“Lead nurturing is like gardening,” says Banish Angural, founding father of Banish Media. “It’s about time, relevance, and a good setting to count on the expansion from the seeds you’ve got sown.”
And as a B2B marketer, I couldn’t agree extra. B2B services and products take time to promote. It’s tough to take a prospect from not realizing about your organization to creating a sale with out warming them up.
That’s why lead nurturing emails are one of the crucial efficient methods to reinforce your gross sales funnel and e mail advertising technique, lower advertising prices, and improve conversions. On this publish, I’ll stroll you thru what I realized from talking with advertising specialists, the very best practices for lead nurturing emails, and the right way to write them successfully.
Desk of Contents
What’s a lead nurturing e mail?
A lead nurturing e mail has one objective: transfer your prospect down the gross sales funnel. How? By participating, attractive, and inspiring your results in work together along with your model additional. As they turn into extra conversant in your organization they are going to be transformed into clients (and upsold on different merchandise).
The Benefits of Lead Nurturing Emails
- Lead nurturing results in extra gross sales. Firms that use lead nurturing efficiently generate 50% extra sales-ready leads at a 33% decrease price (Marketo).
- The ROI of lead nurturing is so excessive as a result of you’ll be able to tailor your messaging to the client. In any case, there’s a motive the simplest e mail advertising methods are segmentation (78%), personalization (72%), and automatic e mail sequences (71%) (HubSpot).
- Lead nurturing emails join your buyer to your product with out exhausting promoting. Half of shoppers buy from advertising emails month-to-month (Salecycle).
- Automated emails on triggers with excessive intent usually carry the best ROI. Deserted cart emails have triple the conversion fee of different automated emails (Electronic mail Instrument Tester).
How does lead nurturing work?
In my expertise, lead nurturing is all about constructing and sustaining relationships with potential clients who aren’t fairly prepared to purchase. It’s a technique to keep top-of-mind and supply ongoing worth — in order that when the lead is able to buy, your model is the primary they consider.
In that sense, Paul Stainton, director of content material and search engine marketing at AgencyAnalytics, thinks of lead nurturing emails as “strategic touchpoints to interact prospects and remind them why they linked along with your model within the first place… Consideration spans are brief, and it is simple for potential results in neglect why they initially confirmed curiosity in your organization.”
The method begins when a lead first interacts along with your model, whether or not that’s by signing up for a e-newsletter, downloading a whitepaper, or attending a webinar.
At this level, they’re usually on the high of the advertising funnel, simply starting to find out about what you and your organization provide. And from there, a collection of focused emails helps information the lead by the funnel.
(Tip: When you’re unfamiliar with lead nurturing, we encourage you to take our free lead nurturing course.)
Are lead nurturing emails efficient?
Nurtured leads make 47% bigger purchases than non-nurtured leads. In addition they produce a 20% improve in gross sales alternatives (on common). So, briefly? Sure. Lead nurturing emails have confirmed to be extremely efficient at shifting potential clients by the gross sales funnel and finally driving conversions.
For example, Stainton seen that some customers have been signing up totally free trials however not finishing a key onboarding step wanted to completely make the most of the platform. To handle this hole, he began “sending a easy reminder e mail urging customers to discover these options, which resulted in a 15% improve in consumer activation.”
Equally, Joe Kevens, director of demand era at PartnerStack, shares that the model normally sends its leads “emails like ‘5 straightforward steps to construct a associate program’ containing a ‘Partnerships 101: The Final Partnerships Guidelines’” as a part of its lead nurturing e mail sequence to assist them construct their associate basis and set them up for achievement.
General, I seen just a few commonalities among the many entrepreneurs I spoke with. Your lead nurturing e mail wants to realize three separate objectives concurrently to be efficient:
- Get your prospect’s consideration.
- Be customized to the way in which they discovered your model.
- Educate your prospects on options and advantages they won’t pay attention to.
What’s a lead nurture e mail marketing campaign?
