As part of any marketing campaign, capturing your prospect’s email address is crucial. Following this, you may have an automated series of emails that will convert a percentage of these prospects into clients or candidates. But what about those that haven’t been converted?
The fact is, once you have got someone into your marketing funnel, you don’t want to let them go. You want to ensure that your brand stays in the front of their mind so that whenever they are looking for the help of a recruiter, you are going to be the first person they think of. This is where an ongoing lead nurturing campaign comes in. Lead nurturing campaigns can come in many forms but what they all share in common is that they are consistent and they provide value.
They can take many forms, most of them being email based, linking to things such as:
● Email Newsletter: This could include news, views and insights on relevant industry issues
● Podcast: Like a newsletter but audio based, it can include interviews, guides or other insights into your particular specialist industry or recruiting in that industry
● Blog Articles – Blog articles sit on your website and can offer insight, advice and help you engage with your potential candidates and clients
● PDF Attachments – Case Studies, White Papers, Executive Briefings – This type of in-depth content can really engage your prospects
However, it doesn’t all have to be email based. The best lead nurture campaigns are multichannel, so don’t forget to use other channels to to keep in touch with your prospects.
Examples include:
● Direct Mail – Letters, Postcards, 3D Mail
● SMS Messages
● Phone – Your CRM creates tasks / reminders to give them a call with an offer/update etc.
● Social Media – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
As your ongoing lead nurture campaign runs, make sure that you continually evaluate it and experiment with what and how you contact your prospects. Whether it is the subject lines of your emails or the calls-to-action within them, there are always areas that can be improved. This testing and optimising is crucial if your nurture campaign is to be as successful as it can be.
Done correctly and consistently, lead nurturing can drive more prospects into becoming valuable clients and candidates and ultimately help grow your business. If you’re not doing it now, you really should start.
