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.