Email Nurturing

When you walk into a grocery store, what is the first sight that you encounter? Usually, it is a bright, inviting produce section. People who use the fresh foods section tend to spend more, so that is what stores want to greet you with. Other retailers put the milk all the way in the back with aisles of crisps and biscuits in front. As you make your way back, you pick up a few items you hadn’t intended to purchase. This is real-world “lead nurturing.” If we’re not ready to buy crisps when we enter the store, the retailer is going to try to move us to that point. Online retailers have a bit of catching up to do in this area. How can we nurture leads?

Email. So powerful – but so often not used as well as it could be! Most marketers use email for lead generation, but only about 60 percent use it for drip nurturing, or sending correspondence at specific intervals to specified recipients. Most leads – nearly three-quarters – are not ready and must be guided along the process. Email can help you do that. Here are some tips to ensure you’re using it right:

• Get permission before you email a potential customer. Unsolicited materials, even if they are interesting, are unwelcome. The best way to do this is to have an option on your website that allows people to choose whether or not they want you to contact them. No, you will not have the volume you will have if you, say, purchase a list and then send mass emails.
• Pay attention to your subject field. Make sure that it is very clear and gives the reader the information they need to decide whether or not they would like to click through. Remember, your word choice and message will either encourage people to open the email or hit the Spam button.
• Have one call to action and make sure it is very clear and obvious to readers. No one has the time, or the inclination, to spend figuring out what you want them to do.
• Make sure your emails are mobile-friendly. Can readers easily click on links? Can they find the information they need without having a full-size screen or keyboard?
• If people unsubscribe, find out why. No one likes to be “dumped,” but finding out why people are opting out is invaluable in informing your approach.
• Give readers something of value. If you send an email, make it worth their while to open it. Is there relevant information? Is there a special or a deal for them? What is the incentive for them to complete the CTA?

Lead nurturing is essential. Not every visit results in a completed CTA, as you well know. Most people need a little push – not a shove! Email is a perfect medium through which to nurture those interested visitors.