The Challenge
Manufacturers choosing an ERP system are making one of the biggest software decisions they will ever make. It touches stock, production, purchasing, finance and the shop floor, and getting it wrong is expensive. So buyers compare carefully, ask for proof, and shortlist only the vendors they understand and trust.
123insight had a strong product built for discrete manufacturers. The challenge was to make that clear to the right buyers: to stand out against larger and better-known ERP vendors in the UK, and to present the product credibly to manufacturers in India, a market with different expectations, price sensitivity and buying habits.
The core insight
"ERP buyers don't buy features; they buy confidence. Clear positioning, visible proof and a consistent story at every touchpoint matter as much as the product itself, especially when the buyer is comparing several vendors."
The Approach
Rather than running separate activities, positioning came first and everything else was built on it: the website, campaigns, events, partners and sales materials all told the same story, adapted for each market.
Step 1
Positioning: who it's for and why it's different
Defined the ideal customer (small and mid-sized discrete manufacturers), the problems they face, and why 123insight was the right fit compared with larger ERP vendors. This became the core message for both markets.
Step 2
Adapting the story for the UK and India
Kept the core positioning consistent, but adapted messaging, proof and offers to each market: an established, competitive market in the UK, and a market where the product needed introducing and explaining in India.
Step 3
Running every channel on the same message
Website, search, campaigns, events, partners and sales materials were planned together, so a buyer met the same clear story whether they found the product online, at a trade show or through a partner.
What We Did — Workstream by Workstream
Positioning & Messaging
- Ideal customer profile and buyer roles: owners, finance, operations and IT
- Core value proposition for discrete manufacturers
- Messaging adapted for UK and Indian manufacturing buyers
Website & SEO
- Website content built around manufacturers' problems, not just product features
- Industry and solution pages aligned with how buyers search
- SEO to improve visibility for ERP and MRP searches
Campaigns: Email, LinkedIn and Paid
- Email campaigns to targeted manufacturing contacts
- LinkedIn activity to build awareness with decision-makers
- Paid campaigns to reach buyers actively looking for ERP
Events & Trade Shows
- Planning and messaging for industry events and trade shows
- Event materials designed to start sales conversations
Partner & Reseller Channel
- Positioning and materials to support partners and resellers
- Consistent messaging so partners presented the product the right way
Sales Enablement
- Brochures, presentations and case studies for the sales team
- Materials that answered the questions ERP buyers ask before shortlisting
The Outcome
The result was a clearer, more consistent market presence for 123insight in both the UK and India: a defined position for discrete manufacturers, a website and campaigns built around buyer problems, and sales, event and partner materials that all told the same story.
What was delivered
Clear position
A defined ICP and value proposition for discrete manufacturers
Two markets
One core story, adapted for the UK and India
Full funnel
Website, SEO, campaigns, events and partners working together
Sales-ready
Brochures, decks and case studies for long ERP sales cycles
Why this matters
"In ERP, the vendor with the clearest story often wins the shortlist. Positioning first, then every channel on the same message, is what turns a good product into one buyers understand and trust."
What This Means for ERP and Software Partners
Many ERP vendors and implementation partners describe the same products in the same way, which makes them hard to tell apart. Buyers end up comparing on price, or defaulting to the biggest name.
The fix is the same approach used here: pick the customers you serve best, explain clearly why you're the right fit for them, and make every channel (website, search, AI assistants, outreach, events and partners) tell that story consistently.
If you sell ERP or implement it, the question isn't whether your product is good. It's whether buyers can quickly see why you're the right choice for them. See how we approach it on our Product Marketing page.