations announced in October.

Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau has been surveying small businesses across the U.S. on the Pandemic's impact on operations, providing compelling insight into how the Pandemic has affected everything from employment and revenue to supply chains and outlook on a weekly basis.



Today, we're going to break down the results of the survey as it pertains to U.S. manufacturing companies, including specific information on revenue, employment, supply chain issues and outlook, and provide insight into the specific needs of manufacturers as the recovery takes hold.

New data released by the Bureau of Labor statistics shows the U.S. added 661,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate declined to 7.9%, according to a report issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is roughly half of the 1.4 million jobs the nation added in August.



The U.S. manufacturing sector added jobs in September as well and hiring picked up in the sector compared to August. The Department of Labor reports the sector added 66,000 jobs in September, accelerating from the 29,000 positions added in August.



Notably, however, the U.S. industrial sector is currently 647,000 jobs short of pre-pandemic levels.

So much has happened in 2020 that was unprecedented. Simply looking forward to 2021 has become a definite challenge.



The only way to get a handle on what to expect in sales and marketing next year is to study the data from this year, especially during COVID-19, and project using the most likely scenarios.

Recent data finds the U.S. manufacturing sector continues to make progress in its slow climb back from pandemic lows. Manufacturing activity, including new orders and production, is firmly in expansion territory, though hiring has been lagging behind other key metrics in recent months.



Read more: The Big Picture Look at U.S. Manufacturing Business Conditions (Sept. 2020)



We�ve been reporting on new plant announcements and expansions through most of 2020 and September was a strong month, with some major announcements made in transportation, PPE, food products and the burgeoning cannabis industry.