After spending last week at the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS), the energy and innovation on display were palpable. This was my fifth time exhibiting at the show over the last decade (the show alternates with Fabtech Canada every two years), and the pace of change has never been more dramatic. Ten years ago, the conversations were centered on machinery, hardware, and operational efficiency. Today, while those elements are still crucial, the dialogue has fundamentally shifted. The new cornerstones of manufacturing success are data, integration, and intelligence.

The rise of cloud-based SaaS ERP platforms like Odoo, Epicor, and Acumatica has transformed the shop floor, and now, that same data-driven revolution is reshaping the front office. As the only marketing agency exhibiting at the show, we had hundreds of conversations with manufacturers, and one theme emerged above all others: a keen desire to understand and leverage Artificial Intelligence, paired with uncertainty on where to begin.

From Buzzword to Business Strategy: Answering the AI Question

The most common questions we heard at our booth weren’t about social media or website design; they were strategic inquiries about growth in an uncertain economic landscape. Manufacturers are facing challenges from tariffs on raw materials to global competition, and they recognize that traditional marketing approaches are no longer enough. They were asking, “How can AI actually help us grow?” and “How do we even get started?”

This is precisely where our “Intelligent Marketing” framework comes in2. It’s an approach that blends AI-driven acceleration and insights with human creativity and strategic planning3. For manufacturers, this isn’t just about “doing more marketing”; it’s about building a scalable, measurable, and revenue-focused engine for growth4.

Our conversations at CMTS focused on demystifying AI and making it actionable. We explained our process:

  1. Building a Custom AI Agent: We start by creating a bespoke AI agent for each client. This agent is trained on their unique business data, including all website content, marketing collateral, and promotional materials.
  2. Defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): We then connect to the real sources of business truth—your CRM, ERP, Accounting, and Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) data. By analyzing this data, we build a crystal-clear, data-backed model of your Ideal Customer Profile.
  3. Intelligent Targeting and Messaging: With a precise ICP, the AI agent can build highly targeted prospect lists, identify key contacts on LinkedIn, and generate sales messaging that resonates with their specific pain points.
  4. Rapid Content and Campaign Deployment and Optimization: This intelligence allows us to rapidly create and deploy content and campaigns that drive more Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) faster and at a lower cost. Using AI-assisted platforms like HubSpot, we constantly monitor performance to improve results, ensuring marketing efforts are directly tied to pipeline and revenue.

Prospects were highly engaged when they realized AI wasn’t a far-off concept but a practical tool they could use to connect sales and marketing, optimize their lead generation, and ultimately, drive measurable outcomes.

A Look Ahead: CMTS 2027 Will Be the AI Show

Having seen a decade of evolution at CMTS, my biggest takeaway is this: the next two years will see more change than the last ten. I predict that by CMTS 2027, AI will not be a peripheral topic; it will be the central theme, woven into every aspect of manufacturing, from operations and finance to sales and marketing.

The companies that thrive in this new landscape will be the ones with the foresight to adopt AI now. Those who wait, hoping to get by with legacy systems and strategies, will unfortunately be left behind. The effective management and use of data have become a critical staple for success, and AI is the key to unlocking its full potential.

Your First Step Towards Intelligent Marketing

We left CMTS more energized than ever about our dedication to the manufacturing sector. It was fantastic connecting with so many forward-thinking leaders, handing out our “cool” Goose sunglasses, and discussing how to build resilient, growth-oriented marketing programs.

For those who are ready to explore what this looks like for their business, the first step is understanding where you currently stand. At the show, we offered a FREE Digital Marketing Assessment via a QR code on our banner, and we are extending that offer to you now. In this assessment, we conduct a basic review of your key platforms (like your CRM and MAP), your website, and your paid media efforts on Google Ads and social media.

It’s a straightforward, no-obligation way to get a baseline and identify the key opportunities for growth.

The future of manufacturing is intelligent. Download the Goose Digital Intelligent Marketing 2025 PDF today.

Let’s build it together.