So, you’ve got a list of IT contacts for your marketing campaign, excellent! Now what?
It’s time to send them an email so amazing they’ll want to share it with everyone they know…
Sound’s easy, doesn’t it? Well, it may not be as easy as you think.
If you don’t create tailored content for your audience at different stages of the “buyer’s journey,” they won’t care about what you have to offer.
So, how do you know where your audience are in the buying cycle for your IT services? Keep reading to find out…
Nurture isn’t a set of spammy emails to lots of people. It’s a strategic series of communications targeted at each stage of the buying process. These communications can be via email, LinkedIn, phone, or other forms of digital communication. Your goal with your nurture campaign is to move a buyer from the point where they’re just a warm lead up to a happy customer!
For new contacts, you must avoid pushing a sales pitch from the first email. Instead, make sure to include educational content and valuable information – not promotional – to maintain their interest in your company. If you’re sending promotional emails & offers, this will only capture sales-ready leads.
Additionally, you’ll be passing poor quality leads to your sales team and wasting a lot of time. At the end of the day, if you push your leads too fast, you’ll end up losing the deal altogether.
To start your nurture campaign, you’ll need:
- To understand target profile and their problems;
- Lead scoring that indicates what stage of the journey your contact is at;
- Marketing automation or advanced CRM;
- A great content writer to write exciting emails.
Top of the funnel: Educate
Cold leads are potentials that you haven’t yet interacted with – like a new blog subscriber or a list you bought.
Your database is probably made up of people who have opted in for a one-time reason such as downloading an eBook or after attending an event.
Essentially, you’re just collecting a list of names & email addresses from people who you believe may have heard of your company, but you aren’t yet actively pursuing.
What’s the goal of TOFU nurture?
This stage aims to remind the potential lead about the business problem you help with and provide them with educational information to gain trust.
To gain trust, you’ll need to produce educational, non-sales content that addresses their problems. An email that grabs their attention, educates them, provides helpful information, shows them you understand and reminds them of their specific issues at work.
A great example of this would be an educational eBook or some helpful tips for success in the workplace. In addition, providing tempting CTAs or a lead magnet to your leads for more beneficial information can help determine if they’re more committed.
Tips for TOFU:
- Educate, don’t sell;
- Segment contacts into relevant customer profiles;
- Example topics: How do I do x; or get y; or increase my z?;
- Update them on the latest industry news and trends;
- Keep in touch regularly.
Middle of the funnel: Demonstrate and differentiate
A MOFU contact is someone who would be interested in your service or solution but not ready to buy. Their decision-making process is typically just starting, and they will spend some time learning about the product before making a buying decision.
MOFU contacts are usually aware of their problem and know they need something to fix it. Of course, they don’t necessarily know what they need, but they require a solution.
What’s the goal of MOFU nurture?
Your goal is to prove to potential customers that your company has a better solution than others. To do so, send emails that provide them with information on how they can decide what would be the best choice for their business. For example, have them compare choices X and Y and see which one is more suitable for their needs.
Tips for MOFU nurture:
- Think about the content they converted on;
- Provide detail about what you offer, and how this can help them;
- Demonstrate problem-solving skills;
- Personalise the sender, choose a sales lead that will be dealing with the potential lead;
- Invite them to social gatherings, such as workshops or webinars. This helps build social proof.
Bottom of the funnel: Validate
These contacts are leads that have already engaged with your business and are more interested in what you have to offer.
BOFU leads are often determined by clicking on website CTA’s to product demonstrations, free trials, or request a callback. This email prospecting can make the sales team’s job better.
What is the goal of my BOFU content?
Once you’re at this stage, the lead has a good understanding of your business and is on the verge of completing the purchase. You can give them some final validation, which will make them feel more comfortable making that purchase decision.
At this stage, you should know the following about your leads: how much experience they have; if their business is legit; what their job title is; how often they visit your website, if at all.
Tips for BOFU nurture:
- Give them access to case studies;
- Send them reviews and testimonials;
- Demonstrate how the service/solution works;
- Show how your customers are using it.
Want to start automating your prospecting and develop an nurture mindset? Talk to an IT Marketing Automation Expert today!
Need help with your IT Marketing?
Talk with an IT Expert today
