Lead Nurturing: How to Use Automated Email Workflows to Convert More Leads to Members
After going through the process of successfully capturing leads, you may be asking yourself, now what do I do? Getting people to sign up for your offer or newsletter is only the first step in actually making sales. Just because someone gave you their information or showed interested in an offer doesn’t mean that they’re ready to jump all in and purchase a year-long membership to your studio. According to Gleanster Research, 50% of leads are qualified, but not ready to buy just yet.This means that you have to put in some work and nurture your leads so they are ready to buy.
Lead Nurturing Defined
To know how to set up your lead nurture email workflow, you first need to understand what it means to nurture a lead. Lead nurturing is generally a series of emails that you send to your leads once you’ve captured their contact info. The goal of lead nurturing is to qualify these leads (make sure that there is a possibility they will buy your product in the future) and then give them a push down the sales funnel. You may have sent marketing emails to your leads before in the past promoting a sale or a new class. This type of email is generally referred to as email blasting, which is different from email lead nurturing. When you send an email blast to your leads, it’s a one-off email that has information and possibly a call to action, but no follow-ups. With lead nurturing, you’re warming up your leads to your big sales pitch by sending them a series of emails based on what stage they’re in the sales cycle. This involves sending them the right content at the right moment based on things like your lead’s buyer persona.How can OneFitStop help your boutique fitness studio? Request a Demo to learn more.
Converting Subscribers to Leads—The Power of Email
Despite the rise of social media and other forms of digital advertising, email marketing still remains the most powerful form of digital marketing. Relevant emails drive 18 times more revenue than broadcast emails and 74% of consumers prefer to receive commercial communications via email. With this in mind, the power of email is what’s going to help you convert your current subscribers into leads.When it comes to lead nurturing there are three stages a lead goes through, the first is a subscriber. Subscribers are leads who you’ve just captured and haven’t had much contact with yet. There’s very little standing in between your subscriber staying on your email list and clicking the unsubscribe button. But there are things you can do to keep your subscribers’ interest and push them down the sales funnel to becoming a full-blown lead.Creating valuable content is an essential part of lead nurturing. When you’re sending content to subscribers, you want it to be educational and informative. Creating content that is relevant to them and that can help them in some way is going to keep them from clicking the unsubscribe button. Whether it’s a free e-book download or information about industry news and trends, use this content to strengthen your authority and encourage subscribers to become leads.
Converting Leads To Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)
Once a subscriber has given you more information about themselves, they then become a lead. Leads are converted by signing up for the free content or offers you sent to them as a subscriber. Your goal with leads is to make sure they are qualified by converting them into marketing qualified leads. Send them content that solves a problem for them and includes a specific call to action. If they follow through, they're not just in your database to never make a purchase.Targeted educational content is a great way to hone in on your leads’ specific interests. From here, you can market things like free downloads and webinars based on their interests. In order to increase conversion rates, make sure you always include a visible and bold call to action button within the email. Other great content to send to your leads is solutions to their problems and introductions to your products to warm them up for the final sale stage.
Final Step—Converting Qualified Leads to Sales
The last step in nurturing your leads with an email workflow is to convert them. Right now they're a qualified lead, which is great, but so are actual sales. Encourage the purchase by supporting their decision-making process as they go through this conversion process. This will stem from your relevant and helpful content.Sending emails that include proof of product and testimonials from past customers is a great start. These show your leads that your product gets results – real results. Other email content to send at this stage of your workflow includes educational content, product features, and updates on your latest offers. The goal in this final stage of lead nurturing? Give your lead confidence in their purchase.
Marketing Automation and Lead Nurturing
Instead of spending the time and energy on nurturing your leads manually, marketing automation is a great tool. No matter how large or small your company, anyone can serve free their time. Automating your email workflows ensures every lead gets the most relevant messages at the most opportune times.How can OneFitStop help your boutique fitness studio? Request a Demo to learn more.