Many companies do not exploit their potential because they do not carry out sufficient lead nurturing.In my last article, I described the four phases of the Hubspot inbound methodology. In the third phase (closing), after a website visitor has been converted into a lead, it is now a matter of transforming the leads into a real existing customer base. This brings me to the next exciting topic, lead nurturing.
The idea behind lead nurturing (contact nurturing) is to maintain the dialog and communication between the company and the leads so that the product or service is "top of mind" when it comes to the purchase decision. Lead nurturing is a process that focuses on building a relationship with the consumer at every stage of the buyer's journey, and studies have shown that the valuable leads that companies generate are often not followed up strategically or at all. This means that great potential is not exploited. It is true that lead nurturing takes time and manpower. However, it pays off in the long term, as Web 2.0 has changed consumer behavior. Before they get in touch with a company, they take enough time to research and evaluate the subject of their interest and they want to be heard. This type of behavior goes against the traditional way of selling. Studies show that the majority of consumers are not ready to buy at the time of first contact (e.g. leaving contact details). For B2B companies in particular, this means nurturing these leads until they are ready to buy, and building and maintaining valuable and long-lasting customer relationships is essential in the new Buyer 2.0 world. And with targeted lead nurturing, the company can be present on the channels and touchpoints where the customer is, the buyer can be involved and thus increase the chance of a relationship.A lead nurturing program should include the processing of leads generated via the various channels. The information for nurturing and further processing must not lose its benefit character and should not be promotional. Furthermore, they must always include a call to action, and lead nurturing and follow-up must not only take place online, but can also take place offline, e.g. in the form of telephone calls, events, etc.
A few facts from studies
- The Swiss Online Marketing Trend Monitor 2015 states that many companies lack a clear strategic direction and the necessary resources for successful, continuous online marketing. The opportunities offered by the combination of individual instruments (website, email marketing, social media, landing pages, call-to-actions and content) are still underutilized
- Companies that automate their lead management report an average increase in sales of 10% within the first six to nine months.
- Professional lead nurturing leads to 50% more leads at a third lower cost (Hubspot - the Ultimate List of Marketing Statistics).
The procedure for a lead nurturing campaign could be as follows: As soon as a prospective customer fills out a form on the website, for example to request a checklist, they are considered a lead - this assumes that the website must contain various offers. This is where lead nurturing begins. Further processing takes place a few days later with an e-book offer, which is sent by email. Another few days later, a download of a user report is sent and finally the lead is invited to a webinar. The procedure depends heavily on the customer touchpoints identified in the previous analysis and the options available to the company, so it's not really rocket science. It's just a shame that only around 40% of companies use online lead management (Swiss Online Marketing Trend Monitor 2015). This means that those who start now can certainly enjoy a competitive advantage. This is because 74% of companies set themselves the goal of turning leads into customers in 2017.author: *Martina Garcia is a media consultant at Mediaschneider AG and has written a master's thesis at HSLU on "Successful content marketing in B2B".Mediaschneider AG: https://www.mediaschneider.com/
