Appleton, WI — Chelsea Drusch, Director of Client Strategy at Weidert Group, will present breakthrough insights on how AI and behavioral shifts are reshaping the manufacturing sales landscape during her session at the 2025 Manufacturing First Expo & Conference. The event will be held Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at the Resch Expo in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Chelsea’s breakout session, “AI Search: The Missing Link in Your Manufacturing Sales Pipeline,” addresses a critical challenge facing industrial sales and marketing teams: the disconnect between declining website traffic and strong qualified lead numbers. Her presentation will reveal how prospects pre-qualify partners in their research on social media, online forums, and AI systems before they visit company websites — and how manufacturers can and must capitalize on this shift.
“We’re seeing a fundamental change in how B2B buyers research and evaluate manufacturing partners,” said Drusch. “AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI search are becoming a key early touchpoint in the buyer journey, yet most manufacturers aren’t optimized for this new reality. Companies that adapt now will capture conversations their competitors are missing entirely.”
The session will provide actionable strategies that manufacturing sales and marketing teams can implement immediately, without requiring advanced tools or technical expertise. Attendees will learn how to position their expertise where AI systems look for answers, helping to turn early-stage AI interactions into qualified pipeline opportunities.
Key takeaways include:
- understanding how AI tools compile recommendations for industrial buyers,
- implementing high-impact content optimizations that improve AI discoverability, and
- leveraging off-site content across trade publications, LinkedIn, industry forums, and vendor platforms to build authority that AI systems recognize and favor.
According to Drusch, “The beauty of this approach is that it builds on what manufacturing companies already do well: demonstrating their expertise and solving customer problems. We’re simply helping them extend that expertise into the channels where modern buyers are now starting their research."
Drusch brings more than a decade of B2B marketing experience and certified HubSpot expertise to her role at Weidert Group, where she develops AI-driven search visibility strategies and revenue-focused inbound programs that turn insights into measurable pipeline growth.
Manufacturing First 2025 will feature additional breakout sessions, exhibitors, and networking opportunities designed to help industrial leaders navigate the evolving business landscape.
Registration and event details are available at www.insightonbusiness.com/manufacturingfirst/.
About Weidert Group, Inc.
Weidert Group, founded in 1980, is a full-service HubSpot partner agency that helps industrials and the businesses that serve them grow through integrated marketing and sales. The company has been a certified HubSpot Agency Partner since 2011, and achieved Diamond status as a top partner in 2020. HubSpot is the global leader in marketing automation software and the #1 CRM platform for scaling companies, with over 258,000 customers in more than 135 countries. Weidert Group was recognized among the "Inc. 5000" fastest-growing private companies in America in 2022 and 2023. The company provides all components of effective marketing and sales efforts including lead generation, marketing and sales automation, web design, search engine optimization, content strategy, social media strategy, HubSpot implementation, voice of the customer programs, sales process design, and sales enablement. Clients represent primarily business-to-business organizations in complex industries such as industrial manufacturing, distribution, logistics, and professional services.
