How to nurture B2B leads - From Funnel to Conversion

Remember, only a very small percentage of leads are likely to convert first time. Perhaps over 90% of leads will take a bit more convincing - especially if it’s a considered purchase or a large business expenditure. Having a clear lead nurturing strategy can be the difference between making or breaking a sale. 

We’ve put together a number of lead nurturing tips, as well as some top lead nurturing strategies, to help you stay on top of your inbound leads and maximise the revenue potential of them.

How to Nurture Leads - 7, 11, 4

Once you’ve made initial contact with your potential customer, the all-important next step is to build a relationship with them and show that you can solve their particular problem. This means following up with plenty of relevant information about your brand and products or services. Instead of trying to ‘sell’, we often find that the best course of action is to focus on supporting them with their particular problem, whether you’re the solution for them or not. The aim is to ensure that your brand comes across as positive, reliable and worthy of their time, attention and investment. 

At this point, you’ll want to ensure that there are a number of ‘touch points’ to interact with your potential customer. Daniel Priestly, author of ‘Oversubscribed’ tells marketers to follow the 7,11,4 principle:

• 7 - Do you have 7 hours of content that someone can find out all the information they can about your business/offering?

• 11 - Do you have enough content for 11 touchpoints - these can include Sending Youtube videos, email marketing, social posts, webinars alerts, physical brochures etc.

• 4 - Are there at least 4 channels where people can consume your content  

The idea behind this is to have assets and strategies in place for your potential clients to spend time with you, really get to know you, understand how your business can help and why they should choose you over competitors. 

Targeted Content

No two leads are going to be exactly the same. Each will have individual needs and preferences. So, your lead nurturing process should nurture your leads with specifically targeted content. This will help to better connect with the leads, show them what they want to see and can significantly improve success rates in regards to final sales. 

Of course, in order to create targeted content that meets each lead’s needs and preferences, you’re going to have to completely understand your different leads and their buyer personas. Once you have identified your different personas and what appeals to them, you should consider using an automation process that separates leads into different segments. You can then send out tailored content to each segment that will better appeal to each.

Multi-Channel Nurturing Techniques

Email marketing tends to be the preferred nurturing technique when it comes to supplying leads with information. This is entirely justified, as emails can contain content in a number of forms. It can be copy-heavy. It can be visual. It can link to useful and related blog posts, articles, reviews and more. It can also be easily forwarded between individuals in an organisation to get to the right eye. But there are other platforms out there and it’s good to go for a multi-channel approach where possible. A combination of email, social media, professional platforms (such as LinkedIn) and more can help you to catch the attention of your lead more easily and effectively.

Personalised Emails

Creating personalised emails may seem time-consuming. But this tactic can be extremely effective and can provide better results. A lack of personalisation can make your tactics look mass-produced and created with the hope of drawing anyone in. People like to feel special. So, by personalising, you can genuinely assess the needs of the potential client and see how you can solve them uniquely.

This also implies better customer service if they do decide to engage with your brand. It also further serves to build a bond between consumer and brand, maximising brand loyalty and increasing chances of recommendations and positive reviews going forward.

Checking In and Following Up

Checking in with potential leads is extremely important. Sure, it’s good to have a first point of contact with them, but having a plan to check back in and stay fresh in the mind is key. Make sure that you follow up in a timely manner. Too soon and your lead may feel pressured and back out. Too late and your lead may have moved on and used an alternative or competitor product or service instead.

There are a number of ways to nurture B2B leads and each company should develop a way that works for their target audience or persona. However, the important thing is to have a plan and not assume that one touchpoint with your potential client is enough to seal the deal. 

If you’re looking to help nurture potential sales leads through content, get in touch with our B2B marketing specialists at Tiga today.