Writing a Lead Nurturing Electronic mail? See My Important 7 Tricks to Get It Proper

“Lead nurturing is like gardening,” says Banish Angural, founding father of Banish Media. “It’s about time, relevance, and a positive atmosphere to anticipate the expansion from the seeds you’ve gotten sown.”

And as a B2B marketer, I couldn’t agree extra. B2B services take time to promote. It’s troublesome to take a prospect from not understanding about your organization to creating a sale with out warming them up.

That’s why lead nurturing emails are some of the efficient methods to reinforce your gross sales funnel and electronic mail advertising and marketing technique, lower advertising and marketing prices, and enhance conversions. On this submit, I’ll stroll you thru what I realized from talking with advertising and marketing specialists, the most effective practices for lead nurturing emails, and tips on how to write them successfully.

Desk of Contents

The Benefits of Lead Nurturing Emails

• Lead nurturing results in extra gross sales. Firms that use lead nurturing efficiently generate 50% extra sales-ready leads at a 33% decrease value (Marketo).
• The ROI of lead nurturing is so excessive as a result of you may tailor your messaging to the shopper. In spite of everything, there’s a cause the best electronic mail advertising and marketing methods are segmentation (78%), personalization (72%), and automatic electronic mail sequences (71%) (HubSpot).
• Lead nurturing emails join your buyer to your product with out arduous promoting. Half of shoppers buy from advertising and marketing emails month-to-month (Salecycle).
• Automated emails on triggers with excessive intent usually convey the very best ROI. Deserted cart emails have triple the conversion charge of different automated emails (Electronic mail Software Tester).

How does lead nurturing work?

In my expertise, lead nurturing is all about constructing and sustaining relationships with potential prospects who aren’t fairly prepared to purchase. It’s a option to keep top-of-mind and supply ongoing worth — in order that when the lead is able to buy, your model is the primary they consider.

In that sense, Paul Stainton, director of content material and search engine optimisation at AgencyAnalytics, thinks of lead nurturing emails as “strategic touchpoints to interact prospects and remind them why they related along with your model within the first place… Consideration spans are brief, and it is easy for potential results in overlook why they initially confirmed curiosity in your organization.”

The method begins when a lead first interacts along with your model, whether or not that’s by signing up for a publication, downloading a whitepaper, or attending a webinar.

At this level, they’re usually on the high of the advertising and marketing funnel, simply starting to find out about what you and your organization supply. And from there, a sequence of focused emails helps information the lead by means of the funnel.

(Tip: Should you’re unfamiliar with lead nurturing, we encourage you to take our free lead nurturing course.)

Are lead nurturing emails efficient?

Nurtured leads make 47% bigger purchases than non-nurtured leads. In addition they produce a 20% enhance in gross sales alternatives (on common). So, in brief? Sure. Lead nurturing emails have confirmed to be extremely efficient at shifting potential prospects by means of the gross sales funnel and finally driving conversions.

For example, Stainton observed that some customers have been signing up without cost trials however not finishing a key onboarding step wanted to completely make the most of the platform. To deal with this hole, he began “sending a easy reminder electronic mail urging customers to discover these options, which resulted in a 15% enhance in person activation.”

Equally, Joe Kevens, director of demand era at PartnerStack, shares that the model normally sends its leads “emails like ‘5 straightforward steps to construct a associate program’ containing a ‘Partnerships 101: The Final Partnerships Guidelines’” as a part of its lead nurturing electronic mail sequence to assist them construct their associate basis and set them up for achievement.

Total, I observed just a few commonalities among the many entrepreneurs I spoke with. Your lead nurturing electronic mail wants to attain three separate objectives concurrently to be efficient:

• Get your prospect’s consideration.
• Be customized to the way in which they discovered your model.
• Educate your prospects on options and advantages they may not concentrate on.

What’s a lead nurture electronic mail marketing campaign?

