Design an Effective B2B Lead Nurturing

In our previous article ‘Effective B2B Lead Nurturing' (below) we identified that consistency was essential to our nurturing efforts and that a common fallacy in marketing to your B2B customers and prospects was to use a one size fits all approach.

The question that arises is how do we design our nurturing program? After all we want to have different programs for leads, prospects and customers; these need to be segmented by industry and activity level. A major area that concerns most B2B marketers is the frequency of our contact with the lead, prospect or customer and the type of contact.

As a first stage ask yourself these questions:

Customer preference - How often do they want to be contacted?

Begin by asking the customer how much he/she wants to be contacted. "Mr. Customer, if we don't have any projects going on, how often would you like to hear from me?"

How important is this account to you and your business? Is this a major or minor account?

If this account is your largest, most important account, you will spend more time reaching out to and communicating with that account, at the same time, you will need to be aware of the clients personality type; a type A personality will be extremely irritated by too many in-person visits.

Do you currently have a project underway with this customer?

You will probably be in touch on a weekly basis, if it is a prospect you may look at the 3 -2 -1 method (3 times in the 1^st month, 2 in the second and 1 in the 3^rd; repeat if purchase decision is not made)

What is the activity level of this account? Do you sell to the customer on a regular basis or is the sale infrequent but of high value?

A significant account may deserve a monthly personal visit, others may be quarterly or bi-monthly.

Most importantly examine how you are contacting the customer.

You could be calling in person quarterly, physical mail monthly, e-mail weekly and facsimile periodically plus you should consider postcards, newsletters, press releases and items of interest. Above all focus on the value you bring to the client.

Fresh Insight - Greater Profits - Increase Your Wealth

Brian Duckworth

Do you want to get control of your time once and for all, and learn how to make your business give you the freedom want? Then  you need a FREE 45 minute explosive growth session valued at $297. Call me on 0419 237 830 - there only 3 spots left this month.

Effective B2B Lead Nurturing

If you don't nurture your prospects, leads and existing customers you will definitely lose both revenue opportunities and customers.

So what is nurturing?

The process of nurturing is not a sales process. Yes, I know you are thinking; but we're doing this to generate sales! Nurturing is more to establish your credentials, create trust and through a process of informational / educational marketing create a bond between your customers and yourself.

Your aim through the nurturing process is to keep yourself top of mind with your customers and to create an ‘imputed' value to your solutions to their problems.

Consider this - 66% of buyers indicate that "consistent and relevant communication provided by both sales and marketing organizations" is a key influence in choosing a solution provider. (Source: Genius.com/DemandGen Report)

Consistent communication is the key to effective lead nurturing - this brings into play the usual question of how often should you contact prospects, leads and customers?

Many sales organisations struggle with this question, you know you need to have sufficient contact to ensure that they don't forget you, but you don't want to annoy them by turning into their personal stalker.

Firstly, one size does not fit all...ever. So you need to have different nurturing programs for the different classes of leads; at the very minimum you should have unique and individual programs for:

• Leads - businesses that have the potential to become your customer.
• Prospects - businesses that in the sales pipeline.
• Customers - businesses that already deal with you.

In addition you should also segment your nurturing program by industry, activity level / potential activity level (can be by revenue size or by volume) and you can also have a specific program for those prospects that you are trying to win from your competition.

Fresh Insight - Greater Profits - Increase Your Wealth

Brian Duckworth

Do you want to get control of your time once and for all? Learn how to make your business give you the freedom you need with a FREE 45 minute explosive growth session valued at $297. Call me on 0419 237 830 - there only 3 spots left this month.