B2B LEAD NURTURE EMAIL

OPPORTUNITIES

Ideas to Make Your Business Flourish

Connie Harrington, Strategist

Accende Consulting

About Lead Nurturing

2

• Traditionally, lead

nurturing has been a B2B

approach due to need to

cultivate prospect interest

throughout long sales

cycle

• Today, B2C companies

are applying lead

nurturing concepts to

develop a e-marketing

lifecycle management

approach

“Lead nurturing is a process by which leads are tracked and

developed into sales-qualified leads.” ~Forrester Research

Opportunities Companies that excel at Lead

Nurturing are able to generate

50% more sales-ready leads at

33% lower cost-per-lead.

High-Level B2B Sales Cycle

3

Awareness Evaluation Selection Purchase

Buyer

Activities

• Identify need for

change

• Engage in initial

contact activities

• Conduct

research on

solutions

• Narrow solution

choices

• Evaluate risk

• Finalize

negotiations

and purchase

agreements

Outreach

Goals

• Reinforce

awareness of need

• Create interest in

further exploration

• Assess sales

readiness

• Assist in

identifying

decision

criteria

• Uncover

prospects

perceived risks,

• Help create

business case

for purchase

• Instill value in

purchase

decision

Content

Examples

• Welcome messages

• Company

• Best practices (e.g.,

white papers)

• Newsletters

• Case studies

• Seminars

• Product

information

• Datasheets

• Testimonials

• Product

accolades

• Success stories

• Thank you

messages

B2B leads usually follow a similar path that involves research and

analysis prior to making a commitment to purchase

Example B2B Lead Nurturing Campaigns

4

Welcome

Campaign

Education

Campaign

Why Us

Campaign

Accelerate

Campaign

New

Customer

On-Boarding

Customer

Loyalty/

Retention

Welcome new

subscribers

Get them ready

to talk to sales

Overlay your

solution on top

of their need

Remove

roadblocks,

speed purchase

decision

Welcome new

customers

Retain and

develop

• Introduce

brand

• Reiterate

subscription

benefits

• Spell out

next steps

• Opt-in to

something

else

• Engage to

further

profile

prospect

• Educate

about value

proposition

• Differentiate

your brand

from

competitors

• Reiterate

value

proposition

• Include

relevant

case

studies,

testimonials

• Provide

decision

tools

• Thank them

• Identify next

steps

• Reiterate

purchase/

relationship

benefit

• Seek

feedback

• Tips/tricks to

get most out

of product

Source: Eloqua

Awareness Selection Purchase Retention Evaluation

Timed, targeted e-campaigns can guide prospects through the

sales funnel and support ongoing relationships

Sample Lead Nurture Communication Flow 5

Awareness • Triggered welcome email for list sign up (Day 1)

• Introductory personalized email or call from sales (Day 3)

• Send company overview via email and/or hard copy (Day 10)

Evaluation • Company eBrief with top industry stories (Day 20)

• Personal “touch base” message from sales (Day 25)

• Email case study in relevant industry (Day 30)

Selection • Solution overview email with links to product data sheets (Day 35)

• Facilitate testimonial call with supportive customer (Day 40)

Purchase • Thank you email – include product accolades, customer

testimonial quotes (Day 45)

• Hand-written “thank you” card signed by company president

(Day 50)

Retention • Holiday or seasonal eCards with gift

• Service or renewal reminders

• Product optimization tips

• Incentives for business referrals or testimonials

• Customer survey

Staggered

based on

customer

maturity and

needs

Lead Nurture Implementation Process

6

Phase I:

Research

Phase II:

Design

Phase III:

Implement

Phase IV:

Measure

• Successful lead nurturing

requires insight into

sales, systems,

administration, content

and creative

• Email messaging is

highly measurable so

metrics are readily

available to fine to

existing programs and

define new ones

Lead Nurture Implementation Process Example

7

• Phase I: Research

• Internal: Identify current state of

content segmentation, systems,

content, design and administration

• External: Perform market scan to

identify any relevant competitor

programs or best practices

• Phase II: Design

• Architect specific program

• Define launch deliverables, tasks,

roles and implementation schedule

• Conceptualize potential follow-on

vehicles

8

• Phase III: Implement

• Populate customer data in

systems

• Create initial communications

(content and design)

• Test emails

• Launch Program

• Phase IV: Measure

• Examine metrics to assess

program effectiveness

• Solicit input from customers via

survey or direct changes

Lead Nurture Implementation Process Example

B2B LEAD NURTURE EMAIL

REVIEW

9

Key B2B Lead Nurture Email Elements

• Content

• Keep messages brief and provide only

relevant high quality content

• Use content to present company as a

thought leader in area(s) of focus

• Tone

• Mirror approach of face-to-face

meeting: professional and concise

• Rewards

• Consider incentives – such as free

trials or invitations to events or

seminars – to motivate action (if

appropriate)

10

11

• Segmentation

• Categorize contacts according to position in

sales cycle

• Sub-segment via other criteria as program

evolves – e.g., their industry, engagement level

• Design

• Ensure brand-compliant design to reinforce

company image

• Keep design simple and focus on messaging

• Engagement

• Send follow-up email to new contacts who sign

on to mailing list immediately to capitalize on

interest

• Use communications to solicit feedback and/or

interact with community – blogs, social media,

etc. – if available

Key B2B Lead Nurture Email Elements (cont’d)

12

Example # 1

Features • Content-rich email

outlines solution

benefits

• Clear call-to-action

• Contact phone number

makes connection easy

Evaluation

13

Example # 2

Features • Spotlights free

opportunity to “try-

before-you-buy”

• Time-limited trial

motivates action

Selection

Example #3

14

Purchase

Features • Post-purchase

email on how

to manage

account

• Top menu bar

mirrors site

navigation

15

Example # 2

Features • Brief alert email keeps

in touch with

customers

• Easy-to-scan content

with links to more

details

Retention

SUMMARY

16

Recap of Key Opportunities

• B2B companies can strategically

align messaging with prospect sales

cycle positioning

• Email solutions allow timed

message delivery to groups of

customers

• Sales participation is key to ensure

streamlined message flow

• Emails high measurability facilitates

insight into contacts’ engagement

and effectiveness of techniques to

support ongoing refinement

17

Opportunity Online lead generation is

now responsible for 42% of

total B2C sales.

Source: Econsultancy

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THANK YOU