Nurturing Your Existing Leads Could Increase Your B2B Sales
Many businesses focus on generating new leads and forget about the ones they may have already reached out to. While you might think finding fresh leads is a more effective way of generating sales, that isn’t always the case. In fact, a good business blogging strategy will also focus on tapping into your existing leads. Nurturing existing leads is a critical part of an effective strategic marketing plan, allowing you to reach people who may not otherwise become customers.
Not Everyone Makes a Fast Decision
One of the biggest mistakes salespeople can make is writing off a prospective lead that doesn’t make a snap decision. If you think those who don’t make a decision right away are less likely to become customers, it’s time to reevaluate your current content marketing ideas. In fact, it’s only a small percentage of consumers who are likely to close a sale within the first 48 hours. Most people need to think for a while before they make a final decision. This is why it’s important for your marketing writers to provide plenty of information to help this thought process along.
Sales and Marketing Should Work Together
Many companies place the sole responsibility of closing sales on their sales department. While this is their main purpose, it’s important to realize the value of sharing that responsibility with the marketing department. According to sales studies, when companies split the sales responsibility between their sales and marketing teams, they experience measurable increases in the number of sales generated from their leads. In addition to making the initial sales calls through the sales department, it’s essential for your marketing team to continue to reach out and cultivate those leads to increase the number of conversions.
One of the most effective tactics used by your marketing team is a business blogging strategy. Your marketing writers can use your blog to share information and answer questions your target audience may have. When they can easily find the solutions they are looking for among your content marketing ideas, they are more likely to turn to you for resolution than to one of your competitors.
Exploring the Statistics
Before you determine the best way to tackle your lead conversion problems, it’s necessary to learn more about the statistics that dictate the value of leads and how to convert them into sales. These statistics can be used to improve your online content marketing strategy so you can generate more sales.
- 79 percent of marketing leads don’t convert into sales, many because of a lack of lead nurturing
- More than 60 percent of businesses don’t practice lead nurturing
- Half of all leads aren’t ready to buy right away
- You can increase your sales potential by 20 percent just by reaching out to old leads
- 82 percent of consumers feel lead nurturing would help them make a decision
The bottom line is most companies aren’t tapping into the power of older leads, which is creating the lower conversion rates. When you work with marketing writers who know how to provide the information all of your leads need, they are more likely to become your customers based on the accessibility of the answers they’ve been looking for.
Keep in Touch with Old Leads
While it may seem like more work to keep track of who you’ve contacted and when, it can be a valuable tool in converting more sales. Your strategic marketing plan should set aside some time every week or every month to touch base with individuals who expressed interest in your business but have not yet made a purchase. This will help keep your business at the forefront of their minds to increase the likelihood of a conversion.
If you haven’t been reaching out to past prospects and have focused solely on generating new ones, you could be missing out on a large amount of sales. With the right online content marketing strategy and the help of an effective sales team, you can continue to generate new leads and find new ways to cultivate your older leads, giving you the opportunity to make a positive impression and drive more sales.
If you are looking for help with your strategic marketing plan, contact us. Our content writers can help you give your prospects the information they need.
