First-degree connection campaigns are vital for building business relationships that last. Yet, many companies slack on nurturing these relationships as the holiday season approaches. This may be more detrimental than you realize, especially when lead generation is concerned.
Instead, holiday marketing campaigns need to target first-degree connections. This will keep you in their mind when Q1 kicks off after New Year. Below, we look at why sending seasonal greetings to first-degree connections could be one of the most effective social media outreach strategies you use all year.
What is a first-degree connection campaign and why is it necessary?
First-degree connections on LinkedIn are a coveted honor in the professional world. These direct connections are vital when building business relationships and communicating with potential prospects. Maybe you made a first-degree connection after attending a conference or stumbled across an ex-classmate’s profile.
Building up these connections is a business strategy all business leaders should focus on. Why’s that? Reaching out to these connections can aid your lead generation efforts. Every LinkedIn connection has the potential to put you in front of the customers that need your services most. So, leveraging these connections is a great way to get high-quality leads.
Yet, reaching out personally to each first-degree LinkedIn connection is time-consuming. And time is a resource that not all businesses have a lot of. That’s where first-degree connection campaigns come in.
These social outreach campaigns do all the hard work for you. Marketing automation builds personalized campaigns that target potential and existing first-degree connections. This is great for brand awareness, credibility, and upselling opportunities. But why is it necessary to run these campaigns? Linkedin is the home of B2B sales, and there’s no better way of boosting lead generation than nurturing B2B relationships.
How to keep building business relationships with seasonal greetings
One of the biggest mistakes companies make in the lead-up to the holiday season is that they scale back on lead generation campaigns. In reality, this is when you should be ramping up on building business relationships. We all know that Q4 is used for planning purposes. Businesses work on next year’s budget and identify new solutions and partnerships. Instead of winding down, use the holiday season to get in front of your prospects.
Setting up a holiday marketing campaign that sends seasonal greetings to first-degree connections is a great way to nurture B2B relationships. After all, customer engagement doesn’t stop because businesses are operating on holiday schedules. These campaigns don’t need to be elaborate, either. The simpler they are, the better.
Sending seasonal greetings boosts loyalty, improves customer retention, and shows you value the relationship. Here’s what to remember when building business relationships with seasonal greetings.
Know your target audience
Businesses should approach holiday social outreach campaigns similarly to other outbound marketing strategies. Understand whom you’re messaging and how you can be of value. Put together a list of the first-degree connections you want to target. Consider segmenting them according to how you know the connection or the stage of your business relationship.
Keep seasonal greetings short yet personalized
Seasonal greetings should never be full of sales-driven jargon. Nor should they be generic. The key to writing compelling copy for first-degree connection campaigns is to keep it short yet personalized. Remember, the goal is to let your connections know you value the relationship. Personalize the greeting by using their first name and expressing your appreciation for their support during the year.
Mention how you’re looking forward to the continued possibilities this B2B relationship will present in the New Year. This will keep your company fresh in your connection’s mind as they prepare for the business year ahead.
Get high-quality leads with bant.io
Running holiday marketing campaigns doesn’t mean trading quality family time with sitting in front of your LinkedIn profile. At bant.io, our automation tool makes prioritizing first-degree connection campaigns easy. Our social outreach campaigns help you streamline lead generation efforts while building business relationships. Learn how we can help you with your seasonal greetings on LinkedIn this year. Request a demo today.
Unsure what kind of agency is right for you? Read our guide on the top considerations to keep in mind when hiring a B2B lead generation agency.
Jaclyn
Jaclyn joined the bant.io team as an Account Manager in early 2018 and now proudly supports bant.io as CEO, where she is responsible for wrangling and organizing our team initiatives.