Lead nurturing has become increasingly important in today’s information filled world.  With so many options for customers to turn to, and so many avenues for them to find solutions, it’s important to keep your product or services in the front of their minds.  There are many different types of lead nurturing campaigns, all of which help to guide prospects through the sales cycle.  With the varying stages of the buyers journey requiring different types of content, having a platform with the ability to automate these types of campaigns is an invaluable tool to marketers.  Hubspot allows marketers to create email workflows that are set to go out depending upon what customers open, click or download. 

These workflows create a drip effect for your sales funnel, enabling your marketing team to focus on content that will drive these prospects towards conversion.  That being said, each stage of the buyers journey and each buyer persona will require a unique lead nurturing approach.  While each of these can be tailored to your specific business and the length of your sales cycle, these are the basic types of workflows your company should look to develop.

Fulfillment

When a prospect has downloaded a piece of your content or responded to an offer, you’ll want to immediately place them into a lead nurturing campaign that will set expectations from your company.  You’ll want to ensure that the content you follow up with aligns with the type of content they downloaded.

Engagement

Once you’ve developed a relationship with a prospect, it is important that you keep your company in the forefront of their search for a solution.  Since some sales cycles can be lengthy, you’ll want to set up a workflow that will engage them regularly so that when it comes time for a buying decision, yours will be the company they turn to.

Re-Engagement

Every company has a database full of inactive leads.  Just because a prospect has removed themselves from the sales cycle, it does not mean they are gone for good.  These types of campaigns are designed to encourage the prospect to let you know they’re still looking for a solution.

Product Information

You can be sure that your potential customers are researching all types of solutions to their pain points.  They may even be looking to outside sources to gather information about your solutions.  It’s important to make sure they are getting accurate information on your product or solution, and who better to get that information from than you?

Differentiators

Knowing your competitors and what separates your from them can be the difference between a prospect choosing your product or straying to a competitor.  These campaigns are geared towards informing your prospect what makes your solution different, and better.

Expert

At this stage, you’ll want to share information with the prospect displaying why your company is the right choice for them.  Sharing content that shows you are a thought leader in your industry will help to guide them towards the bottom of the funnel, reassuring them that your company is a trusted industry expert.

Promotional

These types of campaigns are designed to entice customers towards an immediate purchase through the use of package promotions or special pricing.  These can be used as a means to show the value of your service, while at the same time providing the prospect with the feeling of a “good deal”.

On-boarding

When you are on-boarding a new client, there will be a large amount of communication between the two of you.  Chances are, many of these communications are the same with each client.  Automating this process allows you to focus more on the personal touches that ensure a lasting relationship with your customer.

Up-sell

Existing clients are a prime source of additional revenue, and they need to be treated as such.  Once a customer has signed on with you, you’ll want to develop a campaign that promotes other services your company offers and outlines how they can supplement their current agreement.

Renewal

Repeat customers are what drives business and provides you with a consistent contribution towards your bottom line.  When a campaign is nearing its end, you’ll want to provide them with information that entices them to renew.  This can include a case study on their own project detailing the success you’ve had and how far they have come since signing on.

Conclusion

Automated lead nurturing campaigns have allowed marketers more time to focus on providing valuable content rather than organizing who and when to send emails to on an individual basis.  It’s important to note that email is not the only way to nurture a lead.  Teleprospecting campaigns geared towards gauging where a prospect is in the funnel and providing content upon request are also a valuable tool in driving prospects towards a sales decision.

Founded in 1990, Winn Technology Group is a leading provider of global, multi-channel marketing solutions for the technology industry.   For both direct and channel sales, Winn supports demand creation, account-based marketing, channel management, digital marketing, social media, teleprospecting, lead nurturing, event marketing, database services, and inbound response management. 

Click below to download our free E-book, An Introduction to Email Marketing: How to Execute & Measure Successful Email Marketing