Lead nurturing may mean different things to different people. But, in general, it can be defined as the process of developing the relationships that turn prospects into buyers. It involves time, effort and education, but it is a vital part of the sales cycle.
Why does lead nurturing matter to your business? Today’s buyers, whether B2B and B2C, are more savvy and budget-conscious than ever. They’re reluctant to get serious about a purchase until they’re confident that you have what they need. Lead nurturing brings them to this point, and allows you to convert these interested prospects into paying customers.
Benefits of lead nurturing include:
- Increase in qualified (sales-ready) leads
- More efficient and productive sales force
- Higher ROI for your marketing dollars
- Greater credibility with prospects
So, what’s the best approach to lead nurturing? There’s no one process that works for every business, but here are some tips:
Target your prospects
Identify the customers most likely to be interested. Once identified, you can focus on their needs, wants and pain points. This also allows you to segment your prospects by industry, demographics, etc. so that your marketing efforts really hit their hot buttons.
Create relevant content
Content development is key to your lead nurturing success. Create a content plan that includes email communications, blogs and website content that is not only educational but targeted to your audience. Approach all content from your readers’ perspective to ensure that it’s truly relevant.
Keep it consistent
Keep your message consistent across all channels. Your sales and marketing teams, content development team, and social media managers should all be saying the same thing. Every white paper, video, social media post and blog should focus on the needs of your audience and reinforce how your business can meet those needs.
Understand your prospects’ buying cycle
Consult with your sales team about your prospects’ typical buying cycle. It’s different for each industry, and even each business. Which types of communications do they respond to? At what point do they pull the trigger? What prompts them to buy? The content you create for your lead nurturing campaign, the vehicles you use for it, and even the timing of your marketing communications are built on this information.
Lead nurturing matters to your business because it brings more potential buyers into the sales funnel. Try these tips to improve your lead nurturing efforts, and you can get the kind of results that make your sales team—and your bottom line—a lot happier.
