Capture – > Engage < – > Sell.

This is the lifecycle of an e-marketing effort in its simplest form.

You capture your target audience using a bait; Engage them to by giving information about your product that would benefit them in any way; And finally, impress them enough to actually sell your product/service.

Notice the double arrow between Engage and Sell? It means that no marketing effort should end after a sale. Re-engaging or more precisely, nurturing your leads can lead to more successful results. Why is that so?

Here are some stats that would make you wonder why you should NEVER stop after achieving a sale:

• Companies that nurture leads make 50% more sales at a cost 33% less than non-nurtured leads. (Forrester Research)
• Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non–nurtured leads. (Annuitas Group)
• Marketers see an average 20% increase in sales opportunities from nurtured vs. non-nurtured leads.(DemandGen Report)

5 Easy Lead Nurturing Steps

Choose a Program – a Marketing Automation Software has become a necessity when it comes to internet marketing. There are a number of programs available, from lite, free versions to the more expensive, robust, complex ones. Invest some time in choosing the perfect match for your business and strategy. We guarantee, it will go a long run and make your life easier! It would not only help in making your nurture sequences, but will also be a worthy asset when it comes to lead capturing and general engagement. You may also be able to see useful live stats of your marketing campaign.

Send a Follow-up immediately – once a sale is made, an email from you or your company MUST go to the customer, thanking him of the purchase and a friendly message that you’ll be there for any after-sale service that may be required. This builds trust in the customer’s mind about your company.

Keep in touch – now that your customer is an acquaintance, try to make him your friend. Ask him for feedback (if applicable) so that you can upgrade your quality to provide maximum customer satisfaction. Keep him posted about products that he may be interested in. Discounts and promotions will always be top attractions!

Short, simple, useful information – do not overhaul the customer’s inbox with emails such that he’ll become annoyed and asks to unsubscribe! Nobody reads long emails! A powerful subject line, a nice intro paragraph that highlights your offer and a short message on how to get it is quite enough and all that’s required. If you can make your message an eye-candy by an aesthetic layout and graphics, that will be a bonus.

SALE! But develop and Exit Strategy – So you have finally managed to make a sale to an existing customer by putting him in a nurture sequence. What now? Should you quit here? You guessed right! The answer is definitely NO. Now you have a potential “loyal customer”. What you can do now is, put him in a new nurture sequence in which he will receive new emails and promotions. Keep the frequency of emails light and perhaps send him your newsletters.

Although it depends on your company’s strategy, but if the target of our marketing effort is to develop loyal customers, all efforts will be directed towards personalizing your communication with the customer, letting them know that you’re there and showing them that care.

28% of consumers are loyal to their providers and brands (Accenture).

Achieving a re-sale to an existing customer is considered relatively easier that to achieve a first time sale. This, of course, does not mean you focus totally on nurturing your leads. A lead capturing and engaging effort, together with a nurturing effort is the perfect combination.