Connect Fall 2016 | Page 15

Reap a Harvest by “Nurturing” Your Leads Drip email campaigns are a powerful communication strategy that deliver targeted, relevant content to qualified leads in order to move them from awareness through conversion. These automated campaigns are timed to “drip” messages when triggered by the subscriber’s behavior—such as opting in to receive emails, responding to a call to action, downloading a file, or making a purchase. By tailoring communications according to their needs and preferences, you can more quickly and effectively move leads, or prospects, through the conversion funnel to become customers. The 6 Stages Interact with leads in meaningful ways by meeting them where they are: By the Numbers 1. AWARENESS. Prospects are aware of issues and pain points. Messaging should be entertaining and informative. 4. PURCHASE. Prospects have made their choice. Affirm that decision by making purchase easy and helping them utilize your product or service. 2. INTEREST. Prospects have a base understanding of products, brands, and trends. Educate them with an eye toward solutions. 5. POST-PURCHASE. Customers desire a worthy product or service and an excellent relationship. Offer loyalty programs and channels that promote feedback. 3. CONSIDERATION. Prospects are evaluating products and interacting with sellers. Provide info and comparisons to aid decision-making. 6. REPURCHASE. Customers may show interest in other brands or related products and services. Touch base regularly, providing info on your other offerings. >> Generates nearly 80% higher opens than one-hit emails >> Without nurturing, over 75% of qualified leads fail to convert to sales >> The best drippers produce 80% more sales at costs that are 33% lower The New Reality for Sales Managers Today’s sales managers are more than revenue generators. They’re also responsible for accurate forecasting, which impacts every level of the business. By going beyond raw sales figures to utilize available data and analysis, they can guide their teams—and your company—to greater success. This increased accountability encourages managers to use their business’s data to understand what’s really driving ROI—as well as the company’s strengths and weaknesses. By determining underlying causes rather than just relying upon results, they’ll be better armed to both create efficiencies and boost effectiveness. Using Data Wisely Taking Responsibility The days of estimated forecasts are gone. Now, there’s enough data at sales managers’ disposal to determine which specific sales activities are delivering results, and how. An astute manager can: If sales managers are going to do this, it requires greater accountability across the board. This will mean: ÎÎ Pour resources into activities that are working well ÎÎ Proactively address those activities that need to be adjusted ÎÎ Pinpoint managerial methods to promote the most successful activities ÎÎ Stimulate sales reps to focus on success- building insights and activities ÎÎ Setting clear expectations for each role on the team—including managers ÎÎ Holding teams responsible for perfor- mance, which encourages shared accountability to one another ÎÎ Embracing and working through conflict by initiating tough conversations and sharing observations on performance ÎÎ Regularly giving praise to team members in addition to issuing challenges CONNECT TECHNOLOGY FALL 2016 // SNB.COM | 15