Category: Lead Response
Lead Nurturing Produces More Effective Email Communications
Personalized email messages boost revenue, increase click-through and conversion rates, and slash direct mail costs.
The goal of a sales funnel is to nurture leads, moving them through the funnel in order for sales to flow out the bottom. This is a standard sales and marketing strategy. However, the tactical use of email can amplify sales funnel results, producing more sales for greater amounts, while cutting costs in the process.
“Though a phone call is usually the most effective means of closing a sale, it may not be the best option for nurturing leads,” says Adam Berkson, president of LiveVoice, a boutique phone support service that is emerging as a leader in lead response services. “Email is often the way to go in reaching today’s busy decision maker to move them toward a sale.” However, marketers should resist the urge to email just for the sake of emailing.
“The indiscriminate use of email is tempting because many marketers view it as being a low-cost or no-cost communication vehicle,” explains Mike Novak, chief technology officer at TeleServices Direct, a worldwide provider of outsource call center services. “Yet they fail to consider the underlying infrastructure cost, email sender reputation, and list fatigue. Done wrongly, email can be costly indeed.”
The key is to send relevant, personalized, and event-triggered emails.
First, consider the response to email messages. According to the Aberdeen Group that provides information technology research and analysis, personalized emails improve click-through rates by 14 percent and conversion rates by 10 percent. “Personalizing email messages is a no-brainer, but too many companies fail to do so,” says Berkson. “I’m much more likely to open an email that begins with “Adam” than one that says “Dear Valued Customer.” Of course personalization should go beyond the salutation, but that’s a good place to start.” The next goal is to make the emails relevant.
According to Jupiter Research, which provides research, analysis, and reporting on telecommunications technologies, relevant email communiques drive eighteen times more revenue than generic broadcast email missives. “Put into perspective, that’s an $18,000 payout versus $1,000,” says Berkson. “That high degree of results should compel marketers to make their messages relevant.” A relevant message might be to offer an attractive CD rate to bank customers who have a high account balance. A misuse would be to send that offer to everyone, regardless of how much money they have.
Third, consider event-triggered marketing. Gartner Research, which provides technology research to key decision makers, looked at the effectiveness of event-triggered marketing. In considering direct mail, event-triggered marketing can slash costs by 80 percent. “That’s huge,” says Berkson, “and the same can apply to email.” Event-triggered marketing can be as simple as a special birthday or anniversary offer. “I always appreciate personal incentives that arrive via email on my birthday,” he adds. “Astute companies look for opportunities to link a prospect-specific event to an offer or lead nurturing initiative. It adds power to their message.”
Today too many companies overuse, misuse, and abuse email. Instead they should strive to send email messages that are relevant, personalized, and event-triggered. “The results speak for themselves,” concludes Berkson.
LiveVoice understands how important every call is to your business. Contact them about customizing their flexible, premium phone support service so you can turn opportunity into profit.
Peter DeHaan, PhD, is a freelance writer, call center authority, and publisher of Connections Magazine, which covers the call center industry.
