How to Nurture a Lead with Data Sources?

Nurturing your leads converts them! A simple theory, when put into practice, can go awry if you don’t have the correct data sources. Read on to learn all about the sources of data that bring in qualified leads who you can nurture into conversions.

If you run a business, you already know that customer-centricity is all that matters today! This is why assuming the role of an engaged seller is critical. How else will you forge lasting customer relationships, figure out their needs and wants, and offer them a solution through your product or service?

Adopting customer-centric sales practices is possible only when you nurture your leads. No wonder why lead nurturing is an irreplaceable part of any organization’s sales cycle. It not only boosts your conversion rates but assists you in establishing a relationship with them at every stage of their buying journey.

Once you make initial contact with a prospect, you can nurture them into conversion by educating them on the value-add your offering can provide. This helps build trust and prepares them for sales. But, to effectively nurture a lead, you need data. Incorporating data into your lead nurturing strategy lays the foundation of a successful capture-to-conversion campaign. But, to acquire data, you need data sources, without which effective nurturing is impossible.

What are Data Sources for Lead Nurturing?

In simple terms, when prospect data pours in, it comes from various channels or sources. Some of them are:

• Trial signups
• Webinar registrations
• Individuals attending specific events
• Individuals who download your E-book or white paper

There are many such sources where you can generate leads and learn about their preferences. Once you capture these leads, you can drop them into categories and nurture them.

A Detailed Perspective on How Data Sources Enable Lead Nurturing

Broadly speaking, there are three ways in which data sources enable lead nurturing. Let’s examine each of them closely.

Data Sources Enable Fine Customer Segmentation

Remember, your lead nurturing strategy will only be as good as the leads you collect. So, when your team uses one or all effective lead-gen methods listed above, your lead dataset enriches.

Devising and deploying a wholesome lead generation campaign ensures the collection of qualified prospects. Once you have these leads or prospects in your kitty, segment them. The warmer your leads, the richer your segmentation.

It is a critical practice to segment your prospects as that is the only way to hyper-personalize your business offerings. Optimal segmentation practices help you inch closer to fulfilling your short-term as well as long-term lead nurturing goals. And, quality data sources make this possible!

Data Coming from Quality Sources Ensure Effective Prospect Communication

Segmenting and contacting your prospects is just a start; converting them is a different story altogether. Conversions require effective communication and personalization. When you leverage the right data sources, you automatically bring onboard leads with a high propensity to purchase the products you offer.

This data source-backed benefit combined with effective communication is the keystone for a higher conversion rate. Once your data sources equip your sales and marketing teams with qualified and warm leads, it’s your prerogative to gain further knowledge on them. Doing this will help you plan your approach with them in an engaging manner.

In simpler terms, you require your data sources or lead-generation methods to gain ample information on prospects. This you need for nurturing them. The prospect data you collect will ultimately enable you to build trust and establish a long-lasting relationship with potential customers.

Data Sources Can Help Understand the Right Time to Engage

It is an established belief that your data sources are key to acquiring knowledge about your prospects. Once you have it, it can help you decide when to target your leads. It is never enough to know just what customers want. You also need to figure when they may want a specific product or service, and data sources can reveal the timing. Remember, if the timing is right, even a somewhat convinced prospect can be nurtured into conversion.

Further, your data sources also shed some light on the best medium to connect with your customers. Through a lead-gen form, you can either directly ask prospects how they wish to be contacted or observe the platform they chose to give out their contact details. You will likely observe that a lead tends to become more responsive when reached at the right time and on the medium of their choice. And, the right data sources can let you know of them!

The Bottom Line

To nurture and convert a lead requires you to match their buying intent to your solutions – a feat achievable only when you have credible data sources. Predicting what your prospects want is a risky proposition in this age of information. Why take the best guess at what your potential customers want as opposed to leveraging data and knowing for sure? 

So, don’t predict! Instead, establish a lead generation and management process as part of your data sourcing strategy. Apart from the traditional lead-generation methods, do this to identify and monitor online communities. Here, people express opinions about your competitor’s products. Knowing what they think about products similar to yours is a great way to improve your offering and can also help you alter your lead nurturing strategy.

To sum up, fine customer segmentation, effective communication, and engaging prospects at the right time are critical to lead nurturing. And, intelligent data sourcing makes all three possible.