Salim Awad on LinkedIn Lead Generation for Industrial Manufacturers

Leading by Example - That's How Salim Awad Lives and How He's Supporting the Rebirth of American Manufacturing

Salim grew up in a Lebanese family in Colombia. He started a business, came to the US for law school, returned home and then, after his mom was murdered by the FARC, he returned to the US.

He eventually joined the US Army and served as a combat diver, earning his American citizenship and embracing the freedoms many take for granted.

And then he focused on commerce, in several roles in capital equipment. Now he's the CEO of SPINNER North America, and leads the business selling machine tools to American manufacturers.

But the way Salim sells is unorthodox. He is active on LinkedIn and other social media. He's a frequent poster of information, particularly short-form video.

In our conversation we talked about leadership, veterans, social media, his LinkedIn activity, industrial sales and more. It's a great episode that we recorded on the floor of the IMTS convention in Chicago in September.

Connect with Salim to follow his impactful and inspiring leadership, commitment to manufacturing, and LinkedIn lead generation.

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Veterans, American Manufacturing, LinkedIn Lead Generation and Leadership - Salim Awad on Industrial Growth Insitute Episode 37

Show Transcript

Episode Recap

Summary

In this episode of the Industrial Growth Institute podcast, host Ed Marsh interviews Saleem Awad, president of SPINNER North America.

Saleem shares his remarkable journey from Colombia to the U.S. Army, his transition to law, and ultimately his role in advanced manufacturing.

The conversation delves into the importance of solution-based sales, building authentic customer relationships, and leveraging social media, particularly LinkedIn lead generation as part of manufacturing marketing and industrial sales, as well as the rebirth of American Advanced Manufacturing.

Saleem emphasizes the significance of accountability, authenticity, and commitment in leadership, as well as the need for a strong industrial base in the U.S.

Takeaways

Saleem Awad's journey is marked by resilience and adaptability.
The rebirth of manufacturing in the U.S. is a positive trend.
Solution-based sales focus on customer success beyond just technology.
Building authentic relationships is crucial in the machine tool industry.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool for professional networking, growth and marketing for manufacturing.
Authenticity in leadership fosters trust and accountability.
Prioritizing well-being is essential for effective leadership.
Spinner North America aims to provide precision engineering solutions.
Training sales teams to understand customer needs is vital.
Social media can enhance customer engagement and trust.

Takeaway Quote from Salim Awad

"The rebirth of manufacturing is real."

Outline

00:00 - Introduction to Saleem Awad and Spinner North America
03:12 - Saleem's Journey: From Colombia to the U.S. Army as a combat diver
06:12 - Transitioning from Military to Law and Business Development
09:11 - The Shift to Advanced Manufacturing and Automation
12:11 - Solution-Based Sales in the Machine Tool Industry
15:10 - Building Relationships and Trust with Customers
18:09 - Leveraging LinkedIn for Professional Growth
20:47 - The Importance of Authenticity in Leadership
23:47 - Managing Workload and Prioritizing Well-Being
26:46 - Introducing Spinner: A Legacy of Precision Engineering
29:48 - Training Sales Teams for Success
33:12 - The Role of Social Media in Building Trust
36:11 - Preparing for Trade Shows: Engaging Customers Effectively
39:01 - The Importance of Accountability in Business
41:53 - Final Thoughts on Leadership and Social Media

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Most complex industrial purchases must clear five separate buying decisions.
Decisions 2 and 3 determine whether a purchase happens at all — and most reps don't know they exist.
Most big-ticket B2B industrial forecasts are fantasies because they ignore those decisions.
Buying teams typically include eight to twelve people.
Reps need business acumen — not just product knowledge — to engage decision-makers early.

Ed Marsh

Ed was going to be an architect because he loved the nexus of engineering and design. That was before was going to be an engineer; before he graduated from Johns Hopkins; before he was an Army Infantry Officer (Airborne Ranger); before he set B2B industrial sales records; before he was partners with a German capital equipment manufacturer; before he founded a distribution/rep company for industrial products in India; until he decided that managing a business and employees wasn’t what he enjoyed. Now that Ed’s got all of that out of his system he runs a consultancy that helps US manufacturing companies grow by applying process excellence to business development – completing the full circle back to an engineering & design combination. His practice is built on a unique methodology which combines powerful digital marketing methodologies (a HubSpot partner) with his extensive international biz dev experience.