The New Reality of Market Access: A Structured Go To Market Approach

Indian Manufacturing at an Inflection Point: Market Access Matters

• Indian manufacturing is entering a vital stage. Today, market access is becoming just as important as production skill. For decades, companies won by focusing on scale, cost control, and quality. While these basics still matter, they are no longer enough on their own. The modern market rewards manufacturers who can find the right customers, explain their skills clearly, and act in a professional way.

Policy Support and Global Supply-Chain Shifts Create Opportunity

• Government plans like Make in India and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes have opened many new doors. These opportunities exist in auto parts, electronics, engineering goods, chemicals, and more. At the same time, global supply chains are changing. Many companies want to move away from relying on just one country. This makes India a key global manufacturing hub.

Rising Competition Raises the Bar for Indian Manufacturers

• However, more opportunity has also brought tougher competition. Indian firms now fight for deals against local rivals and global giants. These global players bring massive scale, mature processes, and very strong “go to market” (GTM) plans. Because of this, simply having the ability to make a product is no longer a unique advantage.

The Buying Journey Begins Before the First Conversation

• The buying process now starts long before the first meeting. Digital discovery is often the first step. Buyers research suppliers online by looking at websites, certificates, and technical papers. They also look for proof of quality, such as case studies and references. Manufacturers who do not look professional at this stage may never even be considered for a deal.

Multi-Stakeholder Decision-Making and Higher Expectations

• At the same time, buying decisions have become more complex. Many different departments like engineering, quality, finance, and operations now judge a supplier. They look at technical skill, process stability, pricing, and long-term risk. Success in the market depends on meeting all these needs at once.

From Relationship-Driven Selling to Process-Led Execution

• As buyers try to work with fewer suppliers and ask for more honesty, manufacturers must show they are consistent and ready to grow. Long-term partnerships are replacing one-time sales. This is especially true in industries where safety and risk are major concerns.

The industry is moving away from “relationship-driven” sales and toward process-driven execution. Personal ties still matter, but they are not enough. Trust must now be earned through a structured presence and disciplined sales work.

The Evolution of Manufacturing GTM: From Informal Sales to Structured Systems

The way manufacturers go to market is changing in a big way. What used to be informal and reactive is now becoming deliberate and data-driven. This change is caused by new buyer habits, higher competition, and longer sales cycles.

Broad Targeting to Focused Segmentation

• In the past, many manufacturers tried to sell to any customer they could find. This broad approach often wasted effort and led to low success rates. Teams spent time on quotes that did not fit their skills or profit goals.
• Today, successful manufacturers know that focus creates power. They target specific industries and jobs that fit their technical strengths and machine capacity. This focus helps them understand customers better and win more deals.

Generic Claims to Clear Positioning

• Previously, manufacturers relied on simple claims like “high quality” or “good prices.” Today, these are just the basic entry requirements. Buyers now look for real value. This includes things like tight tolerances, complex parts, faster lead times, or lower total costs. Clear positioning helps buyers understand why you are a good fit and moves the talk away from just the lowest price.

Relationship-Only Sales to Structured Processes

• Manufacturing sales is becoming a formal system. Long sales cycles and complex decisions require discipline. Manufacturers are now making their lead-finding and quote-handling more formal. These standard processes make results easier to predict and reduce the need to rely on just one or two star people.

Offline Presence to Digital Credibility

• Your digital presence is now a core business skill. Websites, online catalogs, and LinkedIn activity are often the first things a buyer sees. A strong digital presence proves that a company is professional and ready to handle large orders. If your online info is old or missing, buyers may worry that your business is not ready for the big leagues.

Transactional Selling to Trust-Building

• Manufacturing GTM is shifting toward long-term trust. Buyers are picking partners, not just products. They judge suppliers on financial health, delivery records, and risk management. Trust is now the most important part of winning and keeping a customer for the long haul.

What Limits Manufacturing Go To Market Effectiveness

Manufacturing markets are changing fast. Buyers are more informed, competition is global, and long sales cycles are now the norm. Yet many manufacturers still struggle to grow consistently. These problems are rarely about product quality. Instead, they come from how the business has always operated.

Trusting the Product Alone

• Many manufacturers believe a great product will sell itself. They assume that being good at making things is enough to attract orders. In the past, this worked. Today, it does not. Buyers have many options and limited attention. If a manufacturer is not actively visible and engaging, even excellent capabilities remain unnoticed.

Messy and Reactive Sales Habits

• Sales efforts in many manufacturing firms are unstructured. Teams react to inquiries as they arrive, without a clear plan. Follow-ups are missed, leads go cold, and opportunities fade away. With sales cycles often lasting 6 to 18 months, a lack of discipline creates serious revenue leakage.

Weak Differentiation

• When manufacturers cannot clearly explain what makes them different, price becomes the main comparison point. This pushes margins down and weakens negotiation power. Sales teams struggle to defend pricing because the value story is unclear or inconsistent.

