Modern B2B Blogs

B2B Lead Nurturing in 2010

By Maria Pergolino on December 29, 2009

As we move closer to 2010, New Year’s resolutions are top of mind.

From promises to drop a few pounds to vows to stick to a savings plan, both young and old are making plans for improvements this time of year.

As a B2B marketer, there’s no better time than the present to resolve to maximize conversions of leads. With effective B2B lead nurturing, that resolution is as good as done.

The need for lead nurturing is significant: As many as 80% of B2B leads received are not ready to buy, according to consultancy Rain Today.

A small percentage of B2B leads are truly unqualified and should be discarded. But how about the large percentage of leads in between those who are ready to buy and those who never will?

Without lead nurturing, B2B organizations are missing out on an enormous opportunity. The right processes must be put in place to nurture and develop relationships with this group so they don’t fall in the crack between marketing and sales.

Consider this common scenario:

1. You receive a lead from a Google AdWords campaign.
2. You respond to the lead immediately.
3. One day later, the prospect is sent an email with a whitepaper attachment that reinforces the advertising topic.
4. If the prospect opens the email and downloads the whitepaper, a week later, he or she is sent an invitation to a webinar to learn more about the product or service.
5. If the prospect doesn’t open the email or download the whitepaper, a customer service representative contacts him or her to ask questions and nurture along the buying process.
6. If the call goes well, the prospect is sent the webinar invitation. If not, your organization continues to stay in contact with the prospect over time until he or she is ready to talk with sales.

Of course the best part of any New Year’s resolution is the results: improved health as a result of losing a few pounds, the ability to send kids to college thanks to sticking to a savings plan, etc.

For B2B marketers who resolve to implement lead nurturing, the results are just as significant:

• 20% more sales opportunities, according to Demand Gen
• 2x increase in bid-win ratio, according to Aberdeen Group
• 47% higher average order values, according to Aberdeen Group
• 150% increase in contact-to-lead conversion rate, according to ShipServ

Make B2B lead nurturing your New Year’s resolution this year by watching this free on-demand webinar, “The Definitive Guide to Lead Nurturing.”