Q4 is less than a month away, so hopefully you’ve already started work on your B2B marketing plan and strategy for this final quarter of the year.

You can unlock a wealth of marketing potential in these next three months, primarily because it’s one of the most profitable times of the year for businesses. But you also need to find a way to make your efforts outshine the rest, because you’ll have plenty of competition - both in and out of your market. 

B2B companies might think this time of year is better suited for B2C, but that’s far from the truth! Strategize your action plan just right and reap the benefits of being one of the few B2B companies to smartly take advantage of the pending holiday opportunities.

This quarter is also the perfect time to assess what’s worked best for you in 2019, and what marketing tactics didn’t - which will help establish a strong game plan for you, going into 2020.

But let’s keep our eyes on the prize of finishing 2019 with a bang, and dive into what’s needed to turn Q4 into your top quarter yet - then download our helpful checklist below to secure an incredible end to your company’s year!

Capitalize on the Seasonal Feelies

One of the first things that should be on your mind is how to make your marketing efforts visible this holiday season. And a key way to get started is by capitalizing early and making your company the star of Thanksgiving.

It’s the most thankful time of year, so get ahead of the game and place your company top of mind by reminding your audience of how thankful you are for their support. Schedule a thoughtful email newsletter, or compose a blog that echoes your gratitude. And promote it all in a way that shows how much you appreciate your followers.

Then put the attention on the companies you do business with. Almost everyone expects to receive a flurry of holiday cards around Christmas, and that’s why your team should consider sending one out at Thanksgiving, instead.

Be sure to send separate cards to those business leaders you interact with most, in meetings and communication. And spend a few extra dollars to send them a specific gift that shows how much you care.  

This props up a golden opportunity to then share a “special discount” with them, closer to the end of the year. Give them the feeling that this is a VIP discount, that can only be utilized by, say, December 31st. Create a sense of urgency that’s tough to resist, especially when few other B2B companies are offering them.

Holiday Content Inspiration

Don’t forget to keep your marketing content fresh and relevant for the end of year - and add as much sparkle as you can!

Content inspiration is everywhere in Q4, especially in that you can frame your output around the many holidays that occur between October and December. Compare your B2B woes to the ghouls of Halloween in a blog post, or schedule a specific series of Tweets for each of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Here are a few more content ideas to really help make your team stand out:

• Generate new leads for Q1 with content that effectively describes your product or service, and in a way that aptly mimics the holiday spirit.

• Capture all of your team’s holiday activity on video, so you can share it at any opportune moment. It will definitely provide you with a great backlog of material to use for the Q4 of years to come!

• You can also drum up interest for your company with a strategically scheduled webinar or demo event. Pick a weekday that’s uncluttered with other holiday events, and use it to put the spotlight on something your company does best.

• Don’t be afraid to throw a live event during these busy months, either! Time it so the party doesn’t conflict with any other goings on, and see if your company can gain notoriety by throwing a “can’t miss” celebration.

Analyze & Learn

Q4 is also a prime time to determine which of your 2019 marketing efforts performed most adequately, and how you can develop strategy for 2020 that parallels it.

Review which material garnered the most reads, and which aspects of your emails inspired the highest CTR. Which keywords drove the most traffic? Can you expound upon these successful marketing methods further in the new year?

Of course you also can’t ignore your marketing failings in the first three quarters. Look to them as motivation for the upcoming new year, and learn from the mistakes made in their execution.

Can these failures be reshaped successfully for 2020? It’s definitely worth giving it a shot, especially after you finish the year so strongly by applying all of our tips from above!

A Time to Be Merry

As 2019 begins its exit strategy don’t let your team rest on its laurels too much - instead, consider this a vibrant time to rise your company to the top with smartly planned marketing moves.

Heck, you can even take a couple of risks this time of year and if they succeed, keep them in mind for prominent use in 2020. And if they don’t . . . no problem! Just toss ‘em aside, and pop open an early bottle of champagne to help celebrate all you’ve accomplished in the previous quarters of the year.

If you’re still feeling slightly overwhelmed and nervous about Q4, turn to our trusty template to help you approach the pending quarter with poise and confidence!