Planting Seeds
In the green world of marketing, there exists a fundamental fact that is sometimes buried by the thick foliage of instant results and quick ROI expectations: most customers are not ready to buy at any one time. Just as a gardener should not expect seeds to blossom into flowers overnight, marketers should not anticipate rapid results from their promotional efforts. This notion is powerfully represented by the 95/5 Rule, a guideline that states that the great majority of potential buyers are not “in-market” to buy most of the time.
Seasonal buyers in a perennial market
Consider the natural rhythms of a garden. Most plants remain dormant for much of the year, blossoming only during their particular seasons. Similarly, in corporate markets, major purchasing choices, such as selecting a new banking service or updating office equipment, are rare. For example, firms may purchase computers every four years and change banking services every five. This uncommon purchase behaviour is similar to the periodic blossoming of plants, which spend the majority of their lives developing and preparing to flower.
The Myth of Instant Growth
Many marketers continue to believe that advertising should quickly result in sales, similar to the misguided perception that watering a plant should produce blooms right away. This expectation was emphasised in a LinkedIn survey of B2B marketers, where 96% anticipated to see the primary results of their marketing campaigns within two weeks—the agricultural equivalent of expecting seeds to sprout into fully fledged roses in a fortnight.
Cultivating Memory, not Movement
The true strength of advertising, like the careful tending of a plant, lies not in pushing development but in cultivating familiarity. When it comes to making a purchase, the brands that are most easily remembered are more likely to be chosen—just as the flowers that are most obvious and vivid are remembered and appreciated. As a result, marketers should focus less on catching the eye with spectacular flowers and more on establishing deep roots in the landscape of consumer consciousness.
A Change in Perspective: From Seasonal to Perennial Marketing
The standard sales funnel, like a small plant pot, limits the view to those who are already about to bloom (purchase). Flipping this funnel on its side allows us to visualise a larger garden bed with efforts spread more equally across all growth phases. This viewpoint emphasises long-term brand health and visibility, guaranteeing that when the purchasing season begins, the brand is well-positioned and healthy, ready to be the consumer’s first option.
Why Does the 95/5 Rule Matter?
Embracing the 95/5 Rule entails acknowledging that, while only 5% of potential consumers may be ready to make a purchase today, the other 95% are planning for future buying seasons. Businesses that invest in these “out-market” purchasers through continuous, memorable brand promotion grow a larger, more robust garden of potential customers. This strategy not only corresponds with how a Chief Financial Officer views investment—focusing on future returns rather than immediate gains—but it also sows the seeds for a thriving brand presence that will produce results for many seasons to come.
In the cyclical and evergreen area of marketing, knowing and enjoying your consumer base’s natural development cycles may result in a lush, thriving garden of business prospects. Just as a patient gardener reaps abundant crops, marketers can do the same by cultivating their brand’s presence in the thoughts of potential purchasers long before they are ready to bloom into customers.
