MCH has created an open group on LinkedIn. Click here to join the group and become part of the conversation about how the economic stimulus package creates B2B sales and marketing opportunities.

B2B marketers need to plan to market to institutions aggressively. Now is a great time to analyze your products and services to determine if they can be easily adapted to cross-markets, especially those that will benefit from stimulus funding.

Being proactive and watching the stimulus package closely will help you position your company appropriately. Remember that normal seasonal spending patterns may be disrupted since many entities are still in a ‘wait and see’ spending mode. Purchasing won’t resume until the details of the stimulus plan are released and the funds start flowing from Washington. Take advantage of the key “use it or lose it” budget cycles and the golden revenue opportunity they present. Remember that unlike you and I, institutions are required to spend their allotted budget prior to the end of the fiscal year or they risk not receiving the same amount of funding in the following year. The three months prior to a fiscal year end are a great time for marketers to profit from clean-up spending as institutional departments empty their coffers.

If you are a broad B2B marketer, you need to segment your current customer base to accurately identify institutions so you can track the results of institutional sales and marketing efforts. Don’t reduce your marketing effort to your existing institutional customers. Keep an eye on regional funding situations and shift some of your effort in the hardest hit states to those with strong funding.

MCH foresees the following trends for the institutional vertical markets: The healthcare sector is strong and will stay strong throughout the next decade. This is a growing market segment and you should redouble your efforts.

In the education vertical, you can expect a burst of spending as soon as administrators feel more secure about their funding. They will have a lot of ‘use it or lose it’ money that will expire in June and August. The stimulus package could include substantial amounts of funding for special education and Title I, plus grants for technology and facility improvements.

Local governments should receive windfalls of stimulus money to spend on public works, safety, and security programs. The fiscal year-end is also an important time where clean-up spending will occur.

In the religious segment, even with donations down, large churches in wealthier areas are likely to be least affected. Target your marketing efforts based on the area wealth and the size of congregations. Marketers who specialize in religious products and services may want to take a close look to see if their offers can be adjusted for other markets, especially those likely to receive stimulus funding.

There will be many institutional winners when the economic stimulus package is announced.