The holidays are busy for just about everyone, including businesses. Between last minute product orders, tight deadlines, and personal obligations, executives in the B2B marketplace are not likely to want to take your calls, open an eblast, or read a lengthy blog on your latest product or service. This is why so many marketers fall back on “fun” and “light” holiday content that doesn’t actually provide meaningful information to their audience, hoping that a heavy dose of holiday cheer will be more readily consumed. Though this type of content might seem more digestible, it tends to be equally useless to both the industry and your brand. Here’s how to create content that is both relevant and eye-catching during a time of the year when your target market doesn’t have much time to stop and listen to you.
Substantive Content Can and Should Relate to the Holidays
It turns out that you don’t have to choose between content that matters and content that’s relevant to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Every business has needs and concerns specific to the holiday season. Almost any product or service can be dressed up with special Holiday pricing or messaging. At 360 Direct, we’ve marketed everything from robots to cardboard during the holidays, so you can trust us on this one. Finding the right holiday-related topic can be as simple as asking your customers how their business changes from October through December. Do orders slow down or speed up? Do their operations experience problems with consistency, efficiency, or workplace safety due to higher stress and shorter deadlines? Does their fiscal year end with the calendar year, and thus they are in the middle of spending the rest of their budget or determining new contracts? Find a way that your business can help mitigate those problems and market it.
A pretty eblast wishing your email list a generic “Happy Holidays” is a lot less compelling than one that addresses a problem your target market is experiencing right now, because of the holidays.
Timing is Everything During the Holidays
At the very least, time your messages wisely. You can still discuss business that isn’t holiday related, but maybe don’t send your email the week of Thanksgiving or few days after the holiday when everyone is inundated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday emails. Avoid the days directly surrounding a major holiday, when many people use PTO to travel. Even the days after a holiday, when people are getting back to the office, but they have to catch up on a full inbox of everything they missed.
It’s not just about emails! If you are sending a direct mail piece, double check to make sure it won’t arrive to its destination when people are out of the office. You don’t want it to sit in their mailbox for a full week before they finally get around to going through days and days of mail.
Keep Holiday Marketing Short and Sweet
Remember, in B2B marketing, your target is likely short on time and patience during the holidays. Even if they happen to be in a particularly cheery mood, you shouldn’t bank on their willingness to dig through a dissertation for relevant information. Whatever substantive content you have to offer, get the point. Bring in a professional copywriter to fine-tune your messaging and make your content compelling, maybe even fun if it it’s applicable to your audience. Keeping your holiday marketing positive, informative, and solution-oriented keeps your audience motivated and engaged.
Now there’s nothing wrong with sending your prospective customers a Christmas card, or posting a holiday-themed graphic on Twitter, but your marketing does not need to be limited to unsubstantial content. For more tips on B2B marketing during the holidays, connect with one of our marketing experts via our Contact page.
photo credit: Theo Crazzolara Weihnachstkugeln via photopin (license)