When you look at stats collected from various sources, it proves that lead nurturing programs are a definite necessity, since many qualified leads turn out to be longer-term opportunities, versus immediate sales. So, the question is not “should I have a nurturing program?” and instead is “what do I need to do to create the most effective lead nurturing program?”

Here are five points to consider when creating your lead nurturing program:

• Define and Segment Your Audience: To setup a successful nurturing program, you must first understand your audience. To do this, you will need to think about new leads, as well as dig deep into your current leads, map out the different stages of the buying cycle and key criteria that defines each stage, identify areas of interest and create nurturing segments based on what is uncovered.
• Set Program Goals: It is important to identify the goal of your nurturing program up front and the actions that you want your different lead segments to take as they progress down the pipeline. Remember to vary offerings throughout communications to make sure you appeal to a variety of interests and always keep your offerings relevant.
• Personalize Your Messaging: Grouping leads based on their stage in the buying cycle and preferences will enable you to tailor messaging to appeal to their unique interests. The more tailored your message, the better the program will perform.
• Determine the Mix of Activities: In general, people respond to different types of communications. It is because of this that it is important to define a diverse mix of integrated activities as part of your nurturing program.
• Establish the Frequency of Communications: For your lead nurturing program, you will need to determine a communication frequency that will align with your leads’ preferences. In addition to regularly scheduled communications, you should also map out actions that will trigger communications based on a lead’s activities. While communication frequency may vary across segments, the time between scheduled emails should remain as consistent as possible.