What is Lead Nurturing

Lead Nurturing is the concept of growing relationships with qualified prospects, regardless or their readiness to buy, with the eventual goal of getting their business.

So for example, a business keeps a potential client list by collecting emails through a website, or buys a list of contacts, etc. A recent study by RainToday, shows that 25% of leads are disqualified up front, 50% of leads are not ready to buy, they are only looking for information, and only 25% of leads are ready to buy.

The 25% that are sales ready can be given to the sales force, but if a client is not yet ready to buy, they probably don't want to be hassled by a salesperson. This will only put the customer off because the salesperson has a goal of trying to get the client to buy, but that is not what the clients wants to do (yet).

Two bad things happen. One, this will only leave a bad taste in the mouth of the customer, who may or may not want to deal in the future with a (what they perceive as a) pushy salesperson if they do come back. Two, the salesperson has just wasted time on a non viable lead.

What is a business to so with 50% of its leads that are not yet sales ready?

Lead Nurturing is the answer.

There are a few basic types of lead nurturing depending on the nature of the business. But the most important thing is to make sure that they do not forget that you are there by keeping in contact with them.

Be available to these leads by not putting sales pressure on them, but by helping them gather the information that they are looking for.

When they are ready, they will contact you. This will make your sales force very happy because they know at this point that they do have ready buyer.