Become a trusted advisor
The very nature of lead nurturing inspires trust in prospects.
Brian Carroll, CEO of InTouch and author of ‘Lead Generation for the Complex Sale’ considers trust implicit to the lead nurturing process: ‘A recent study of business-to-business buyers shows that sales people who become trusted advisors and understand the needs of economic buyers are 69% more likely to come away with a sale.’
The very nature of lead nurturing inspires trust in prospects. In Carroll’s words: ‘A key aspect of lead nurturing is the ability to provide valuable education and information to prospects up front, to become a trusted advisor. You are perceived to be an expert. You don’t sell, you don’t make pitches. Instead, you provide insights and solutions, all within the realm of your expertise and thus become the first they call when there’s a need.”
Why TLC’s important
Leads that aren’t sales-ready risk falling by the wayside.
Slower burning leads that require a little more TLC (Trust-building; Longer-term liaison; Customised communications) prior to conversion are a feature of many industries, especially high value B2B sales.
However sales people rightly concentrate on the most pressing opportunities. And in a busy world, a lead that isn’t ready to close now or soon, can easily fall by the wayside, be neglected and even forgotten.
Enquiries > qualified leads > sales
Just at the right stage in their buying cycle, it’s YOU they’re ready to commit to.
Lead nurturing is the process of forging relationships with prospective – or existing – customers: maintaining a dialogue; educating them about our products and services; retaining their interest; and ensuring that, at just the right stage in their buying cycles, they’re ripe and it’s YOU they’re ready to commit to.
Apply the principles of nurturing to keeping sales prospects interested in and up to speed with the nuances of your business proposition, and given time, patience and best practice, it’s only natural that a proportion of those initial enquiries should blossom into sales.
According to sales lead expert, Mac McIntosh: ‘Industry experts estimate that only one quarter of those who are going to buy do so in the first six months. Roughly another quarter buy within a 7-to-12 month period, another quarter buy within a 13-to-18 month period and the final quarter buy sometime after 18 months.’
Consistency and Persistence grows ROI
Companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads.
Cultivating leads takes time and perseverance. Build relationships with prospects through prolonged contact encompassing timely, tailored communications and given time, you’ll reap the fruits of your labours.
ROI will of course be subject to variability according to your sector, your business proposition and how sustained and dedicated your levels of lead nurturing. However, the stats
stack up. According to Marketo: ‘Companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost per lead.’
And Brian Carroll: ‘Proper lead nurturing programs can yield anywhere from 15 to 200% in additional, new qualified leads.’
Clearly lead nurturing works. To discover how to give slow burning leads the TLC they need well, click through to your Boardroom Guide to Best-Practice Lead Nurturing.
If you need help with any aspect of lead nurturing,
AdStorm will – naturally – be happy to assist. Please contact us for details – telephone 08456 444 567
If we nurture something, we care for it; tend to its needs; encourage its growth and take the time to cultivate its development.
It’s something that for the majority of us comes naturally.