What is a nurture sequence?

 

If you want to be in control, your own list is essential.  That’s why lead magnets are still such a powerful marketing tool, especially for service businesses.  But getting someone to sign up for your list is only the first step.

Email marketing platforms provide the means to nurture your list, without having to write content every few days.  It can all be written once and then set up to run automatically.

Assuming you have offered something valuable to entice a sign up to your list – and that this ‘something’ is highly focused on your ideal client profile, creating a follow up sequence should be straightforward.

Email 1 - Thank you

This should go out immediately after the person has signed up and validated their email address, i.e. on day 1.  It will include your thanks for signing up to get whatever your lead magnet is and will tell them how to access this.

You should then tell them what to expect now they are on your list.  What additional value they will get.  You need to manage their expectations, so they are ready to receive what you send them.

Tell them that there will be a series of emails over the next couple of weeks with more tips and opportunities.

If you have a weekly or monthly newsletter with more wisdom around your area of specialism, let them know they will be getting that too.

Email 2 – Add value

This will go out on day 3.  The purpose of this email is to add value in relation to the item they have downloaded.  Explain how to get the best from it, give a strong tip around the subject matter that isn’t in the original lead magnet.

Add a signpost to a purchase, positioned as an opportunity.  Often a good way to do this is in a PS.

Email 3 – Validation

This goes out on day 5 and features a story – either a case study or anecdote showing how what you offer works in practice.  Don’t forget to highlight the outcomes – not just what it did, but what the results were, the return on investment.

The call to action for your product or service can now be positioned as a reduced risk option.

Email 4 – Bashing down barriers

Send this on day 7.  Your task is to identify why people are concerned about the effectiveness of [your offer] – in other words objections.  Don’t tackle a whole list, focus on the top one or two and explain why this objection is unfounded.  Give evidence, examples, and/or demonstration. 

Anecdotal evidence is powerful – tell it as though you’re speaking directly to the reader.

Add a soft call to action to explore the opportunity you’re offering.

Email 5 – The offer

Schedule for day 10 and use it as a recap of your offer, with benefits, outcomes, details and a reason to act, that may be a bonus or discount. 

Remember, if these emails are automated, putting a specific date in will require them to be rewritten when that date passes.  There is also an authenticity issue, don’t offer anything based on scarcity or a cut-off date, if it’s not really the case.

Add your strong call to action.

When this nurture sequence is completed some people will have already become a customer, others may not be quite ready yet.  Sending them your high value newsletter regularly will keep them warm, so that, when they are ready, they won’t have forgotten you.

Who reads your newsletters?

Most of the email marketing platforms will tell you who opens your emails and if they clicked a link, but they don’t tell you who that person is.  There’s no information on their business, their interests, their challenges, what keeps them awake at night and what gets their juices flowing.

How did they get on your list in the first place?

If you have a list that is only generated from one lead magnet source, you’ll know the answer to that.  But most of us have at least one ‘general’ list, that includes people we’ve met networking, connections from social media, current and former clients, etc. etc.  These are harder to quantify.  Of course, you could go through your list and search on LinkedIn or see if you can track down their website – but who has that kind of time to invest?

Your general list should not be ignored, especially if they are opening emails.  They may become a customer at some point, if you’re delivering great value in your newsletter every week or month.  They may also become an advocate and recommend you to other people.

Quality over quantity

That leaves us with the people who have signed up to your lead magnet. 

When was the last time you updated this?  And how many new signups are you getting currently?

Lead magnets are powerful – but there are two issues to consider:

1: How focused is your lead magnet?

2: Given all the AI available today, what is the perceived value?

Improve your focus

Does your lead magnet attract a wide variety of people?  Are they potential customers or clients – or just people looking for a no-cost solution and reacting to an interesting headline.

If you’ve ever downloaded a pdf document from someone’s website, how much of it do you read – and what level of engagement with the creator do you have?  I’d bet you have a folder somewhere with several unread lead magnets you’ve downloaded at various times!  It doesn’t mean they’re no good; it was just that the challenge they addressed wasn’t at the top of your agenda at the time.

So, how focused is your lead magnet offer?  Does it have general appeal or is it very specifically ONLY for people who need your kind of help?

In the call to action, get specific. 

‘Download this now if you want [outcome] this year’

‘If you’re a [ideal client description] and are ready for [outcome], you need this now’

You get the idea.

Upgrade the value

Stop delivering average and upgrade to unique!

People are looking for something they can’t just ask AI for.  Your proven frameworks, some insight into their problems, something that you know will give them results.

That doesn’t mean you have to give away everything you have, but don’t hold back with something that’s really useful.  And then make sure they know this is the first step in a process.  If the first step makes a significant difference, they’ll be more than ready to pay for what comes next.

Here’s where AI can help you to craft something really good – with a good prompt.  Ask it to help you with identifying what your ideal client will value most.  And get creative with delivery.  Will it be:

•        A ‘how to’ guide
•        A checklist or framework
•        A quiz with results
•         An ecourse delivered by email
•         A video training session
•         A month’s free subscription to a course or membership
•         Access to a free group coaching session

Depending on your business you may have different ideas – and the more creative the better. 

So, get more newsletters read by improving your list and upgrading the value you deliver.

What shapes your reputation?

If you’ve been in business a while, you’ll already have a reputation – both for you personally and for your business.  But as your reputation is subjective, there can be a gap between what you’d like people to think/say about you and what they actually do.  The good news is that you can fix this – but it will take time.

The first step is to know how people currently see you.  There are a couple of ways to do this.

1.     Read your recommendations and testimonials.  What do people say about you in these?  Are they the things you want at the top of your reputational list?

2.     Ask your existing clients and regular networking contacts to give you feedback.  The secret to this is to ask the right questions, as most people never know what to say when they’re put on the spot!  So, ask 3-4 specific questions to help get focused answers.  For example:

a.    What do you see as my top skills?

b.    How would you describe me to a potential customer/client when recommending me?

c.     How do you see me as a communicator?

d.    What do you think my highest values are?  Do these show up in the way I come across?

Pick people who you trust and you know will be honest with you.  The aim is not to get lots of compliments, but to ensure that their perception matches what you want people to see.

What happens if the result isn’t what you want?

In a perfect world you are totally authentic, but we all have our idiosyncrasies and, sometimes, the way we show up doesn’t completely match what you believe.  This might be due to shyness, lack of confidence, imposter syndrome, or a communication style that needs a little adjustment.

Firstly, you need to be clear about what your values are.  Not just for show, but in reality.  What is important to you?  Do a brainstorming exercise and list everything that you think is important.  [TIP: put each one on a sticky note, it will make the ranking process easier].  Sort them into a ranked order and just focus on the top three.

Your top three personal values may not be identical to those for your business, so you’ll need to do the exercise for both – BUT they can’t be completely different, or you really will have a problem being authentic with your customers, staff and suppliers.

Compare the values you want to stand behind with what people have fed back to you and identify where the gaps are.  What can you do that will help you to demonstrate your top three values, for you and your business? 

If the actions feel uncomfortable, do a reality check – your values should be reflected in the things you do naturally, not anything that grates.  If people aren’t seeing you as you would like, think about the things you could do – that feel right to you – to help your values be more visible.