A lead nurture electronic mail marketing campaign is a sequence of focused emails despatched to leads over a time frame with the aim of shifting them nearer to a purchase order determination. It’s a strategic warming-up tactic that’s usually customized and optimized with the aim of constructing relationships and belief with potential prospects who’ve proven curiosity in your model.

That mentioned, because the phrase nurturing implies, you usually don’t ship a single electronic mail. It takes just a few emails to attain the objectives I listed above. So entrepreneurs, right here’s how you are able to do simply that:

Lead Nurturing Electronic mail Sequence

A lead nurturing electronic mail sequence is a sequence of emails which can be robotically triggered when the lead takes a sure motion. For instance, as soon as a buyer provides an merchandise to their cart, a lead nurturing electronic mail sequence may embody a purchase order reminder, a limited-time supply, or a listing of comparable merchandise they might like.

I’ve discovered that the extra segmenting and personalization you may add to a lead-nurturing electronic mail marketing campaign, the higher it’ll carry out and the extra conversions you’ll get.

Now that you simply perceive how lead nurturing matches into your funnel, I’ll dive into some finest practices.

I’ve discovered that lead nurturing emails take time to optimize. It’s difficult to place collectively an electronic mail sequence that can convert at a excessive degree the primary time round. As with all advertising and marketing initiative, testing is the way you see what works finest. And when you discover a working formulation, you may apply it to all of your electronic mail campaigns.

That mentioned, listed here are some common finest practices that may assist enhance your electronic mail sport.

1. Present precious, focused content material that addresses pursuits and/or ache factors.

Your lead nurturing emails needs to be all about your viewers. Take the time to know their pursuits, challenges, and objectives. Then, craft content material that speaks on to these wants.

Should you’re nurturing leads who downloaded an e-book on 10 Ideas for Higher Electronic mail Advertising and marketing, use your follow-up emails to dive deeper into every tip. Share actionable recommendation, real-world examples, and your personal experiences. The extra focused and related your content material is, the extra possible your leads will have interaction with it.

Stainton agrees and emphasizes, “Should you can remedy a possible buyer’s primary downside, they’re way more prone to flip to your organization once they need assistance fixing a extra advanced downside.”

Professional tip: I’ve observed the most important needle movers in lead nurturing emails are the concepts behind the e-mail — not essentially the copy itself. Should you’re a SaaS firm, which may imply testing completely different options in your electronic mail, as an example.

2. Concentrate on one related matter per electronic mail.

Much less is commonly extra with lead nurturing emails. I’ve discovered that specializing in one key matter per electronic mail is much more practical than making an attempt to cram a number of concepts into one electronic mail. It retains your emails concise, digestible, and simple to behave on.

Plus, it permits you to actually dig into every matter and supply worth fairly than simply skimming the floor. For instance, in case your lead downloaded a whitepaper about immutable backups, you already know they could be occupied with some type of knowledge safety.

Your first electronic mail could be about tips on how to promote the concept of knowledge safety to your staff. It’d be counterproductive to speak about an irrelevant matter, like VPNs, in case your aim is to promote them on cybersecurity providers.

3. Maintain it brief.

Take into consideration the final time you opened your inbox and took the time to learn an electronic mail for greater than 5 minutes. The reply is prone to be fairly far and few between. That’s why I all the time attempt to maintain emails brief.

Most individuals simply scan their inboxes — particularly if it’s an electronic mail from a model they’re not accustomed to. Knowledge means that your emails needs to be between 50 and 125 phrases. Purpose for that vary, however don’t be afraid to go a bit longer if it is advisable flesh out a subject.

For instance, some B2B matters are way more advanced and require in-depth explanations, whereas an electronic mail for an ecommerce retailer won’t want as a lot copy.

Professional tip: As a reminder, Chad Debolt, founding father of Surchability, says, “Electronic mail nurturing isn‘t meant to speak about your self…it’s meant to nurture. Folks need you to assist remedy their issues,” so make sure that your language is customer-focused.