Low Digital Capability

• Many manufacturers still rely on outdated websites with limited technical detail. In today’s buying journey, customers research suppliers online before making contact. A weak digital presence creates doubt and reduces trust before conversations even begin.

Lack of Early Proof

• Trust is difficult to build without evidence. Many manufacturers lack case studies, testimonials, or reference customers. Without proof, buyers hesitate, sales cycles stretch longer, and winning new business becomes more expensive.

Poor Balance in Spending

• Manufacturers often invest heavily in machines and infrastructure but underinvest in sales and marketing. The result is underused capacity and idle equipment. Without steady demand, even the best factories cannot perform at their full potential.

Building a Structured Manufacturing Go To Market Approach

Manufacturers that succeed today take a proactive and structured approach to growth. They do not wait for referrals or market luck. Instead, they control how they are positioned, found, and trusted.

• Clear Market Focus
  • The first step is focus. Successful manufacturers define the exact industries, applications, and customer types they want to serve. This ensures sales effort is spent on the right opportunities, not wasted on poor-fit deals.
• Disciplined Sales Process
  • Sales is treated as a system, not an ad-hoc activity. Standard steps for lead qualification, quoting, follow-ups, and reviews help teams stay consistent. This structure improves win rates and shortens sales cycles.
• Digital as a Trust Engine
  • Websites, technical content, and capability documents are used to build credibility. Instead of just listing services, manufacturers show how they solve real problems. This builds confidence before the first sales call.
• Building Early Proof
  • Manufacturers actively seek early reference customers. Even small success stories are documented and shared. Over time, this proof reduces buyer risk and speeds up future deals.
• Balanced Investment
  • Growth-focused manufacturers rebalance spending. They invest in sales, marketing, and market access with the same seriousness as factory equipment. This ensures machines stay busy and cash flow remains healthy.

When done well, this approach transforms manufacturers from passive suppliers into trusted partners. The result is stronger pipelines, higher win rates, and predictable growth.

Why Solvencis Thinks Differently About Manufacturing GTM

Solvencis approaches manufacturing go to market strategy with a systems-first mindset. This way of thinking comes from how factories actually operate, not from generic sales or marketing theory. We believe growth only works when it fits the reality of manufacturing.

• Built for Manufacturing, Not Generic Sales Models
  • Most GTM frameworks are designed for software or fast-moving products. Manufacturing is different. Sales cycles are long. Capacity is limited. Cash flow matters. Solvencis builds GTM systems that respect these realities. We focus on machine utilisation, production planning, and order stability, so growth strengthens the business instead of stressing it.
• A Full-Business View of Growth
  • We do not treat sales as a standalone function. In manufacturing, sales decisions affect operations, finance, and delivery timelines. Solvencis aligns sales, finance, and operations into one connected system. This ensures that new orders are profitable, deliverable, and sustainable.
• Practical Execution Over Theory
  • Solvencis prioritises action. We break complex GTM ideas into clear, usable steps that teams can follow. From improving follow-up discipline to sharpening value messaging, every effort is designed to produce real outcomes. Our focus is not strategy decks, but repeatable actions that lead to orders.
• Designed for MSMEs and Growing Manufacturers
  • We understand the constraints faced by MSMEs. Budgets are tight, teams are small, and leaders wear many hats. Solvencis designs lean GTM systems that deliver impact without heavy spending. Every activity is evaluated for efficiency and return.
• Measured by Real Results
  • Success at Solvencis is defined by measurable progress. We look at stronger pipelines, better conversion rates, shorter sales cycles, and higher machine utilisation. If growth does not show up in real numbers, it does not count.

This approach helps manufacturers move from reactive selling to structured growth. Instead of chasing orders, they build a system that consistently attracts and converts the right customers.

About Solvencis

Solvencis helps manufacturing companies design and execute structured go to market (GTM) strategies for sustainable growth. Led by Mahendran Konar, Solvencis works with manufacturers across auto components, engineering goods, electronics, chemicals, and industrial products to improve market access, sales execution, and customer trust.

Solvencis delivers cutting-edge Hybrid Consulting Solutions across Management, Finance, Technology, and Legal Services to ambitious businesses worldwide. Recognised for our cross-functional expertise and hybrid consulting approach, we empower startups, SMEs, and enterprises to scale efficiently, innovate boldly, and navigate complexity with confidence.

Our approach is built specifically for the realities of manufacturing. We help businesses move from relationship-driven selling to process-driven growth by defining clear market focus, strengthening sales systems, building digital credibility, and aligning sales efforts with production capacity and financial discipline. From MSMEs to growing manufacturers, Solvencis enables predictable pipelines, higher conversion rates, and better machine utilisation.

For more information:

• Email: inquiry@solvencis.com