Are your leads working for you?
So, you have a lot of followers on Twitter, you have increased the number of Facebook likes you have on you Facebook business page, and your email database is growing by leaps and bounds. Has any of this translated into solid business for your company? For many, the answer is a resounding ‘NO.’
According to Gleanster Research, 50% of leads are qualified but not yet ready to buy (via HubSpot). This means that if you are a marketer or you wear the marketing hat at your organization, it is past time to begin nurturing your leads. Let 2012 be the year that you stop sitting idle with luke warm leads in your systems that need to be converted to paying customers. After you have reached this revelation, your mind will tend to start coming with a series of questions on making these conversions happen. The top question we hear at Selsi Enterprises is probably……”What are the best ways to nurture the leads that you already have in your system?”
Here is my answer in a nutshell:
- First and foremost, you must understand your audience. As a marketer, you need to take a look at your sales cycle. Do a little research on how long it actually takes from the point when someone discovers your product or service to the point that they are actually ready to make a purchase.
- Clearly define your goals and objectives when seeking to nurture leads. Are you looking to reawaken old leads or are you looking to generate new leads? Put a numerical value on the success of your campaign.
- When you get a lead, respond to them quickly. According to HubSpot, 35% to 50% of sales go the vendors that are the first to respond. The likelihood of converting a lead to sale greatly diminishes the farther away the time is from the initial contact made by the lead.
- Maintain contact with your lead. Develop a drip marketing campaign that shows that you and/or your organization are the expert in the field that you are servicing.
- Finally, never stop learning about your customers! Always look for ways that you can continue to fulfill the needs of your customer base.
