The Show’s Over-Time to Focus On Your Lead Nurturing Skills
The show was a huge success, and your custom trade show display (created by none other thanGraphiColor Exhibits) was a smashing hit, generating tons of booth traffic! Now you have a bunch of new, qualified leads. That’s terrific, but what’s next? What if they’re still shopping, and not quite ready to shift to purchasing? You could give up on them, and ultimately lose a sale. You could stop talking to them and hope they come back to you when they’re ready to buy. Or, you could invest in lead nurturing and become their solution.
Lead nurturing, the right way, should educate and engage qualified sales leads. Taking the time to invest and grow these types of relationships builds a strong brand presence in their minds, and solidifies you as their go-to solution when they are ready to buy.
Now it’s human nature to think we’re all great at things… even when we’re not. Very rarely does the successful business leader or marketer (that you are) stop and go, “Huh. I’m really bad at that”. We all find comfort through routine and within that pattern forget to stop, assess and grow.
So here’s your chance to break the mold and improve a very important skill – trade show lead nurturing.
You don’t want all that hard work you put in during your show to be in vain? Or to let potential sales slip through your fingers, right? Your awesome trade show booth displays can only get you so far, the rest is up to you.
Let’s revisit some important methods of lead nurturing.
I always maintain permission to stay in contact with my prospects.
Just because someone stopped at your trade show booth and talked to you, doesn’t mean they’re interested in joining all of your mailing lists. Make sure you ask their permission to add them, and then always allow an easy-to-find unsubscribe or opt-out feature. This helps further qualify them.
I always listen to what is relevant to my buyers, and then determine what content and messaging is relevant.
If you’re talking over them or at them without a care for what interests them, even your qualified leads will find someone else to turn to. Irrelevant information is the fastest way to ensure they hit that unsubscribe button. Stay on top of what their needs and interests are, and build your message around that content. This shows you’re invested in them, and can help to gain or build their trust in you.
My prospects consider my company to be a thought leader in our industry.
People want to buy the best from the best. If you can keep prospects looking to you, you become their “go-to” solution, every time. This also opens the door a little wider for sales and referrals.
I am including social queues in all of my lead nurturing campaigns.
Prospects today are everywhere. Don’t just assume they have read the e-mails you send out. Make sure you touch base with them across multiple platforms, and have lots of conversations together, instead of just one. If you aren’t, someone else will.
My sales team continuously watches our prospects for signs of progress through the buying cycle.
While you’re connecting and nurturing prospects, you need to be aware of where they are in the buying process to make sure your tactics and messages are changing with them, and as they move through the cycle. Be strategic in your conversing; don’t just have a “reply-all” message.
I continue conversations long after a prospect becomes a customer in turn building a long-term and prosperous relationship.
Continuing the relationship with your new customer opens many doors and opportunities. Generating additional revenue from upselling, asking for referrals, and having a repeat customer for life should be a few of your business goals.
I look at long term objectives and know that each sale is a component of those objectives.
Looking at long term objectives allows you to see each sale as a step towards that goal. It allows you to look at ways to continue to serve the client over time, making sure that they continue to be a viable lead instead of a one time deal.
