Are you doing lead nurturing to help your customers walk their buying path?
A recent study of B-to-B buyers shows that sales people who become trusted advisors and understand the needs of economic buyers are 69% more likely to come away with a sale! That’s why forming a plan for lead nurturing is such an integral part of your lead generation process.
I wrote a full article that outlines the basic steps to help you get started down the path of lead nurturing success, but here’s a quick synopsis:
1. Walk IN your potential customers’ shoes.
This means thinking like your customer and considering the questions they will have for you and your company.
Consider the questions that customers have in mind before they make a buying decision:
- How will this product/service help my company?
- We’re doing okay, why do we need it?
- Is there another company out there that is better?
- Will their solution really work? Can they prove it?
- Is the company credible?
- Can we afford it?
Read How Empathy Will Grow Your Sales and Marketing Pipeline
Help prospects find the answers to these questions, and you’ll remind them of the benefits of working with you. You’re creating value by giving them useful information in digestible, bite-sized chunks.
2. Plan your path.
Figure out which methods of answering these questions work best for your company. They’ll have to be timely and relevant.
3. Now, walk the path WITH your customer.
Think of yourself as a tour guide. You’ll need to keep your prospect company along the way, all the while building trust through an honest relationship. Most economic buyers subscribe to the notion that how you sell me indicates how you will serve me.
4. Keep moving along as a guide
Make sure you put on some comfy shoes because complex sales require a long-term commitment and lots of walking. Companies that make plans with this fact in mind are tremendously more successful than companies who are set on taking shortcuts.
Read the full article “Lead Nurturing is Walking the Buying Path with Your Customers”
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Good advice. Taking the time to really understand the needs of the customer and the having the patience to see the sale through is the key to long term success.
What a well thought out post. Everything in this list has been proven effective in the field of marketing.
This article reminds me of some very profound advice:
Never criticise anyone without first walking a mile in their shoes.
That way, you’re a mile away, and they have no shoes….
Brian,
Well said. Your post is a reminder to marketers that effectively connecting with prospects requires research. As you said, first they need to understand what issues matter most to buyers (walk in their shoes) and then they need to determine how buyers want to learn more about addressing those issues (plan the path).
As always, the more marketers can understand about their prospects, the better the chances of connecting and engaging with them. Taking a stab at what those issues and preferences may be is a good start, but surveying the existing customer base is even better.
Best,
Stephanie
Nice post.
Brian,
I read your lead nurturing article and there were some helpful stats there. I was surprised to see over 40% of long-term leads bought after a year.
Lead nurturing is certainly the way to go. I like your process and use it myself everyday. You really have to put yourself in the shoes of the customer to see if you have the right solution for them. If not, move on.
Ben S.
Sales Manager
Referral Key
Your Trusted Referral Network