4. Make sure the emails progress naturally.

An ideal lead nurturing sequence ought to really feel like a pure, logical development. Every electronic mail ought to construct upon the final, guiding your leads towards a particular aim or motion. I prefer to map out my sequences prematurely to make sure a cohesive, compelling narrative.

Take into consideration the place your leads are of their purchaser journey, what data they want at every stage, and how one can progressively transfer them nearer to a conversion.

Use cliffhangers, teasers, and calls to motion to create momentum and encourage results in open your subsequent electronic mail. By crafting a sequence that tells a transparent, purposeful story, you will maintain your prospects engaged and invested within the lead nurturing course of.

5. Take a look at your emails and monitor key metrics.

As entrepreneurs, everyone knows testing is the secret. And lead nurturing emails are not any completely different. What works for one viewers won’t work for one more. That’s why I all the time suggest A/B testing completely different matter concepts.

Past matters, I like to recommend testing topic strains, content material, calls-to-action, and even the timing and frequency of your emails. Nonetheless, ensure you’re testing one variable at a time.

For instance, you possibly can arrange your electronic mail sequence to ship emails day-after-day consecutively to 50% of the checklist and each different day to the opposite 50%.

Throughout electronic mail testing, take note of these key metrics:

• Open charges. Decided by the topic line and preview textual content.
• Click on-through charges. Decided by the “huge concept” and name to motion within the electronic mail.
• Conversion charges. Decided by your supply, touchdown web page, and the way effectively you’ve conveyed your message within the emails.

6. Personalize and section the emails.

With high-tech electronic mail instruments, personalization and segmentation are the most important levers you may pull to see the most effective outcomes when used alongside testing.

Generic, one-size-fits-all emails merely don’t reduce it anymore. To really resonate and join along with your new leads, it is advisable personalize your emails based mostly on their distinctive pursuits, behaviors, and stage within the funnel. 

For instance, Lyn Collanto, outreach specialist at KBA Net, personalizes lead nurturing emails this manner: “If a lead visits our pricing web page a number of occasions however would not convert, we’d set off a particular welcome electronic mail sequence that highlights buyer success tales and presents a limited-time low cost.”

I like to recommend creating a number of automated electronic mail sequences based mostly on particular actions. Some companies might have extra alternatives than others, however by personalizing the set off level, you may concentrate on the precise intent of the lead.

To take it one step additional, you may section inside every electronic mail sequence. For example, if a lead doesn’t open the primary two emails, you may need to ship them down a special path — like emails with extra intriguing topic strains.

Or, in case your leads are opening emails, clicking hyperlinks, and even replying however not changing, you may set off a lead-nurturing electronic mail sequence designed to beat objections.

7. Keep constant along with your model.

Keep in mind that your lead nurturing emails are an extension of your total model. They need to really feel cohesive and in keeping with the remainder of your advertising and marketing supplies, out of your web site to your social media posts.

Use colours, fonts, and imagery that align along with your model pointers. Write in a tone and elegance that feels genuine to your model voice — whether or not that’s pleasant and informal or skilled and authoritative. Consistency helps construct belief and credibility along with your leads over time.

That mentioned, displaying your character in emails will help make you extra memorable, constructing connections sooner. The extra real and human your emails really feel, the extra possible your leads are to attach with them on a private degree. It’s one thing I like to recommend you take a look at.

Now that you already know what makes a terrific lead-nurturing electronic mail, I’ll information you thru the method of making one. Let’s dive in.

1. Establish a function.

Earlier than crafting your electronic mail, take a second to think about its function inside the total lead nurturing sequence. Ask your self: What do I need this electronic mail to attain? Is it meant to coach the lead, encourage them to take motion, or supply a particular resolution to their downside?

I’ve discovered that having a transparent, targeted function for every electronic mail helps me create extra compelling content material that resonates with the reader and strikes them nearer to conversion.

