GE 18: The enterprise SaaS buying calendar

Whilst at the supermarket this week, I was struck with the speed and efficiency the vast displays of Mother’s Day flowers, chocolates and general mum-related paraphernalia had been replaced with row upon row of delicious looking Easter Eggs. You can bet that exactly the same process will be enacted as soon as the last James Bond film has been aired on the Easter Bank Holiday Monday. The eggs will go and we will be instructed to start preparing for summer with disposable barbecues and garden furniture. Then it will be back to school pencils, cases and new school clothes. Followed by the expanding stock related to Halloween, Bonfire Night and then the big one — Christmas.

B2C and retail product managers and marketers presumably have these key dates of the year tattooed somewhere convenient for easy reference. But B2B product managers should also consider that their buyers might be behaving, thinking and doing things in accordance with the time of year. Understanding any cadence related to your users, your industry, your product and your region will help you plan accordingly. Time your events, product releases, marketing campaigns and discovery to maximize impact and avoid the times of year where your customer's minds are likely to be elsewhere.

Regulatory reporting and filing deadlines

Your industry sector will undoubtedly have key dates of the year that require your customers to file reports, meet regulatory requirements or perform repeating annual, quarterly, monthly activities. Be respectful of when these occur and note the fact that your users will be busy (and likely stressed) immediately before any deadline. Timing discussions relating to efficiency and process improvement post deadline can be fruitful as the pain of meeting the requirements is still there but your users have sufficient time to consider alternatives and plan actions before the next deadline arrives.

Budget cadence

Most firms have some sort of annual financial planning and budget process that aligns either to the calendar year or the financial year (which can vary by region). Depending on the cost of your product and the average size of your customer, preparing a budget proposal take significant time and energy. I am talking weeks and sometimes months. In fact, many of the very large Enterprise sales I have been involved in were purchased over a period of at least two budget cycles spanning multiple years. This is particularly true if your buyer is new to the company. The first budget cycle acting almost as a dry run. Mistakes are made on both sides, feedback is gained, the proposal is refined, the proverbial pencil is sharpened. The budget is approved either due to the improved proposal or the fact that a second request shows a degree of determination, resilience and perhaps signals a legitimate need.

Your sales team need to understand the budget process for each and every one of their opportunities. As a product manager, you can support sales by considering how your product collateral, releases and campaigns support sales before, during and after the various budget cycles. Convincing end-users within large businesses of the value of your product is often the easy part. Helping them understand how to buy your product, how to communicate the value to others and how to prepare a budget proposal and get it approved can be challenging. Particularly true, if your buyer is spending more than they usually do or are spending for the first time at an organization.

Conference season

Thankfully many companies are able to return to hosting in-person events and conferences. In my experience, there is nothing more valuable as a product manager to meet a group of users in-person, build a community, make introductions and identify and solve challenges together. Larger conferences tend to be hosted during October or November with smaller conferences held during March or April.

When hosting your own conference, consider these optimum times of year and plan early to secure the right venue, avoid other industry events and public holidays. It takes time to build an audience for a conference, so promote early and often and use the year to recruit attendees through all available channels. Consider timing some of your major announcements and releases to coincide with your annual conference. Be mindful of conferences held by your partners, any regulatory bodies and your competitors. Collect and review related conference content to tailor your own agenda.

Conferences can be key “closing” events, they can provide assurance to opportunities that have shortlisted multiple options by providing unique access to the company, product and people they are buying in to. Therefore consider how conference timing can work with the budget and decision-making cadence for your industry and region.

Holiday season

Most regions have a holiday season in mid-summer and a slow down at the end of the year. During this time there are certain activities that buyers and users typically do and don’t want to do. Vacations should primarily be about rest, relaxation and renewal. Planning a major upgrade that carries high risk in the middle of a holiday season may seem a good idea on the surface as traffic and usage is lower than during peak times. However, if things go wrong, users will not appreciate having their time off interrupted or returning to a flurry of complaints and issues.

Instead, consider publishing general educational and knowledge articles and resources that can be easily consumed off-line and asynchronously during vacation periods.

New year renewal

January is a time for hope, renewal, planning and building excitement for the year ahead. Most users will have had a break from work with time to reflect on their jobs, their careers and their future aspirations. This is the time to paint your product in its most positive light and position it as a key component in your customer’s future. Share your own plans, aspirations and goals for your product and connect them with your user’s goals. Reflect on progress within the last year to demonstrate your track record. Make it personal and ask that they come on the journey with you.

Buying a large SaaS product is never an impulse purchase. It happens over many weeks, months and years. Overlaying your major product activities and campaigns on a clear buying calendar can help maximize your efforts and product investments.