With multiple button and banner ads mentioning the upcoming ILSAC GF-6/PC-11 performance specifications surrounding the post, F+L Weekly reported that the license dates for both have unofficially slipped back yet again. This time to the beginning (for PC-11) and the end (for GF-6) of 2017. New regulations put into place dictate that nine months must separate the release of PC-11 and GF-6 specs, meaning an intended start date of both for Q1 2017 pushes GF-6 licensing back to Q4 of 2017. While companies work to be sure their products meet these standards, marketing also has to be taken into account as companies have already started forming their stances on the specs. Being aware of the extensive time between first “touch” and signing final papers in the B2B industry, especially in the chemical sphere, means that advertising agencies and in-house marketing teams run very elaborate campaigns with long lead times. For us, it certainly isn’t a crazy notion to be in the game early in regard to specifications, even years before the actual specs are to be licensed. In fact, it typically takes two to three years from the very first “touch” to the delivery of a product or service.
Knowing this, the agencies and in-house teams should currently have plans in place and should have begun implementing the first steps toward introducing their companies’ and/or clients’ ability to meet and surpass these specs. By starting early, companies not only put the necessary tools in place for their sales teams, but also create a digital presence that contributes to search engine rankings and a larger digital footprint. It is no longer increasingly, but rather of the utmost importance, to begin integrating content from different sources as early as possible in scenarios like these, as there are many different companies vying to be the champion of a similar topic.
For example, purchasing relevant domain names years ahead of time can put you at the top of Google’s search engine rankings with very little work in regard to content and SEO. With this completed, the focus can switch to more important marketing tools like establishing a company’s people as thought leaders. As an extension of this, creating relevant and interesting content increases the likelihood that a company is at the forefront, in both digital and print, for potential and current customers.
If your company is in the oil industry and you haven’t started implementing your GF-6/PC-11 marketing plans, as our President, Drew Dorgan, says, “Giddy up!”
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