Writing a Lead Nurturing Email? See My Essential 7 Tips to Get It Right

“Lead nurturing is like gardening,” says Banish Angural, founding father of Banish Media. “It’s about time, relevance, and a positive setting to count on the expansion from the seeds you have got 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 figuring out about your organization to creating a sale with out warming them up.

That’s why lead nurturing emails are one of the vital efficient methods to boost your gross sales funnel and email marketing strategy, lower advertising prices, and improve conversions. On this publish, I’ll stroll you thru what I discovered from talking with advertising specialists, one of the best practices for lead nurturing emails, and easy methods 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 price (Marketo).
• The ROI of lead nurturing is so excessive as a result of you’ll be able to tailor your messaging to the client. In spite of everything, there’s a motive the simplest e mail advertising methods are segmentation (78%), personalization (72%), and automatic e mail sequences (71%) (HubSpot).
• Lead nurturing emails join your buyer to your product with out onerous promoting. Half of customers buy from advertising emails month-to-month (Salecycle).
• Automated emails on triggers with excessive intent typically deliver the best ROI. Deserted cart emails have triple the conversion fee of different automated emails (Email Tool Tester).

How does lead nurturing work?

In my expertise, lead nurturing is all about constructing and sustaining relationships with potential clients who aren’t fairly prepared to purchase. It’s a approach 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 website positioning at AgencyAnalytics, thinks of lead nurturing emails as “strategic touchpoints to have interaction prospects and remind them why they linked along with your model within the first place… Consideration spans are brief, and it is simple 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 prime of the advertising funnel, simply starting to find out about what you and your organization supply. And from there, a collection of focused emails helps information the lead by the funnel.

(Tip: When 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% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads. Additionally they produce a 20% improve in gross sales alternatives (on common). So, in brief? Sure. Lead nurturing emails have confirmed to be extremely efficient at transferring potential clients by the gross sales funnel and finally driving conversions.

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

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

General, I observed a number of commonalities among the many entrepreneurs I spoke with. Your lead nurturing e mail wants to realize three separate targets 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 e mail marketing campaign?

A lead nurture e mail marketing campaign is a collection of focused emails despatched to leads over a time period with the purpose of transferring them nearer to a purchase order resolution. It’s a strategic warming-up tactic that’s typically customized and optimized with the purpose of constructing relationships and belief with potential clients who’ve proven curiosity in your model.

That mentioned, because the phrase nurturing implies, you usually don’t ship a single e mail. It takes a number of emails to realize the targets I listed above. So entrepreneurs, right here’s how you are able to do simply that:

Lead Nurturing E mail Sequence

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

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

Now that you just perceive how lead nurturing suits into your funnel, I’ll dive into some greatest practices.

I’ve discovered that lead nurturing emails take time to optimize. It’s difficult to place collectively an e mail sequence that may convert at a excessive stage the primary time round. As with every advertising initiative, testing is the way you see what works greatest. And when you discover a working system, you’ll be able to apply it to all of your e mail campaigns.

That mentioned, listed below are some normal greatest practices that may assist enhance your e mail sport.

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

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

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

Stainton agrees and emphasizes, “When you can clear up a possible buyer’s fundamental drawback, they’re much more prone to flip to your organization once they need assistance fixing a extra advanced drawback.”

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. When you’re a SaaS firm, which may imply testing totally different options in your e mail, as an illustration.

2. Deal with one related matter per e mail.

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

Plus, it means that you can actually dig into every matter and supply worth relatively than simply skimming the floor. For instance, in case your lead downloaded a whitepaper about immutable backups, you realize they may be fascinated with some type of knowledge safety.

Your first e mail may be about easy methods to promote the thought of information safety to your workforce. It’d be counterproductive to speak about an irrelevant matter, like VPNs, in case your purpose is to promote them on cybersecurity companies.

3. Preserve it brief.

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

Most individuals simply scan their inboxes — particularly if it’s an e mail from a model they’re not accustomed to. Information means that your emails ought to be between 50 and 125 words. 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 subjects are way more advanced and require in-depth explanations, whereas an e mail for an ecommerce retailer won’t want as a lot copy.

