Remember: you’re building a relationship, not making microwave popcorn. In other words, it takes time. Not everyone looking for cybersecurity or MSP services has an urgent need. They’re often shopping around (or not shopping at all), and when they’re ready, you want them to decide to talk to YOUR business.
You need to nurture the relationship you have with each lead. This means you must offer value that will help them, and above all, don’t go for the sale too early! Coming on too strong with a sales pitch can completely turn a prospect off. The keyword for lead nurturing is “helpful”.
A great quote to remember when nurturing leads is, “Making your prospects feel like they have an exclusive membership in a club makes lead generation a positive customer experience.” – Eric Bower
Where should you start? Well, there is no magic recipe for nurturing your list. You need to choose the methods that work best for you. With so many options available, it can be tough to figure out where to start. So, I’ve rounded up six proven nurturing strategies to help you maximize your lead potential.
Check them out below, and then pick your top three favorites to get started.
Effective Ways To Nurture Your Prospects
It takes between 7-13 touches (or more!) for prospective buyers to convert to interested prospects. These “touches” are simply “nurturing strategies” that you choose for your IT business.
Let’s be honest, when you see a list of six different things to do to nurture leads, a part of you may want to throw up your hands. Don’t let the feeling of overwhelm keep you from taking the steps you need to grow your business.
I’m asking you to choose just three of these. (And if even that feels overwhelming, start with one! One is better than none.) But aim for three. Choose the three that resonate most with you. You may already be doing a few of these. Drill down into those strategies and get good at them. Make them a habit that you do like clockwork. Then, when you feel you want to add a new one to the mix, come back to this list for ideas.
Here is the list of strategies to choose from.
Email Cadence
Send a helpful email weekly to prospects. This keeps your business top of mind without pressing them. You can send things like a link to your latest blog post on phishing identification or white-labeled content from your vendors.
An email cadence, also known as a drip campaign, is a great way to automate your lead follow-up process. If you’d like to get more sophisticated, you can target these emails to the prospects’ interests or company size.
Webinars
Host educational training webinars 1-3 times per quarter. Choose interesting subjects that you know your target audience will find of value. Webinars can pull triple duty. Not only can they nurture your list, but you can also grow your list by inviting new contacts to register. And recording your webinar provides you with content you can continue sharing long after it’s over.
Get a simple 3-step webinar plan here.
Handwritten Notes
In an age where email and social media rule, handwritten notes have become few and far between. This means that when a prospect receives one, it will be memorable.
Drop a physical note on occasion. You can thank the prospect for their time and let them know you’re here to answer any IT questions they may have. Your note is bound to stand out among the emails they get from your competitors.
Newsletters
Send a physical or electronic newsletter each month. If you’re short on cash and time, email newsletters cost next to nothing to send out using a free plan on a service like MailChimp.
Create an email newsletter template that you can quickly fill out each month. You’ll be surprised how many prospects that you thought had gone cold, pop up to ask you for a quote saying they’ve been following your newsletter for months.
The advantage of an opt-in newsletter (have them opt-in on your contact page or website) is that you can be in the right place at the right time – right when their need for IT services is immediate.
Lead Scoring
Lead scoring means giving each lead a numerical value based on their behavior and characteristics. This helps you prioritize your efforts and focus on the leads that are most likely to convert.
You can use factors like the number of times a lead has visited your website, the pages they’ve viewed, and their job title to determine their score. This helps you prioritize your other lead nurturing. For example, you might send a small logo gift like a water bottle only to leads over a certain score.
Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for building relationships and engaging with potential customers. By sharing relevant content, participating in conversations, and responding to questions and comments, you can establish your business as a trusted resource in your industry.
Social media can also help you generate new leads by promoting your content and encouraging shares and likes. You can leverage direct messages to invite questions and assist prospects with answers conveniently. For example, a prospect may be relaxing after work and scrolling Facebook, see your post about backup systems, and reach out in a reply or DM with a question.
Now Get Out There & Start Nurturing!
Now that you have a better understanding of several nurturing strategies, it’s time to choose the three that make the most sense for your business.
Start by considering your target audience and their behavior, as well as your business goals and resources. Then, select the strategies that will help you achieve the greatest impact with the least amount of effort.