This morning I marked three emails as spam and unsubscribed from one other two. Then I began to approve a lead nurturing program for our prospects that appeared equivalent to the emails I had simply marked as spam…
“The definition of madness is sending the identical spam as different entrepreneurs and anticipating completely different outcomes.” – Albert Einstein, marketer
As entrepreneurs, it’s straightforward to show up our nostril at different entrepreneurs who ship inconsiderate emails, however we have to keep alert and ensure we’re not being lazy and turning into spammers ourselves. Lead nurturing is like cooking: carried out proper, you delight your viewers with the best meals delivered at simply the best time. Completed incorrect? Effectively, it’s spam and eggs.
Like cooking, lead nurturing doesn’t have to be unique to be good. In the event you observe the best recipes and use the most effective substances, you’ll discover your leads responding to your emails as if you had been a five-star Michelin marketer… as a substitute of that man who re-heats taco meat at Taco Bell.
Listed below are 4 spam-free lead nurturing recipes you should use to ship prospects organically down the funnel – towards that valuable conversion.
1. Focused publication for weblog subscribers
Usually, weblog subscribers:
- Are extra within the trade or a standard downside than in your particular gives.
- Wish to examine related content material so long as you set off their curiosity.
- Don’t have an intent to purchase instantly, or at the least haven’t proven it but.
- Don’t learn every little thing, solely what they care about.
The purpose of nurturing this sort of prospect is just not a gross sales conversion. As a substitute, it is best to goal to turn into their essential supply of information round the issue that plagues them. If a prospect can instantly tie a selected difficulty to your model (for example, in the event that they see you because the chief within the PPC area), you’re midway to changing them.
One of the best substances for a weblog subscriber nurturing marketing campaign
- A publication template which you could rapidly and simply drop new content material into every week (or each two weeks).
- Epic, unique weblog content material: In case your weblog covers all kinds of matters, let readers self-select what content material they need to obtain (like HubSpot does on their weblog). That approach, you possibly can serve up recent, hyper-relevant articles.
HubSpot permits readers to self-select the weblog content material that’s most related to them. In doing so, they’re positive to serve up hyper-relevant content material that prospects will love.
- Others’ content material on the identical subject: Don’t be a narcissist. Solely displaying your personal content material is blatant self-promotion. Exhibiting others’ provides worth and social proof and reduces the burden of making extra content material.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is a enterprise capital agency who releases a weekly publication filled with insights for entrepreneurs.
They’ve carried out an important job at positioning themselves as a go-to useful resource for entrepreneurship, quite than simply one other VC agency.
The publication is considered one of my favorites due to its scalability when it comes to content material and matters, and its simplistic design. Keep in mind that your publication isn’t a full-course meal, however a snack for prospects after they have 5 minutes and crave some bite-sized content material.
2. Brief electronic mail course for first-time registrants
There are folks in your electronic mail record who could have proven a little bit extra dedication than your weblog subscribers. I’m speaking about first-time registrants for an e-book, a information or a webinar. Typically, these are individuals who:
- Are beginning to analysis a particular downside and a particular software to resolve it.
- Could have examine or used the merchandise provided by your rivals.
- Solely have a slight probability to purchase instantly, however have proven some curiosity.
These prospects are probably already acquainted with you and your content material, in addition to that of your rivals. Because of this, it’s necessary that you just display how what you need to provide is exclusive — and higher.
One option to differentiate your self at this stage is by specializing in constructing belief whereas your rivals try to promote one thing. The tip purpose is to proceed to ship worth and phase leads so you possibly can serve up extra related content material — and ultimately, related gives.
A easy option to proceed to ship superior content material is with an electronic mail course that speaks to your prospect’s particular ache level and educates them about your resolution. Your course ought to cowl all that they should know in your chosen subject, in order that they don’t must search for some other assets. And really importantly, it shouldn’t attempt to promote something.
One of the best substances for an electronic mail course nurturing marketing campaign
- An electronic mail to ask subscribers to enroll in the course: Be as particular as attainable about what you’ll educate your leads and what they need to count on. The extra focused your course is, the extra certified leads you’ll entice.
- A touchdown web page for folks to enroll. Be sure to summarize your lesson matters on the web page to flaunt what sort of worth you’ll provide (and pique prospects’ curiosity). For instance, take a look at the touchdown web page for Unbounce’s Seven-Day Lead Gen Landing Page Course:
- An entire information in regards to the subject, written within the type of every day classes. Whereas many guides are delivered in PDF kind, an electronic mail course means that you can ship smaller, extra digestible items of content material — even for folks studying on cellular.
