While most industries have already made the transition to digital, manufacturing has been one of the slow movers. As an insider industry, there seems to be a high-barrier to entry for many entrepreneurs hoping to work with factories for the first time. However, one easy fix is to give the industry more exposure by bringing it online.
Many of the factories on Maker’s Row, have made the leap to promoting their factory online. Here are just a few of the benefits:
Expand Outside Your Local Area
It’s no secret that manufacturing used to be a secret industry. Factories often relied on word-of-mouth to find new clients, which often relegated their client base to their local area or to one type of product. By putting your factory online you are able to reach nearly every corner of the country and globe. Not only that, you are able to show that your factory can handle work that is outside the norm of your usual clientele.
For example, Clean Air Woodworks, a woodworking factory in New York and a Maker’s Row preferred partner, was approached by a handbag designer to create wooden handbags. While most of the factory’s work has been in furniture, this unique venture from a designer propelled them into an industry they never thought they could be in.
See how moving online helped this apparel factory:
Add Legitimacy to Your Business
In our digital age, an online presence doesn’t just bring you exposure, it gives your business legitimacy. Nearly 90% of people believe that businesses should be on Facebook or at least 3 online platforms. Even older demographics put clout in online platforms. In the same study, almost 70% of 45 to 60-year-olds and 60% of people of 60 thought that businesses should have a Facebook page.
Needless to say, an online presence is a type of first-line vetting process for many people. Hear one of our factories talking about moving into the digital age:
Get More Leads
Putting your business online is a great way to get more leads. On Maker’s Row, there are over 100k brands looking for factories to produce their products in the United States. However, if you are not a person in the manufacturing or design industry finding those manufacturers is a process that takes a lot of time and energy that comes up empty handed. With the online environment for the manufacturing industry thriving, more and more brands are turning to the internet to find factories.
Watch this jewelry factory talk about the transition of the industry:
Connect with the Rest of the Manufacturing Community
Manufacturing in the United States has become its own community of creatives and craftsman who are willing to put competition aside to help each other. By connecting with the rest of the manufacturing community online you are able to send them work that you may not be able to do or don’t have the capacity for.
A pattern-maker can easily direct a client to a sample-maker who can direct them to a factory. The community has become its own eco-system that supports itself with the common goal of strengthening manufacturing in the United States.
Bring Your Factory into the Digital Age with Maker’s Row!
Expose your factory to over 100k brands that use Maker’s Row to find factories just like yours!
