If you had to think about what the holy grail of marketing is, you might come up with a lot of answers. But here’s the truth: If what you’re doing doesn’t withstand the test of time, it’s likely not going to serve you well.

That’s because the true holy grail of marketing should be evergreen—meaning you’re relying on a marketing strategy that works year-round, over and over again, and doesn’t rely on trends or quick cycles. 

And part of using evergreen marketing effectively is identifying and nurturing an evergreen market. This article will explore what evergreen markets are, why they are important for businesses, and how to identify them.

What is an Evergreen Market?

Evergreen markets are those with consistent demand, making them ideal targets for businesses seeking stable sales and growth. 

Your evergreen market and your audience will likely overlap, but whereas your audience might shift from time to time, your evergreen market will be a reliable target for all your marketing efforts.

Your market needs to factor in demographics in the same way your target audience will—but in particular, you’ll want to identify potential customers who aren’t going away anytime soon and will continue to need your products, solutions, or offerings in the long run. That also means things like economic swings or other changes won’t change your evergreen market.

Here’s an example: No matter the time of year, the social or political climate, or what economic downswings come their way, parents will always be parents—and you can always market to parents in relatively the same way. In the same vein, pet owners, banking customers, and some hobbyists can all count toward your evergreen market.

But why should you make sure your market is evergreen? Isn’t knowing your target audience enough?

Related: Discover the Why Behind the Buy with Buyer Interviews

Why Should Your Business Care About Evergreen Markets?

Let’s put things into perspective first. You can have the best offering in your industry, but if you hit the wrong market at the wrong time—or even hit the right market at the wrong time—you could be wasting your energy.

How many times have you encountered a product that seemed revolutionary for its time, but it fell out of favor quickly? For something to be “ahead of its time,” that also means it landed before its target audience actually cared—and would, most importantly, purchase—that product. Innovation can only go so far if the market doesn’t bite.

That’s why identifying your evergreen market is so important. If your customers aren’t going anywhere, you’re setting yourself up for long-term growth potential—and that growth will be fairly consistent year after year. 

Finding an evergreen market also means that your overall business will be more resilient against economic events, climate swings, and other changes. The less rickety your market, the better your foundation. 

Not to mention, finding an evergreen market means you’re not relying on the whims of an audience that may not need you now or may not need you later. Your revenue, as a result, will see fewer fluctuations throughout the seasons and throughout different world events. 

Now that you know why evergreen markets are so important, let’s talk about ways you can find yours.

Related: What is Evergreen Marketing?

How to Identify Your Evergreen Market

Identifying your evergreen market is a bit of a balancing act that requires you to know how your product, solution, or offering is being received month to month. 

One way to get started with gathering intel is by studying insights gleaned about your industry or niche. Google Trends is a simple way to start, with the goal being to answer the following questions:

• Are people generally interested to the same extent in my offering no matter the time of year, or are there major swings depending on the time?
• Is interest in my offering waning compared to my competitors?
• Is interest in my offering dependent on different world events?

Of course, fluctuations are natural, but if you’re finding big swings that tie closely with known events or seasons, you could be missing your market.

From there, a can’t-miss step you’ll want to take is to conduct buyer interviews. Buyer interviews do more than just tell you who your market is—they tell you how those folks make decisions about their purchases. 

Some of those decisions will tell you if your audience is evergreen or not. For example, if your buyers are generally making purchases in the summer months or if they’ve left products or offerings like yours in pursuit of something newer, that’ll immediately tell you your market isn’t evergreen. 

An even better way to find your evergreen market is to get help from a seasoned marketing professional. But if you’re in a position where you’re still trying to figure out what your market is, you may not have the resources to fork over a full-time CMO salary.

Thankfully, fractional CMOs offer all the same benefits you’d expect from full-time leadership—but at a fraction of the cost. They can help conduct buyer interviews to understand your market, identify and employ marketing tools to analyze your market, offer insights about your market and how to work with them, and help you execute an evergreen marketing strategy. 

Related: What’s the Deal with Fractional CMOs?

Get Help Staying Evergreen

While almost nothing is immune to time, your evergreen market will be a sustainable way to ensure your business can bounce back from any changes that might affect your industry or your clientele. 

But finding that market is just the first step. Your next step is to reach that market in a way that resonates with them—and that means building an evergreen marketing strategy that’ll carry you through year after year.

Click here to get connected with a fractional CMO who can help you do both. The call is free—just come prepared with questions!