- An electronic mail template for the teachings. You should definitely preserve the branding constant together with your registration touchdown web page in order that prospects will bear in mind why they’re receiving the emails.
Maintain your every day classes brief so leads can eat the data rapidly – thereby getting a ton of worth out of it.
Simply bear in mind to preserve self-promotional converse to a minimal and limit any product pitch to the very finish – the purpose of this marketing campaign is to coach folks.
As quickly as they’re conscious of your stage of experience and your will to share information, they are going to turn into extra open to different helpful stuff you introduce, and turn into a extra engaged lead.
3. Buyer success tales for recurring registrants
Then there are prospects who’ve proven persistent curiosity in you and your content material. Recurring registrants are leads who:
- Have registered for a lot of content material items and are actively engaged together with your model.
- Have developed a good quantity of belief in your model, but additionally contemplating different firms.
- Haven’t bought as a result of their firm is just not prepared in your product, or as a result of they haven’t determined.
You understand these leads have some particular curiosity in your model, however one thing is holding them again: perhaps they don’t have the finances, or don’t but have the approval of their bosses. Perhaps the time isn’t proper.
They belief you, however they want one thing to affirm that they want your product.
Don’t anticipate these results in discover extra nice details about you. Inform them by sharing buyer success tales. Hop on the cellphone with present prospects, add a survey widget to your website or attain out to them by way of electronic mail to search out the info you want.
One of the best substances for a hit story marketing campaign
- Case research and studies displaying reliable calculations and trade figures. This’ll assist leads who nonetheless have to persuade bosses and decision-makers.
- Buyer success tales from firms which are much like your leads’ (in firm dimension or trade), or that face comparable issues (those that your organization solves).
- A set of emails which you could ship out to inform your buyer success tales and encourage results in strive your product.
- An intimate understanding of your leads’ demographic, pursuits and largest ache factors. The extra knowledge you’ve got, the extra granular you may get in delivering a case research that matches their persona and actually resonates with them.
Buyer success administration platform Totango goes so far as organizing an annual customer success summit, which permits their prospects to share their very own success tales and unfold the nice phrase. However in case you’re not up for organizing occasions, sharing tales and knowledge by way of electronic mail is a superb begin.
For subscribers who’re used to receiving data from you, it’s essential make the leap from sending normal content material to particular case research as easy as attainable.
Strive framing the case research as classes discovered from the shopper group, with tons of motion objects. One of these content material will assist educate recipients and subtly nurture them in direction of a shopping for choice.
4. Re-engagement for inactive prospects
Generally, your lead nurturing campaigns simply don’t work out. You’ll have somebody engaged together with your content material one minute and disengaged the subsequent. These inactive prospects are individuals who:
- Was curious about your content material however hasn’t engaged with it within the final six months.
- Signed up for a free trial however then cancelled.
- Is unqualified and was returned to advertising by your gross sales crew (solely to be forgotten).
One of these prospect has confirmed that they’re curious about what you’ve acquired; they could simply want a delicate nudge towards conversion. This “nudge” might take the type of a promotion or low cost provide – one thing to spruce up your provide and add a tinge of urgency.
One of the best substances for a re-engagement nurturing marketing campaign
- Good timing: it may be earlier than a vacation, or be part of your particular promotion marketing campaign. Take a look at how Citrix used a vacation as a chance to supply a particular promotion:
One of many emails Citrix despatched us final yr, and an instance of hard-to-resist gives.
- A tough-to-resist provide that can push uncertain prospects over the sting to transform.
Additionally, don’t neglect to offer these prospects a transparent decide out. In the event that they’re not curious about your product after you attempt to re interact them, then ask them clearly if they would like to remain on your mailing list.
Some folks will naturally lose curiosity, and that’s okay. Some leads simply aren’t meant to be.
By no means lose sight of the purpose
The takeaway from all of this?
Each lead nurturing marketing campaign wants a transparent audience and a purpose.
With out these, you danger sending irrelevant gives to leads at early levels and shedding their curiosity additional down the funnel.
In the event you don’t but have a lead nurturing program in place, these 4 recipes will enable you to begin sending folks easily down the funnel – towards a cheerful and long-lasting relationship with you.
Over to you – what are your favourite lead nurturing recipes?