How to maximise the potential of seasonal marketing for B2B

It seems September hit us with a bang.

The heat from a couple of weeks ago is a distant memory, the kids are back at school and already talking about Halloween, and the realisation dawns that we’re only three paychecks away from Christmas (you’ll thank me later, promise!).

What that also means is it’s time to start thinking about how these changes in buyer thought patterns, interests and behaviour can affect your content marketing strategy. And what should you be doing right now to garner more customers in your business?

Seasonal marketing describes the act of identifying reoccuring calendar events, dates or trends and employing the appropriate tactics to boost your marketing efforts accordingly. Believed to be at the mercy of B2C organisations, it’s urgent, time orientated, and predictable. Pretty much everything a B2B strategy is (normally) not. But with proper consideration, harnessing seasonal marketing could enable you to become remarkable, and stand out from the crowd.

In previous posts, we have discussed why evergreen content is an astoundingly effective content strategy. But at times of peak seasonal trending, seasonal marketing and evergreen marketing can work together to complement each other, delivering your audience the right content, at exactly the right time.  

Emotional Engagement

Part of the overarching inbound marketing methodology is building trust and rapport with your prospects in order to convert them into leads, and ultimately customers.

The thing to remember is, we’re all humans. And even in the world of B2B marketing, people like to do business with other people. Consider how you can use your buyer’s temporary thought process and pain points, owing to a predisposition with a seasonal event.

Showing that you’re aware and relevant enables you to connect with your audience on an emotional level, transcending the corporate mindset that usually dictates your content offering. This will arguably give you an edge over your competitors.

Boost SEO

Around the time of holidays and seasonal events, related content is more shareable, since the subject is relevant and impressionable. Not only does this amplify the shareability factor, but it also boosts traffic to your site, and increases overall brand awareness and visibility. This is all great news for SEO.

Interest in seasonal trends is already piqued, so writing about a particular subject is a sure fire way to hit trending keywords and topics of concern. Weave keywords into already authoritative content. You don’t want to deceive your buyers - or in other words, forget your ‘why’- so genuinely help them with informative, timely, yet tailored content.   

Amplify data analysis

Use your data to analyse spikes in views, clicks and conversions and whether they correspond with seasonal events. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to deliver the right content at the right time: the bread and butter of any successful content marketing strategy.  

You can also use this approach to analyse existing customers and greet them with a delight strategy. Knowing that you’re aligned with their values and objectives at certain times of the year is a great way to further satisfy the need for re-engagement communications.

Increase brand awareness

Treat seasonal occasions as you would trends. In doing so, you fast track your way into the mind of your buyer personas. This boosts your brand awareness and enables you to target more prospects who can be nurtured into leads.

The season, or event, is your hook. Use this to attract the attention of your prospects at a time of heightened interest. From this, consistently supplying them with a sustainable flow of remarkable content forms a trusted relationship.

SiteProNews say you should start thinking about your Christmas campaign now. So it’ll come as no surprise to you that the timing of this post wasn't an accident. Might I direct you back to my first paragraph - you remember, the “three paychecks til Christmas” reference? Ah, yes. I struck a chord there didn’t I? But that’s what got you hooked, right? However, it’s the content of this article which relates back to our ‘why’ that kept you here.

I hope this has provided some valuable insight into how you can adapt your current marketing strategy to suit industry and commercial trends. If you’d like to find out more about how an inbound marketing strategy can propel your business, download our free eBook.