The Importance of Marketing in the Metals Industry

Know your customers better, and act on it

Most metals companies already collect a wealth of customer data in the form of sales histories, quote requests, inventory purchases, website visits, and portal behavior. The challenge is not the lack of data; it is unifying the data into a single, actionable view.

With the right tools and team, modern marketing technology enables businesses to consolidate insights across ERP, customer relationship management (CRM), and shop floor platforms. The result is a clearer understanding of what customers are buying, when they’re engaging, and what behavior signals potential demand. By using and enhancing the data they already have, companies can provide more timely, relevant, and targeted interactions. These interactions and insights can inspire proactive engagement strategies and maximize opportunities.

Optimize growth through strategic planning

In a market that increasingly values speed, transparency, and personalization, relying solely on reactive sales processes introduces significant risk. When customers browse products, build carts, or request quotes through online portals, those signals should not sit idle; they should trigger next steps. Marketing strategies should, at a minimum, send automated reminders, personalized product suggestions, and tailored follow-ups based on behavioral and transactional data.

With the Microsoft Dynamics 365™ Customer Insights – Journeys solution, companies can establish automated journeys that nurture opportunities and confirm that processes are in place for a smooth transition from marketing to sales. These tools don’t just market. They put growth into motion.

Standard capabilities of this solution include everyday business use cases. For example, if a buyer typically reorders every 90 days, a journey can initiate outreach on day 85. If a cart is abandoned, a follow-up email can remind the customer or offer an incentive to complete the purchase.

Garner real outcomes, not theoretical value

The Microsoft solutions team at Crowe has a unique skillset that combines deep metals industry experience with a more than 20-year history working on the Microsoft business application platform. Applied to marketing technology, this approach can yield direct and measurable results. Specific use cases include:

• Moving excess inventory by targeting previous buyers with relevant promotions
• Encouraging reorders through automated reminders based on historical purchasing trends
• Expanding product penetration with cross-sell and upsell campaigns tailored to past activity
• Re-engaging dormant accounts with timely content based on metals industry trends or product updates
• Increasing follow-through on e-commerce activity by reaching out to buyers who abandon carts or browse without purchasing

These use cases are significantly enhanced on a unified platform. The Customer Insights – Journeys solution can eliminate the need for integrating data from sales to marketing and enable sales teams to follow up promptly as customers engage with emails, complete forms, and respond to inquiries in real time.

Get real ROI with marketing

Gone are the days of spray-and-pray marketing when a marketer’s job was complete once the email blast went out. With the sophistication of marketing tools like the Customer Insights – Journeys solution, companies can expect measurable return on investment (ROI) and focus on transforming their marketing departments from cost centers into revenue generators.

Even modest gains can translate to significant business impact. Take the example of abandoned carts: Converting just a small percentage more of those opportunities through personalized follow-ups could equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars in incremental revenue annually.

Make small moves, realize big impact

Many organizations hesitate to adopt marketing technology out of concern that it will require a major investment in resources or disrupt current operations. However, solutions like Customer Insights – Journeys are designed to integrate easily with the Dynamics 365 platform and other core business systems. If a company is already using ERP and CRM solutions within the Microsoft ecosystem, most of the foundational data is already in place.

Once a company has a strategy, the right toolset, and the willingness to act, it can be ready to execute. Initial campaigns can be built and launched quickly, often in days or weeks, not months. For example:

• A campaign to promote surplus steel can be created by filtering previous buyers by product type.
• Reorder reminders can be scheduled automatically based on typical buying cycles.
• Product launch updates can be sent to customers who have shown interest in similar materials or finishes.

These functions can be managed by a single resource and don’t require a full marketing department or external agency.

Achieve results with proactive marketing and customer engagement

The metals industry has come a long way in terms of optimizing operations. But growth doesn’t happen in the back office; it happens at the customer level. If the customer-facing side of your business isn’t as modern as the systems running your ERP and supply chain, it’s time to prioritize the technology that supports meaningful engagement with your customers and prospects. Marketing is no longer an optional investment or a nice-to-have. It’s a critical component of a successful growth strategy.

We understand that the current environment, including fluctuating tariffs, supply chain volatility, and economic shifts, is full of uncertainty. These factors are outside your control. But what is within your control is how you engage with your customers. Proactive marketing strategy and outreach as well as first-class customer experience is one of the most strategic levers you can pull – and one of the few entirely in your hands.

Crowe understands the operational complexity of the metals industry because we’ve spent years designing, implementing, and supporting ERP and CRM systems that are tailored to meet its specific demands. As customer expectations evolve, we’ve expanded our capabilities to help metals companies engage more proactively with the market. With a strong creative team and deep Microsoft platform expertise, we can help you take meaningful steps toward modern marketing, without overextending your team or your budget.

Now is the time to complete your digital transformation and bring your front office into the future.

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