Have you ever heard the term lead nurturing? Have you heard about it but weren't sure what it meant or how it could work for your eCommerce business?
Then you need this guide with which you will understand perfectly what they are talking about. And best of all, you will be able to see it applied to your business as you read what we have prepared for you.
What is lead nurturing
The first thing you need to understand is the concept of lead nurturing. And for that, nothing beats translating it. In Spanish, it means "lead nutrition." It's a strategy, or tool, that we use to attract a target group (that is, a group that aligns with your product or service). And how is it done? By offering them relevant information every day so they see that your business is the best option they can choose to achieve their goals.
In other words, we're talking about building a relationship with those leads to help them move from being mere spectators to buyers, and from there, to building customer loyalty.
How is the proccess
We could say that lead nurturing is governed by four important steps:
- Educate.
- Report.
- Involve.
- Turn into.
In other words, you first offer a series of facts and content that lay the foundation, while simultaneously assuring those readers that you are qualified and possess the necessary knowledge on this subject. That you know what you're talking about.
After establishing that foundation, it's time to inform. What does this mean, and why is it different from the previous stage? Quite simply, because in this phase, you present a series of courses, services, and products related to that education, offering benefits that users are typically seeking. Does this mean selling to these users? The simple answer is yes. The more complex answer is also yes, but you're selling more knowledge than you were previously providing, or a solution to their problems.
The third phase, engagement, refers to influencing that person. That is, getting inside their head and mind to dismantle, one by one, all the "excuses" they make for not buying (too much money, don't have time, don't believe you...). How do you achieve that? With the comments and experiences of other people. That's why it's so important to have comments and opinions from people who have bought, people you've worked with, etc.
If all the phases are done well, sooner or later the last one is achieved, which is to convert. Of course, the objective is to achieve it as soon as possible, but from experience it is known that several messages are needed before that happens.
What are the benefits of lead nurturing?
It is obvious to think that if it works, the sale will be achieved, and therefore we will win. But the truth is that there are many benefits of using this technique. We tell you some:
- You can optimize workflows. You will know at what point each person, or group of people, is, so you will know what is happening at all times. You can even measure how much interaction is needed to achieve your final goal of the sale.
- The risk of rejection and abandonment is avoided. You are not going to send mass messages, but you are going to personalize, to create an essence of your brand and that will make them feel that they are not treated as a number (or a credit card) but as people.
- You will improve the ROI of marketing. In case you don't remember, ROI is Return on Investment. In other words, you are going to recover the investment you made and even make a profit.
How to implement a lead nurturing strategy
Surely you are already thinking about how to carry it out in your business. It is common, and then we are going to tell you how to do it.
For this, you will need the following:
Online presence
In other words, you need to attract customers, not just those in physical stores, but also those online. To do this, you need an optimized website that is easy to navigate, with relevant and engaging text.
In addition, it is convenient for you to have a presence on social networks because many tend to visit the networks, either to communicate with brands, or to follow them (usually in case there are contests, raffles and others).
Communication with customers
Imagine that you have a business and a person buys from you. You send him the regulatory mail and that's it. There is no more communication.
Now, think of the same scene but, once he receives the product, it turns out that you send him an email asking him if he liked it, if he has any problems with the product or if he wants to tell you some suggestions to improve the service.
And a few days later you send him a detail, which can be a discount. And if you have enabled them to put the date of birth, a week before you send her a message asking her permission to send her a "postcard" detail for her birthday.
Which online store would you always go to when you needed to buy something? Exactly, if there's communication, you and the customer can establish a relationship.
How do you get that? With quality content, with email marketing, with details, etc.
Lead Qualification
For the strategy to work effectively, it's essential to know where each lead is in the sales funnel. If you recall the lead nurturing process, it's about understanding their position in the chain so you can offer them what they need at that moment and increase the likelihood of them reaching the final stage.
Once you have all that, the process is simple . You have to:
- Know what the buying process is like.
- Divide the strategy by segments. Covering in a general way is not the same as doing it in small sections.
- To establish objectives.
- Design communications.
- Take it out and try. Sometimes what has been prepared does not work and changes have to be made at different times. It's kind of trial and error, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't work; you just have to change it and think of something else that could be interesting for leads.
Is it now clearer to you what lead nurturing is?