As the holiday season approaches, most B2C brands are laser-focused on capturing early demand, driving conversions, and maximizing ROI before the year ends. But what if B2B marketers took a page from that same playbook?
Data Axle’s recent consumer survey offers clues. The study uncovered how today’s consumers plan and make purchase decisions, and those behaviors mirror what’s happening in B2B buying cycles more than you might think.
Here’s what B2B marketers can learn from how consumers shop during the holidays, and how to apply those lessons to accelerate Q4 performance and close more deals before Q1.
Our market research found that 46% of consumers begin holiday shopping before November, with many starting as early as September. They’re researching, comparing, and planning ahead, long before they’re ready to purchase.
B2B takeaway: B2B Buyers behave the same way. Many are setting 2026 budgets, researching solutions, and shortlisting vendors now. Waiting until January means missing the window when decisions are being influenced.
Action tip: Launch Q4 campaigns focused on thought leadership, case studies, and solution guides that help prospects evaluate options. Use intent data and AI-driven audience insights to identify who’s actively researching your category, and engage them before the new fiscal year begins.
In consumer marketing, 64% of shoppers say discounts and promotions are the biggest purchase drivers, followed closely by free shipping and limited-time offers. While B2B brands rarely “discount” in the same way, the psychology behind urgency and perceived value still applies.
B2B takeaway: Buyers respond to clear, time-bound value. Offer Q4-specific incentives such as limited-time onboarding packages, waived setup fees, or premium add-ons for deals closed before December 31.
Action tip: Use language like “lock in 2024 pricing” or “start now, launch stronger in Q1” to trigger action and prevent deals from slipping into next year’s pipeline.
More than half of consumers (52%) say retailers fall short on personalization, despite the availability of data. B2B buyers feel that same frustration when they receive generic emails or irrelevant offers.
B2B takeaway: Use AI-powered analytics to tailor messaging, offers, and content to each account or segment. Predictive models can identify where a company is in its buying cycle, then serve the right mix of education, validation, and conversion messaging.
Action tip: Personalize nurture campaigns based on account engagement, vertical, or intent level, whether that means a product demo invite, a case study download, or a custom ROI calculator.
Consumer marketers are experts at omnichannel engagement, connecting with audiences across social, search, and retail environments. Our research showed that shoppers blend online and offline interactions and expect consistent experiences everywhere.
B2B takeaway: Expand beyond email nurture streams and retargeting. Use programmatic display, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even direct mail to reinforce your message across touchpoints. When decision-makers see your brand multiple times across formats, trust and familiarity accelerate purchase decisions.
Action tip: Mirror B2C’s “full-funnel” approach: awareness, engagement, and conversion campaigns that work together, rather than in isolation.
Just as retailers use AI to forecast which products will trend during peak season, B2B marketers can use predictive analytics to anticipate demand signals. For example, when web traffic or content downloads spike among a certain segment, it often signals future buying activity.
B2B takeaway: Don’t wait for an RFP to start engaging. Use predictive scoring to prioritize high-intent accounts and align your sales and marketing teams around shared data signals.
Action tip: Build automated plays that trigger outreach when engagement rises—helping sales teams connect while intent is high.
For consumer marketers, Q4 is make-or-break. For B2B marketers, it’s often treated as a wind-down period. But that’s a missed opportunity. Budgets are being finalized, buyers are still active, and the urgency to show year-end results is strong.
Borrowing tactics from B2C, such as starting early, personalizing experiences, using data to predict demand, and creating time-sensitive offers, can help B2B brands close stronger and build momentum heading into Q1.
The takeaway: Don’t wait for next year. The buyers you nurture today are the deals that close tomorrow.
As Content Marketing Manager, Natasia is responsible for helping strategize, produce and execute Data Axle's content. With a passion for writing and an enthusiasm for data management and technology, Natasia creates content that is designed to deliver nuggets of wisdom to help brands and individuals elevate their data governance policies. A native New Yorker, when Natasia is not at work she can be found enjoying New York’s food scene, at one of NYC’s many museums, or at one of the city’s many parks with her two teacup yorkies.