A lead nurture e mail marketing campaign is a collection of focused emails despatched to leads over a time frame with the objective of shifting them nearer to a purchase order resolution. It’s a strategic warming-up tactic that’s usually customized and optimized with the objective of constructing relationships and belief with potential clients who’ve proven curiosity in your model.
That mentioned, because the phrase nurturing implies, you usually don’t ship a single e mail. It takes just a few emails to realize the objectives I listed above. So entrepreneurs, right here’s how you are able to do simply that:
Lead Nurturing Electronic mail Sequence
A lead nurturing e mail sequence is a collection of emails which can be robotically triggered when the lead takes a sure motion. For instance, as soon as a buyer provides an merchandise to their cart, a lead nurturing e mail sequence might embody a purchase order reminder, a limited-time provide, or an inventory of comparable merchandise they could like.
I’ve discovered that the extra segmenting and personalization you’ll be able to add to a lead-nurturing e mail marketing campaign, the higher it can carry out and the extra conversions you’ll get.
Now that you just perceive how lead nurturing matches into your funnel, I’ll dive into some finest practices.
Lead Nurturing Electronic mail Greatest Practices
- Present worthwhile, focused content material that addresses pursuits and/or ache factors.
- Deal with one related subject per e mail.
- Hold it brief.
- Make sure the emails progress naturally.
- Take a look at your emails and monitor key metrics.
- Personalize and section the emails.
- Keep constant along with your model.
I’ve discovered that lead nurturing emails take time to optimize. It’s difficult to place collectively an e mail sequence that can convert at a excessive degree the primary time round. As with every advertising initiative, testing is the way you see what works finest. And when you discover a working system, you’ll be able to apply it to all of your e mail campaigns.
That mentioned, listed below are some common finest practices that may assist enhance your e mail recreation.
1. Present worthwhile, focused content material that addresses pursuits and/or ache factors.
Your lead nurturing emails must be all about your viewers. Take the time to know their pursuits, challenges, and objectives. Then, craft content material that speaks on to these wants.
When you’re nurturing leads who downloaded an e book on 10 Ideas for Higher Electronic mail Advertising, use your follow-up emails to dive deeper into every tip. Share actionable recommendation, real-world examples, and your individual experiences. The extra focused and related your content material is, the extra doubtless your leads will have interaction with it.
Stainton agrees and emphasizes, “When you can resolve a possible buyer’s primary downside, they’re way more prone to flip to your organization after they need assistance fixing a extra complicated downside.”
Professional tip: I’ve seen the most important needle movers in lead nurturing emails are the concepts behind the e-mail — not essentially the copy itself. When you’re a SaaS firm, that may imply testing completely different options in your e mail, for example.
2. Deal with one related subject per e mail.
Much less is commonly extra with lead nurturing emails. I’ve discovered that specializing in one key subject per e mail is way more practical than making an attempt to cram a number of concepts into one e mail. It retains your emails concise, digestible, and simple to behave on.
Plus, it lets you actually dig into every subject and supply worth reasonably than simply skimming the floor. For instance, in case your lead downloaded a whitepaper about immutable backups, you recognize they may be eager about some type of information safety.
Your first e mail may be about the right way to promote the thought of information safety to your staff. It’d be counterproductive to speak about an irrelevant subject, like VPNs, in case your objective is to promote them on cybersecurity providers.
3. Hold it brief.
Take into consideration the final time you opened your inbox and took the time to learn an e mail for greater than 5 minutes. The reply is prone to be fairly far and few between. That’s why I all the time attempt to preserve emails brief.
Most individuals simply scan their inboxes — particularly if it’s an e mail from a model they’re not conversant in. Information means that your emails must be between 50 and 125 phrases. Goal for that vary, however don’t be afraid to go a bit longer if it’s essential flesh out a subject.
For instance, some B2B matters are far more complicated and require in-depth explanations, whereas an e mail for an ecommerce retailer won’t want as a lot copy.
Professional tip: As a reminder, Chad Debolt, founding father of Surchability, says, “Electronic mail nurturing isn‘t meant to speak about your self…it’s meant to nurture. Folks need you to assist resolve their issues,” so ensure that your language is customer-focused.
