Beyond the exhibition stand: How manufacturers are winning business online.
Why digital marketing is becoming just as important as events like MACH. Discover how forward-thinking manufacturers are generating more enquiries, improving visibility, and winning work beyond the exhibition floor.
Launching at MACH
NEC Birmingham on 20th April 2026…
A new data-led whitepaper from AlphaQuad and Definition Media, in association with The Manufacturers Hub.
The way manufacturers win work is changing. Buyers are researching earlier and shortlisting suppliers before you even know they exist. At MACH this year, we’re revealing exactly what’s happening and where the biggest opportunities lie. It highlights the growing importance of digital marketing for manufacturing in reaching buyers at these earlier stages of the journey. Most manufacturing companies still rely on exhibitions, relationships, and brand reputation to generate demand.
But our research shows a different reality…
- Buyers are completing up to 75% of their journey before speaking to sales
- Search – not sales – is now the starting point
- A small number of companies dominate digital visibility across the sector, presenting a lot of opportunities for the rest of the market
What our whitepaper reveals.
Through speaking to and analysing the search-performance data for 300+ manufacturing companies across multiple subsectors, we have uncovered:
- Where manufacturers are winning (and losing) online
- How search visibility translates into commercial opportunity
- Why most companies are overly reliant on brand-led traffic
- The gap between digital leaders and everyone else
We have found that four major shifts are redefining how manufacturers attract and win customers:
Digital transformation
Buyer behaviour
Sustainability and regulation
Supply chain shifts
Who is the whitepaper for?
This whitepaper is designed for:
- Marketing leaders in manufacturing
- Commercial and sales directors
- Business owners and MDs
- Digital and growth teams
If you’re responsible for pipeline, growth, or market positioning, this is essential reading.
Visit us at MACH
We’re officially launching the whitepaper at the MACH Exhibition at the NEC on 20th April.
Visit us on stand 17-359a at the show or register using the form below to receive your copy as soon as it goes live.