How to Overcome Seasonal Slow Periods in B2B Sales

Nearly all B2B companies will experience slow periods throughout the year during which they generate fewer sales leads and sales than normal. During the holidays, for example, many B2B buyers are on vacation or otherwise not working. As a result, your B2B company's sales messages may go unnoticed during the holidays. It's frustrating when your B2B company's sales go down because of a seasonal slow period. The good news, however, is that you can overcome seasonal slow periods by making a few tweaks to your B2B company's sales strategy.

Offer Limited-Time Discounts or Promotions

One way to overcome seasonal slow periods in B2B sales is to offer limited-time discounts or promotions. Whether it's 10% off, 20% off or buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO), discounts and promotions offer an incentive for B2B buyers to make a purchase. And if you place a time limit on them, B2B buyers will feel even more compelled to take action during periods of otherwise slow sales.

Promote Gift Cards

You can use gift cards to boost your B2B company's sales during slow periods. If the slow period is attributed to a holiday, buyers may be interested in purchasing gift cards from your B2B company. Buyers often purchase gift cards during the holidays to give to their coworkers, clients, vendors and other professional acquaintances.

Be Flexible With Your Schedules

Seasonal slow periods in B2B sales typically occur when B2B buyers are off work for an extended length of time. As a result, you need to be flexible with your schedules when trying to sell products or services during seasonal slow periods. If you only make yourself available for a few hours each day, you may struggle to reach buyers during seasonal slow periods. You'll experience greater sales success during seasonal slow periods by making your schedules flexible. When talking to buyers, don't just tell them you'll call them back at a later date to further discuss the deal. Instead, ask buyers when, exactly, is a good time for you to call them back.

Target Existing Buyers

Another way to overcome seasonal slow periods in B2B sales is to target your  company's existing buyers. Research shows that companies over three times as successful when selling to existing buyers than new buyers. If a buyer has purchased your B2B company's products or services in the past, it's safe to assume he or she has already "vetted" your B2B company. The buyer has given your company his or her approval, meaning the buyer is more likely to make purchases in the future. You can use this to your advantage by targeting existing B2B buyers during seasonal slow periods.

Nurture Relationships

Even if a B2B buyer isn't making a purchase during a seasonal slow period, you can still use this opportunity to nurture your relationship with him or her. It's not uncommon for B2B buyers to cease all or most purchasing activities during slow periods like the holidays. In instances such as this, nurturing relationships can prove useful. You can call some of your B2B company's prospects during seasonal slow periods, for example, to touch base. During these calls, ask questions to gain a better understanding of the prospect's needs. At the same time, you can offer to send reports, case studies or other types of valuable information to the buyer. Once the seasonal slow period has passed, the buyer may take action by purchasing your B2B company's products or services.

Invest in Content Marketing

Consider investing more of your B2B company's time, as well as resources, into content marketing during seasonal slow periods. According to the Content Marketing Institute, over nine in 10 B2B companies use content marketing to generate leads and, ultimately, reach their respective buyers. A modern form of inbound marketing, content marketing is nondisruptive and, most important, offers a high return on investment (ROI). It requires a very small monetary investment -- if any -- to produce content. High-quality content, however, can provide a steady stream of new leads and sales for your B2B company.

So, what type of content to keep your B2B company afloat during seasonal slow periods? Here are a few types of content to consider:

• Infographics
• Blog posts
• Articles
• Reports
• Case studies
• Interviews
• Podcasts
• Videos

Focus on Sales Lead Generation

While speaking of leaks, you shouldn't stop generating sales leads just because your B2B company is experiencing a slow period. In the B2B industry, sales leads play an essential role in success. If you stop generating sales leads during a slow period, your B2B company's sales may continue to suffer long after the sales downturn has passed. 

To help keep you on top, take a look at SalesLeads Project Reports. These are highly quality sales leads uncovered by our researchers specifically for your industry. The Project Reports contain a project summary so you have a better understanding of what the company is looking to purchase as well as its goals. We also provide the contact names, as many times there's more than one purchasing recommender or authority, along with their contact phone numbers and email addresses. Give it a try today to ensure a healthy sales pipeline.