1. What is Lead Nurturing? Definition and data
Lead nurturing is an automated marketing technique used in inbound marketing strategies and plays a particularly important role in industrial, technology or software companies (B2B).
The literal translation of lead nurturing is “contact nutrition”. Thanks to the furniture manufacturers email list in usa creation of content and its automation in customer-oriented processes, we nurture a company-customer relationship.
In other words, thanks to lead nurturing we manage to mature our contacts and build customer loyalty.
Digitalization and automation tools (such as HubSpot) have made it easier than how do you build this sequence so that it meets your objectives? We explain it below.
Let's talk about data!
The concept of “lead nurturing” has progressively increased the interest of users over the last decade. Its peak of interest was in November 2019 , when the most innovative digital marketing techniques gained strength in the wake of COVID-19 .
Google trendsGoogle Trends: (April 2012-January 2022)
Currently, companies that already have a large database of contacts are training in Lead Nurturing. Its main objective is to nurture the contacts they already know and accompany them in the sales process. In B2C, encouraging the purchase . Locating users with intent. In B2B, training and offering complementary information in a much more complex decision-making process.
According to studies, despite investment in marketing automation tools, a high percentage of MQLs do not become customers. The figure is between 73% (MarketingSherpa) and 98% (HubSpot) . In many cases, companies do not have an automated system designed and activated that aims to generate more sales.
23% of B2B companies were already using Lead Nurturing in 2021. In addition, 37% of companies expressed their intention to implement this nurturing technique throughout the year. (Data published in the Connext 2021 Annual Report)
However, many marketing and sales professionals are still unclear on how to create and optimize lead nurturing processes that achieve their goals. Of those who do lead nurturing, only 6% reported good results.
The reason for this low success rate? To do Lead Nurturing you need to have training and experience in many other associated digital marketing actions: email marketing, user experience, content, analytics... And, of course, a good strategy.
What can you expect from lead nurturing?
Spoiler alert: good things! Even though only 6% of respondents had “good results” in 2021 thanks to Lead Nurturing, we cannot let this figure discourage us. Here are some reasons why:
Connext's Annual Report is focused on industrial and technological companies, where applying maturation processes is more complex .
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The critical mass of companies that had initiated lead nurturing sequences represented only 23% of the total . This is a relatively new technique in digital and, therefore, there is a high margin for trial and error.
There are multiple factors why a company does not achieve its objectives, including:
Not having set goals correctly (smart goals)
Not having done an initial analysis of the opportunities and database
Not having a clear idea of the value proposition or the pain points of our contacts
Not hitting the target, either with the content or the formNot working with the right creation and measurement toolsFor
all these reasons , initially working with the support of an agency that is an expert in Inbound Marketing is a good way to start.