4. Make sure the emails progress naturally.
An awesome lead nurturing sequence ought to really feel like a pure, logical development. Every e mail ought to construct upon the final, guiding your leads towards a particular objective or motion. I wish to map out my sequences upfront to make sure a cohesive, compelling narrative.
Take into consideration the place your leads are of their purchaser journey, what info they want at every stage, and how one can progressively transfer them nearer to a conversion.
Use cliffhangers, teasers, and calls to motion to create momentum and encourage results in open your subsequent e mail. By crafting a sequence that tells a transparent, purposeful story, you will preserve your prospects engaged and invested within the lead nurturing course of.
5. Take a look at your emails and monitor key metrics.
As entrepreneurs, everyone knows testing is the secret. And lead nurturing emails aren’t any completely different. What works for one viewers won’t work for an additional. That’s why I all the time advocate A/B testing completely different subject concepts.
Past matters, I like to recommend testing topic strains, content material, calls-to-action, and even the timing and frequency of your emails. Nonetheless, be sure you’re testing one variable at a time.
For instance, you can arrange your e mail sequence to ship emails on daily basis consecutively to 50% of the listing and each different day to the opposite 50%.
Throughout e mail testing, take note of these key metrics:
- Open charges. Decided by the topic line and preview textual content.
- Click on-through charges. Decided by the “large thought” and name to motion within the e mail.
- Conversion charges. Decided by your provide, touchdown web page, and the way properly you’ve conveyed your message within the emails.
6. Personalize and section the emails.
With high-tech e mail instruments, personalization and segmentation are the most important levers you’ll be able to pull to see the very best outcomes when used alongside testing.
Generic, one-size-fits-all emails merely don’t minimize it anymore. To really resonate and join along with your new leads, it’s essential personalize your emails based mostly on their distinctive pursuits, behaviors, and stage within the funnel.
For instance, Lyn Collanto, outreach specialist at KBA Internet, personalizes lead nurturing emails this manner: “If a lead visits our pricing web page a number of occasions however would not convert, we’d set off a particular welcome e mail sequence that highlights buyer success tales and gives a limited-time low cost.”
I like to recommend creating a number of automated e mail sequences based mostly on particular actions. Some companies could have extra alternatives than others, however by personalizing the set off level, you’ll be able to give attention to the precise intent of the lead.
To take it one step additional, you’ll be able to section inside every e mail sequence. For example, if a lead doesn’t open the primary two emails, you may need to ship them down a special path — like emails with extra intriguing topic strains.
Or, in case your leads are opening emails, clicking hyperlinks, and even replying however not changing, you’ll be able to set off a lead-nurturing e mail sequence designed to beat objections.
7. Keep constant along with your model.
Do not forget that your lead nurturing emails are an extension of your general model. They need to really feel cohesive and in step with the remainder of your advertising supplies, out of your web site to your social media posts.
Use colours, fonts, and imagery that align along with your model tips. Write in a tone and magnificence that feels genuine to your model voice — whether or not that’s pleasant and informal or skilled and authoritative. Consistency helps construct belief and credibility along with your leads over time.
That mentioned, displaying your character in emails may help make you extra memorable, constructing connections sooner. The extra real and human your emails really feel, the extra doubtless your leads are to attach with them on a private degree. It’s one thing I like to recommend you check.
Find out how to Write a Lead Nurturing Electronic mail
- Establish a objective.
- Personalize the greeting and topic line.
- Deal with ache factors.
- Embrace testimonials.
- Share a data bomb.
- Use a CTA.
- Embrace an unsubscribe button.
- Observe up and optimize.
Now that you recognize what makes an ideal lead-nurturing e mail, I’ll information you thru the method of making one. Let’s dive in.
1. Establish a objective.
Earlier than crafting your e mail, take a second to think about its objective inside the general lead nurturing sequence. Ask your self: What do I would like this e mail to realize? Is it meant to coach the lead, encourage them to take motion, or provide a particular answer to their downside?
