Sadly, most B2B and B2C companies we talk to think of leads as a kind of crap shoot.
They equate following up on leads with betting on horses at the race track. Sure, you’re bound to win a few times — that’s just the law of averages. Lead nurturing is basically luck of the draw (they think). A random, hazard process.
“No one can really control if a lead turns into a sale!” our new clients sometimes tell us.
Not true.
Let’s think this out.
Suppose you meet a potential client at a function somewhere. You shake their hand. They ask what you do. You tell them and watch their eyes light up. A few moments later, you’re listening to them tell you how their business is having problems . . . problems you know your firm can help them with.
The potential client is telling you a lot about themselves and the needs of their business. Their behavior seems to indicate their understanding that your company can help them solve a problem that they’re experiencing. But they also seem hesitant to take the next step and engage you further. They’re not ready to ask for help just yet.
Has this ever happened to you?
Wouldn’t it be great if every meeting you had turned into a closed sale?
Please don’t mistake what we’re saying. Life isn’t that simple. Not every lead you get will close. But that doesn’t mean you should let a lead go! This is where lead nurturing comes in.
In fact, this much is certain:
If you are not properly prepared, that potential customer will likely vanish like smoke on the wind and leave you moaning about how tough it is to close a sale. How random the whole process seems.
(If this happens, you’re going about your business all wrong!)
But if you are properly prepared, you’ll watch plenty of contacts like the one we just described turn into actual sales.
How can we say this? Because Stern has become a recognized expert in the art and craft of inbound marketing. Our many successes have taught us very important lessons about the proper way to treat business leads.
One of the things we’ve learned is that leads aren’t some curious mythical species like the Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster.
In other words: leads are not trying to stay hidden or stay away from you. They’re trying to find your business right now. They want to book your company for a good or a service.
Your job is to help them do it!
At this point, you’re probably wondering: How?
How do I persuade more leads to become sales?
How do I turn more prospective customers into actual customers?
The answer is pretty simple.
Keep reading!
PART THREE: TRACKING YOUR LEADS
Stern is an Inbound Marketing firm. We focus on lead nurturing through strategic Inbound Marketing, Content Marketing, and Social Media Marketing. We carefully measure and report our results. Our top clients report an 8 to 1 or higher #MarkeingROI on their investment.
We would love to have a conversation with you about lead generation, follow up, nurturing and the true ROI on your social, inbound, and content marketing.
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