Topic
CRM and RevOps
In most manufacturers the orders live in the ERP and the pipeline lives in somebody's spreadsheet. We cover which system owns which data, the reports worth building first, and how to tie show and web leads to quotes. Start with CRM for manufacturing, or CRM for distributors if you sell from branches.
Everything on CRM and RevOps, newest first (9)
Can you put a customer's drawing into ChatGPT? What OEM purchase terms and AI addendums now say
We read 10 published purchase terms from OEM buyers. Five now have AI clauses, and all five put the buyer in control of when AI touches its data or your deliverables.
Trade show marketing that pays back: a 2027 ROI worksheet for manufacturers
Set the target before you sign the space contract, price the show with every line in, and give every badge scan 10 business days to become an opportunity. A worked example with real 2027 rates shows how thin the margin can be.
B2B e-commerce for distributors: PIM, ERP and punchout before the storefront
Census data for 2022, the latest year with product-line detail, shows 28.6% of distributor sales arriving electronically. We checked five distributor websites on Oct. 26, 2026 to see what separates a web store that takes orders from one that only shows a catalog.
CRM for manufacturing: decide what your ERP owns first
Before you pick a CRM, decide which system is the record for each piece of data. A field-ownership map by sales motion, the five ERP fields worth syncing, a requirements checklist, and what to skip in year one.
CRM for distributors: what inside sales, outside sales and the counter each need
Orders already live in the ERP. We coded 20 distributor sales job postings, read Oct. 26, 2026, for the systems and activities each role is asked to use, and built the case for three CRM reports to set up first.
From RFQ to quote: a job shop playbook, and where quoting software for manufacturing and AI help
Shops that quote within a day report winning more of the work they quote, yet 12 of the 20 Top Shops' websites we read never tell buyers how fast they respond. A first-hour triage routine, a quote checklist, and what quoting software for manufacturing and AI should do, with AI kept away from the price.
Aftermarket sales for parts and service: your installed base is your cheapest pipeline
We read the parts, service and upgrade pages of ten machinery and equipment makers. Four state a parts shipping speed or stock count, one prices its service plan and none lets a visitor look up parts by serial number. Those gaps are where an aftermarket sales plan starts.
Your first 90 days as a marketing leader at a manufacturer
Spend the first 30 days listening, the next 30 auditing what already exists, from account logins to show contracts and distributor literature, and the last 30 shipping two wins the sales team can see, starting with inquiry response time. The audit checklist draws on 20 manufacturer job postings live on Oct. 26, 2026.