I’ve discovered that having a transparent, targeted objective for every e mail helps me create extra compelling content material that resonates with the reader and strikes them nearer to conversion.
Professional tip: Riccii Terro, advertising supervisor at Intellek, recommends you attempt to visualize the entire image at this stage as a result of: “Tailoring the messaging and content material supplied to particular teams based mostly on their trade, function, or stage within the shopping for cycle is essential.”
2. Personalize the greeting and topic line.
In my expertise, personalization could make a world of distinction in e mail engagement. For example, you’ll need to tailor topic strains to how your leads work together along with your model. In the event that they signed up for a lead magnet about content material advertising, your topic line might be “The key to Google’s 2024 replace…”
I like to think about the topic line as a promise — what worth will the reader achieve by opening this e mail? This inherently builds curiosity and can get your prospect’s consideration.
Professional tip: Try this information on the right way to leverage segmentation to take your personalization efforts to the following degree.
3. Deal with ache factors.
After getting their consideration, it’s time to deal with potential ache factors along with your answer. Put your self of their footwear and ask:
- What retains them up at night time?
- What obstacles are stopping them from attaining their objectives?
- How are you going to body your e mail to indicate that you just perceive their downside and may actively resolve it?
4. Embrace testimonials.
Whereas not each lead nurturing e mail would require social proof, it is best to embody it while you’re actively promoting. It’s contextual. Sharing success tales or testimonials from happy clients helps leads envision how your services or products can profit them.
For instance, you can embody a number of brief testimonials. Or you can write a whole story-based case research e mail that reveals how certainly one of your clients solved the precise downside potential clients are going through along with your answer.
5. Share a data bomb.
I all the time try to incorporate no less than one aha! second in every lead nurturing e mail. This might be a stunning statistic, a thought-provoking perception, or a worthwhile piece of trade data.
In advertising, you need to persuade the prospect to consider their downside in your phrases. This shifts your prospect’s perspective and positions your model as the fitting answer to the issue.
For instance, let’s say you’re in a cybersecurity agency and resolve to ship out an e mail masking information safety. In that case, you might cite statistics about how X% of companies know information safety is a matter, however solely X% are efficiently avoiding threats through the use of your organization’s distinctive answer to guard information on the highest ranges.
6. Use a CTA.
Each lead nurturing e mail ought to have a transparent, purposeful CTA that guides the reader towards the following step of their buyer journey. When crafting your CTA, ask your self: What do I would like the result in do after studying this e mail?
Is it to schedule a demo, obtain a useful resource, or just have interaction with one other piece of content material? Ensure that your CTA is outstanding, unambiguous, and aligned with the general objective of the e-mail sequence.
7. Embrace an unsubscribe button.
Whereas it might sound counterintuitive, you all the time need to embody an unsubscribe button. As a marketer, I’d all the time select a lean, 5,000-person e mail listing that’s actively engaged and able to purchase over a 50,000-person e mail listing that’s not.
Plus, together with an unsubscribe button retains you according to authorities and ensures your deliverability fee is excessive.
8. Observe up and optimize.
Lead nurturing is an ongoing course of, and there is all the time room for enchancment. That’s why I constantly monitor key e mail metrics like open charges, click-through charges, and conversions to establish areas for optimization.
If an e mail isn’t performing in addition to anticipated, I’ll experiment with completely different topic strains, CTAs, or content material angles.
Lead Nurturing Emails Are Important
Lead nurturing emails bridge the hole between preliminary curiosity and closing conversion. And sometimes they’ll construct belief, set up credibility, and information leads towards a purchase order resolution inside the two factors of preliminary curiosity and conversion.
Efficient lead nurturing saves time and sources by specializing in probably the most certified leads. It lets you section your viewers, personalize your messaging, and ship the fitting info on the proper time.
When your lead nurturing technique is completed appropriately, it can assist you to appeal to extra of the proper clients whereas filtering out the fallacious clients.
Editor’s word: This publish was initially printed in December 2021 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
