In Rocky, to win his fight with Apollo Creed Rocky didn’t need to knock him out. He just needed to outlast all of the boxers that came before him. He needed to go the distance.
That’s the state of mind you need to have with a lead. Even if you don’t make a sale right away, you need to outlast every other competitor. Many homeowners can take months and even years before pulling the trigger on a major purchase. You need to keep fighting for the project they want and need.
Lead nurturing is going to keep your company in the ring for as long as it takes. It’s the perfect strategy for homeowners who express interest, but fail to set an immediate appointment. It also works on homeowners who walk away from the sales pitch. Since 65% of leads will try to disappear into thin air, it’s in your best interest to give lead nurturing a shot.
How do you do this? And more importantly, how can you do this for thousands of leads?
Here are 4 techniques the folks at MarketSharp suggest to make lead nurturing work for you:
- Go Multi-Channel: There are more ways to communicate than email. Diversify your touches with a balance of text, email and calls.
- Nurture by Season: When business is slow, send out automated follow-ups to boost lead volume.
- Know the Original Source: Prioritize your touches based on source. No-sales that come from your website, for example, are more likely to eventually convert than sweepstakes leads.
- Don’t Overdo it: Limit your touches to 10-15 per year and spread them out strategically. If you call a lead 15 times over 3 months, they’ll hate you.
MarketSharp‘s research has found that a high percentage of no-sales (up to 60%) in the home improvement industry have a likelihood of purchasing down the line. It may take 2 months or 2 years, but homeowners will pull the trigger when the timing gets right. Your job as a marketer is to help “make the timing right” and then simply “be there” (with your nurturing campaign) at decision time.
By nurturing those lost leads, you’ll be the first person to call when they’re ready. And that might be relatively soon, since tax refund season is upon us.
With the right automated system, you can blow your current lead volume out of the water. Stick it out and go the distance. It makes all the difference with homeowners.