Professional tip: Riccii Terro, advertising and marketing supervisor at Intellek, recommends you attempt to visualize the entire image at this stage as a result of: “Tailoring the messaging and content material provided to particular teams based mostly on their trade, function, or stage within the shopping for cycle is essential.”

2. Personalize the greeting and topic line.

In my expertise, personalization could make a world of distinction in electronic mail engagement. For example, you’ll need to tailor topic strains to how your leads work together along with your model. In the event that they signed up for a lead magnet about content material advertising and marketing, your topic line could possibly be “The key to Google’s 2024 replace…”

I like to think about the topic line as a promise — what worth will the reader acquire by opening this electronic mail? This inherently builds curiosity and can get your prospect’s consideration.

Professional tip: Take a look at this information on tips on how to leverage segmentation to take your personalization efforts to the following degree.

3. Handle ache factors.

After getting their consideration, it’s time to handle potential ache factors along with your resolution. Put your self of their sneakers and ask:

• What retains them up at night time?
• What obstacles are stopping them from reaching their objectives?
• How will you body your electronic mail to point out that you simply perceive their downside and may actively remedy it?

4. Embrace testimonials.

Whereas not each lead nurturing electronic mail would require social proof, it is best to embody it while you’re actively promoting. It’s contextual. Sharing success tales or testimonials from happy prospects helps leads envision how your services or products can profit them.

For instance, you possibly can embody a number of brief testimonials. Or you possibly can write a whole story-based case research electronic mail that reveals how one in all your prospects solved the precise downside potential prospects are going through along with your resolution.

5. Share a information bomb.

I all the time attempt to incorporate at the least one aha! second in every lead nurturing electronic mail. This could possibly be a stunning statistic, a thought-provoking perception, or a precious piece of trade information.

In advertising and marketing, you need to persuade the prospect to consider their downside in your phrases. This shifts your prospect’s perspective and positions your model as the precise resolution to the issue.

For instance, let’s say you’re in a cybersecurity agency and determine to ship out an electronic mail protecting knowledge safety. In that case, chances are you’ll cite statistics about how X% of corporations know knowledge safety is a matter, however solely X% are efficiently avoiding threats through the use of your organization’s distinctive resolution to guard knowledge on the highest ranges.

6. Use a CTA.

Each lead nurturing electronic mail ought to have a transparent, purposeful CTA that guides the reader towards the following step of their buyer journey. When crafting your CTA, ask your self: What do I need the result in do after studying this electronic mail?

Is it to schedule a demo, obtain a useful resource, or just have interaction with one other piece of content material? Make sure that your CTA is outstanding, unambiguous, and aligned with the general aim of the e-mail sequence.

7. Embrace an unsubscribe button.

Whereas it may appear counterintuitive, you all the time need to embody an unsubscribe button. As a marketer, I’d all the time select a lean, 5,000-person electronic mail checklist that’s actively engaged and able to purchase over a 50,000-person electronic mail checklist that’s not.

Plus, together with an unsubscribe button retains you consistent with authorities and ensures your deliverability charge is excessive.

8. Comply with up and optimize.

Lead nurturing is an ongoing course of, and there is all the time room for enchancment. That’s why I constantly monitor key electronic mail metrics like open charges, click-through charges, and conversions to establish areas for optimization.

If an electronic mail isn’t performing in addition to anticipated, I’ll experiment with completely different topic strains, CTAs, or content material angles.

Lead Nurturing Emails Are Important

Lead nurturing emails bridge the hole between preliminary curiosity and remaining conversion. And infrequently they will construct belief, set up credibility, and information leads towards a purchase order determination inside the two factors of preliminary curiosity and conversion.

Efficient lead nurturing saves time and assets by specializing in essentially the most certified leads. It permits you to section your viewers, personalize your messaging, and ship the precise data on the proper time.

When your lead nurturing technique is finished accurately, it’ll provide help to appeal to extra of the proper prospects whereas filtering out the unsuitable prospects.

Editor’s be aware: This submit was initially printed in December 2021 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.