Global Sourcing Spotlight: How to Evaluate Supplier Capabilities Worldwide
The Knowledge Base: Cultivating Your Brand in the Age of Connection
SMT Perspectives and Prospects: Warren Buffett’s Perpetual Wisdom, Part 2
Sales and Marketing: Our Roundtable of Experts
February 6, 2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
If you’ve ever heard of a product and thought about how it would work in your life, that’s the result of marketing. It’s a subtle yet powerful force in how business operates today. For the February 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine, we gathered some of the most widely recognized authorities on marketing and selling electronics manufacturing services. They explain the sales and marketing process and what it takes to be successful in today’s competitive climate—whether you’re on the giving or receiving end.
How much thought do you give to your selling and marketing process? Who is doing it for you? The rep or maybe the applications engineer? Use this roundtable as a starting point for a deeper discussion with your own team about boosting your efforts, and your bottom line.
Barry Matties: Everyone, it’s great to be here with you as we talk about marketing—something that can be easily overlooked in running a business. Let’s start with Dan Beaulieu. You’ve worked for many years in marketing and selling. What advice do you have for your customers?
Dan Beaulieu: I tell them that you have to be known. No matter what you build, get your name out there. But it’s a building process, so be patient. We've all heard about the client who places three ads and then says, “Nothing happened.” But what’s happening is you are making people aware of what you do and why you do it better. That’s what leads to more customers.
Matties: How do you define the sales process and how do you get people to follow it?
Beaulieu: First, you warm up your leads. That’s the marketing part of it. You do some content marketing, like a book with I-Connect007, newsletters, tech bulletins, and posts on social media. The salesperson can take comfort that it’s not a cold call because it has been “warmed up” through marketing. Your book program, I would say, creates some pretty hot leads.
The next part is the reach out. I’m finding that people hate to pick up the phone and talk to a potential customer, but that’s what sales is. As we do great marketing, we also have to train the salesperson. For example, say we do a lead generation project and then give those names to the salesperson, who comes back to us and complains that we didn’t give them any phone numbers. I want to say, “Well, why don't we make the call and eliminate your part altogether? It seems we’re doing everything else anyway.”
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the February 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
The Marketing Minute: Staying Positive When the Market Isn’t
08/20/2025 | Brittany Martin -- Column: The Marketing MinuteIn today’s volatile electronics market, buffeted by tariffs, supply-chain shifts, and squeezed margins, it’s tempting to tighten belts and cut your marketing budget. But history shows us that the quietest brands get forgotten fastest. Staying visible is not a luxury; it’s a competitive advantage.
It’s Only Common Sense: Sales as a Team Sport
08/04/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseAnyone who has played, or even watched, sports knows that it’s not just about scoring points or making big plays—it’s about everyone working together toward a common goal. Sales is no different. Too often, sales is considered an individual activity, with each salesperson striving to hit his or her targets. However, the reality is that sales works best when it’s treated as a team sport, with everyone working toward a common goal.
Dan’s Sales Guide: Master Your Sales Game in 2025 and Beyond
07/30/2025 | Dan Beaulieu, D.B. Management GroupIndustry veteran Dan Beaulieu has compiled more than 80 of his favorite sales tips and suggestions to help you create your own sales and marketing playbook. “I’ve been in this business for over 40 years, and I’ve seen companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment, expand factories, rebrand multiple times, and hire consultants until the parking lot is full,” Dan says. But when it comes to time for companies to invest in something that will actually grow their revenue, Dan has found that their sales and marketing strategies aren’t as strong as they should be. However, there's a solution.
From Attraction to Action: Where Marketing Ends and Sales Begins
07/29/2025 | Brittany Martin, I-Connect007Before a PO hits the system, marketing has already done a lot of heavy lifting. Without strategic marketing, the PO might never arrive. At I-Connect007, we have been fortunate to help many companies achieve sales success through marketing. The key to success? Understanding how marketing leads to sales.
The Marketing Minute: The First Step to More Sales—Marketing
07/16/2025 | Brittany Martin -- Column: The Marketing MinuteIn today’s competitive B2B landscape, marketing is no longer just a support role; it’s the starting line. Before a PO is ever submitted, marketing has already laid the foundation for the sale. These days, buyers are more informed, selective, and self-guided than ever, and marketing is how they find, evaluate, and build trust in your company.