What does it mean to nurture a lead? Dictionary.com defines nurture: to support and encourage, as during the period of training or development; foster.
In business when we nurture leads, we are simply attempting to educate people through the sales process and eventually lead a person to the point of sale. Lead nurturing is the act and the process through which we do that.
For some the process is very
short, while for others the process is very long. For some, depending on
the systems in place, the nurturing is very easy. For others with no
systems, it can be a real nightmare or even the fall of the business or salesperson.
First of all, as a salesperson, marketing manager or business owner, you need to know and understand who your customers are.
The message you give to young people versus elderly people will be
vastly different; the message you give to a business owner versus a
consumer will be different. In all cases, you need to speak first to the
"croc brain" (or the emotions) to even get them to listen to you, but
in order to do that, you need to know your customer in order to be able
to touch on those subjects that will cause them to stop and listen.
Once you know who your customers
are, you need to get to know them in order to speak to them and their
wants and needs! Visit with them, be genuinely interested in who they
are, and when they share something personal, make sure you remember it.
In the business world, we meet so many people and sometimes it becomes
difficult to remember some of those important little details. If you
have trouble remembering everything people tell you, take "quick notes"
and store them in your database so that when you call them the next
time, your memory has been tweaked and you remember exactly who they are
and what they have shared with you. Past conversations are a great way
to pick up a new conversation, and your prospect will feel good that you
have paid enough attention to remember some details of prior
conversations. It will begin to create, foster and grow the "know, like
and trust" aspect your customers need before they buy.
"If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance."
– Dale Carnegie Sales Training
When
we know who our customers are and what their wants and needs are, we
are able to speak to them in their own language about something that is
important to them. Now we start to nurture them, grow them, educate
them, and stay on the tops of their minds.
The
real secret is to get to and stay on the top of minds and continue to
educate your prospects, but do it in ways that have impact. You know the
old saying about happening to be in the right place at the right time?
In business, it doesn't "just happen"; being in the right place at the
right time has been a very strategically planned event!
Sometimes
being in the right place means we just made a phone call; sometimes it
means we just sent an email or perhaps a card or letter, sometimes it
meant we were networking and happened to bump into someone who could
benefit from their product or service. You just never know, the options
are endless, but in all regards, our names are "out there" if we have
been deliberately active.
There
are many ways to accomplish this, but they all require two major
details: your self-initiative and your database! (Obviously, my
affections are with By The Numbers!)
If
you have the self-initiative to follow through on whatever systems you
have in place, you will use dogged determination and be active in
keeping in touch with your prospects and customers and keep on top of
exactly what they want and need. Become the one who can educate
prospects by providing information and value them. Show them you
understand their business or their situation, and you have solutions to
what keeps them awake at night. Become their trusted source and advisor.
As they grow to know, like and trust you, your sales will grow, too.
Do
not just go to a networking meeting and introduce yourself and walk
away; get to know the people. Be very generous in referring and
recommending others, too. You want to become go-to person for solutions
for all kinds of problems because you have such a large network of
friends and acquaintances that you can refer to anyone!
If
your database has been carefully tended, you will be able to easily
gather the information necessary to speak to your customers' and
prospects' wants and needs, you will be able to be a person "of your
word" because, not only do you know what you promised to people, but you
will be able to deliver what was promised on time, and more or less you
will know exactly what you are talking about in sending out direct
mail, making phone calls or talking in person. You will be the person
who can educate them on what they are seeking. It has been said that a person needs up to 13 touches before a sale is made.
That includes snail mail, email, direct mail, face-to-face
conversations, social media, phone conversations, and other types of
contact and advertising.
In
conclusion, in setting up a lead nurturing process, there are two main
ingredients: self-initiative and a good database. The actual way then in
which leads are nurtured may vary, but whatever method chosen will be
multi-faceted and systematic in order for it to be successful.
Oh yes, just have to include this little tidbit, one of the greatest lead nurturing tools still around today is the HANDWRITTEN note.
I'm not talking about fake handwriting, but really, truly your very own
writing on a card, sent by snail mail. Get in the habit of sending
several each day, and you will start to win over the hearts and minds
and loyalty of people.
If you are looking for more concrete ways of increasing sales through the nurturing of leads, please email or call me at 480-652-9212.
We usually say "Winners Know Their Numbers", but today it's going to be "WINNERS KNOW PEOPLE!"
Susan Raisanen, Sales Professional at By The Numbers
