How to Convert Your SEO Traffic into Qualified Leads and Paying Customers.
As an online marketer, you are pretty savvy about the latest and greatest SEO strategies to improve rankings and drive traffic to your website. But what are you doing to capture those leads and convert them into happy customers? Unless you are among the mere 20% of online marketers that are fully leveraging nurture marketing, you aren’t doing enough…and opportunities and sales are slipping through the cracks.
Marketing Experiments published a study demonstrating that 80% of leads are squandered due to poor follow-up. The study also demonstrated that by optimizing your lead management strategy and following up with leads at least eight times, you will increase your conversion rate. The results can be quite dramatic, as illustrated by the case study of a partner who increased sales by 375% simply by doing a better job of following up with leads.
Despite the overwhelming evidence in support of nurture marketing and effective follow-up, far too many marketers let their leads fall into a black hole. However, if you stay in front of prospects, educating and building trust along the way, they’ll come to you when they are ready to buy. Here are a few simple tips for using nurture marketing to convert more of your hard won web traffic into buyers.
Don’t be afraid to follow-up.
A lot of marketers don’t follow-up with leads because they don’t want to seem pushy or annoying. The hidden truth is people do want to hear from you, especially when they opt in for something of value, such as a free report or newsletter series. As long as you continue to provide valuable, relevant content to your subscribers AND give them an easy way to opt-out, you will be welcomed in the inbox.
Get permission to keep in touch.
Just because someone fills out a form on your site doesn’t mean that they want to get added to your mailing list. So before starting any email follow-up, be sure your contact WANTS to receive the information you’re sending. Whether you include an opt-in checkbox on your web form or send a double opt-in email request, getting permission isn’t just a good idea…it’s the law!
Set the right expectations.
Set proper expectations up-front regarding the frequency of your communications (weekly, monthly, etc.) as well as the content of your messages. This will help you minimize SPAM complaints and help you develop a strong and responsive email list.
Create a multi-hoop system.
The objective of nurture marketing is to educate prospects and move them progressively towards greater commitment. A multi-hoop follow-up system enables you to do exactly that. Think of the initial opt-in form on your website as the first hoop. Once a visitor fills it out, offer them additional content and resources in exchange for more contact information (deeper commitment). Continue the process until your lead is ready to buy or engage with your sales team.
By giving your leads the flexibility to advance through the sales funnel at their own pace, you develop trust and goodwill, which over time results in sales. Plus, as a natural side effect of nurture marketing, the most engaged leads bubble to the surface, allowing your sales reps to spend time hunting for hot leads.
Experience nurturing marketing for yourself.
A truly great nurturing sequence can’t be explained…it needs to be experienced firsthand. To opt-in to a sample nurture sequence from Infusionsoft (the leaders in follow-up marketing for small businesses), simply fill out this form. (Don’t worry. Infusionsoft won’t share your information, send you spam, or try to sell you stuff.) During the follow-up sequence, you will receive a variety of multi-media follow-up messages via email, text message, and direct mail so you can experience the power of nurture marketing.
Get the most from your SEO efforts.
In the end, it doesn’t matter how great your SEO strategies are if you don’t capture those leads and convert them into buyers. To learn how to get the most from your SEO, register now for the webinar “Nurture Marketing 2.0: How to Convert Your SEO Traffic into Qualified Leads and Paying Customers,” presented by the follow-up experts at Infusionsoft. During the webinar, you’ll learn how to:
•Capture site visitors using lead gen magnets
•Convert leads into customers through nurture marketing
•Turn customers into repeat buyers and raving fans
•Automate your marketing and sales to save time and money
•And more!
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