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

4. Make sure the emails progress naturally.

An incredible lead nurturing sequence ought to really feel like a pure, logical development. Every e mail ought to construct upon the final, guiding your leads towards a selected purpose 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 info they want at every stage, and how one can step by step transfer them nearer to a conversion.

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

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

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

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

For instance, you possibly can arrange your e mail sequence to ship emails on daily basis consecutively to 50% of the listing and each different day to the opposite 50%.

Throughout email 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 “large thought” and call to action within the e mail.
• Conversion charges. Decided by your supply, touchdown web page, and the way properly you’ve conveyed your message within the emails.

6. Personalize and phase the emails.

With high-tech e mail instruments, personalization and segmentation are the most important levers you’ll be able to pull to see one of the best outcomes when used alongside testing.

Generic, one-size-fits-all emails merely don’t lower it anymore. To actually 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 fashion: “If a lead visits our pricing web page a number of occasions however would not convert, we’d set off a particular welcome email sequence that highlights buyer success tales and provides a limited-time low cost.”

I like to recommend creating a number of automated e mail sequences based mostly on particular actions. Some companies could have extra alternatives than others, however by personalizing the set off level, you’ll be able to deal with the precise intent of the lead.

To take it one step additional, you’ll be able to phase inside every e mail sequence. For example, if a lead doesn’t open the primary two emails, you would possibly need to ship them down a unique 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’ll be able to set off a lead-nurturing e mail sequence designed to beat objections.

7. Keep constant along with your model.

Do not forget that your lead nurturing emails are an extension of your total model. They need to really feel cohesive and according to the remainder of your advertising 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 magnificence 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, exhibiting your persona in emails may also help make you extra memorable, constructing connections sooner. The extra real and human your emails really feel, the extra probably your leads are to attach with them on a private stage. It’s one thing I like to recommend you take a look at.

Now that you realize what makes an incredible lead-nurturing e mail, I’ll information you thru the method of making one. Let’s dive in.

1. Establish a goal.

Earlier than crafting your e mail, take a second to contemplate its goal inside the total lead nurturing sequence. Ask your self: What do I would like this e mail to realize? Is it meant to teach the lead, encourage them to take motion, or supply a selected resolution to their drawback?

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

Professional tip: Riccii Terro, advertising 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 e 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, your topic line might 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 e mail? This inherently builds curiosity and can get your prospect’s consideration.

Professional tip: Try this information on how to leverage segmentation to take your personalization efforts to the following stage.

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 footwear and ask:

• What retains them up at evening?
• What obstacles are stopping them from reaching their targets?
• How will you body your e mail to indicate that you just perceive their drawback and may actively clear up it?

4. Embody testimonials.

Whereas not each lead nurturing e mail would require social proof, you must embody it whenever you’re actively promoting. It’s contextual. Sharing success tales or testimonials from happy clients 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 complete story-based case examine e mail that reveals how one in every of your clients solved the precise drawback potential clients are dealing with along with your resolution.

5. Share a data bomb.

I at all times attempt to incorporate a minimum of one aha! second in every lead nurturing e mail. This might be a stunning statistic, a thought-provoking perception, or a precious piece of trade data.

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

For instance, let’s say you’re in a cybersecurity agency and determine to ship out an e mail overlaying 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 by utilizing your organization’s distinctive resolution to guard knowledge on the highest ranges.

6. Use a CTA.

Each lead nurturing e 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 would like the result in do after studying this e mail?

Is it to schedule a demo, obtain a useful resource, or just have interaction with one other piece of content material? Be certain your CTA is distinguished, unambiguous, and aligned with the general purpose of the e-mail sequence.

7. Embody an unsubscribe button.

Whereas it might sound counterintuitive, you at all times need to embody an unsubscribe button. As a marketer, I’d at all times select a lean, 5,000-person e mail listing that’s actively engaged and able to purchase over a 50,000-person e mail listing that’s not.

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

8. Observe up and optimize.

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

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

Lead Nurturing Emails Are Important

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

Efficient lead nurturing saves time and assets by specializing in probably the most certified leads. It means that you can phase your viewers, personalize your messaging, and ship the correct info on the proper time.

When your lead nurturing technique is completed accurately, it should aid you entice extra of the proper clients whereas filtering out the unsuitable clients.

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