Effective lead nurturing has everything to do with developing trusting, authentic relationships with potential buyers. It’s both a science and an art, requiring careful attention to and acting wisely on the data you gather. You need both a wide-angle lens and a laser-like focus. Fortunately, effective methods and tools are easily accessible to help you attract, nurture, and retain your leads — leading to increased sales and repeat business. How to go about it, and where to start? Here are 5 steps to help you nurture leads effectively.
Lead Scoring
Your sales and marketing departments are partners in this important step. Lead fit (including demographics), lead interest, buying stage and timing, and lead behavior are all key factors to consider, weigh, and evaluate as you determine and apply the scoring process to each prospect. Gated content, email subscriptions, Google searches, and assigning numerical values to particular behaviors are all elements of the process.
Lead Qualification
Determining if someone is a qualified lead can save you time and money. As you’re doing your lead scoring, pay particular attention to lead demographics, buying stage/timing, and interest. Based on this knowledge, create a helpful, actionable resource that aligns well with the information you’ve gathered. Your prospect’s response to your well-crafted offer will give you valuable information regarding readiness to move through the sales funnel.
Content Creation
Effective lead nurturing means consistently creating high-quality, compelling content that addresses real needs. Your website is both the “front door” and the home for your business and should contain a branded blog, resource center, and strategic landing pages. Email marketing continues to be the most powerful way to directly communicate with audiences; devote a good percentage of your time to honing your newsletter strategy.
Social Media
Social media is an integral part of content creation. This is a time to carefully align your look, tone, and brand voice with your ideal client. Don’t take yourself too seriously! Remember that social media communication is a two-way street. It’s also important to consistently add value, include a strong CTA, and encourage peer-to-peer sharing.
Automated Systems
If you have a significant number of prospects for lead nurturing (50 or more), automated systems can help streamline your efforts. Once you’ve set up the system, it’s possible to customize workflows so that your prospects receive even more personalized communications.
Effective lead nurturing is a creative, data-driven part of the marketing process. Follow these steps to get enhanced results.
