In my years doing online marketing, I can honestly say that customers have never been more empowered than they are today. Modern buyers have more control over their purchasing decisions—and they know it.

Understanding this, you should be giving your prospects a good reason to stay and hear out your offer so they actually convert and become loyal customers. The problem is, a huge chunk of your qualified leads aren’t even ready to close yet—73 percent to be exact. This makes it all the more important that you stay on their radar until they’re actually ready to sign up or make a purchase.

This is where lead nurturing comes in. If I had to run down the reasons why lead nurturing is a very important aspect of your overall online marketing strategy, check out my top reasons below:

1. Lead nurturing helps establish trust between yourself and your prospects

I’m a firm believer that trust plays into a company’s ability to make successful transactions with customers. If you establish trust early into the relationship, you’re very likely to become the go-to company or brand they turn to.

Lead nurturing lets you achieve this because it shows that you’re taking the time to reach out to your prospects. You’re not simply sitting back expecting sales to come in without any effort; you’re guiding them through their decision making process so you stay relevant and top of mind.

2. Lead nurturing lets you establish yourself as a thought leader

Hinging off trust, it’s important to remember that people will always prefer to work with or patronize a business that they know is an authority in the industry. Lead nurturing gives you an opportunity to show why you’re leading in the field.

3. Lead nurturing gives you a chance to maintain consistent communication

Customers have indicated that consistent and relevant communication is a key factor in their decision making process. Lead nurturing strategies allow you to stay in constant touch with your customers without being too pushy.

4. Lead nurturing allows you to cross-sell or up-sell

You can use lead nurturing to expand customer awareness about what your brand has to offer—especially among repeat customers. This means you’re given an opportunity to introduce new products and services in order to boost your sales.

5. Lead nurturing is a great way to learn more about your prospects

Lead nurturing strategies can be used to get to know and learn more about your prospects. What challenges are they facing, what solutions are they looking for? What products or services are they actually interested in? Asking your leads different questions, offering varying content, and analysing who responds to what gives you better insight into your prospect’s psyche.

Did I miss anything? Happy to hear any thoughts you may have about the importance of lead nurturing for marketing. Feel free to add your answer in the comment section below. If you’d like to discuss one-on-one the relevance of lead nurturing and what it can do for your brand, get in touch with us today.