Persistence Pays Off in a Nurture

My team uses technology and data to enable our business processes—this would classify me as a “digital marketer.” In my role and working for Progress any prospective salesperson is going to know we have a marketing technology stack, and I am a target to be sold the latest solution that will enable our automation efforts. With the current industry trends, you can only imagine how many times a day I am solicited to buy something new that will take my organization’s digital strategy to the next level. How does someone get through to me, and what is it that makes me decide “ok, I will engage?”

Emails and voicemails fill my inbox all day from vendors who provide little information about what they are trying to sell. Most of the time, they are plain text emails, and the solutions all sound exactly the same. The vendor tells me why I need their solution and why it’s the “best” or even just a simple “hey let’s catch up.” None of these tactics provoke me to respond. 

I typically do respond to people who drop names or use content such as a whitepaper or webinar. Content works really well when I have a pressing business need or know of another colleague for which the vendor solved a similar problem.  In some cases, however, the sales reps alone can convince me by sending me through a very well thought out, well timed and relevant lead nurture. Recently I had an experience where a lead nurture was so well planned and executed it pushed me right into engagement. 

The sales rep from a West Coast technology company enticed me to respond by sending a slick set of thought out emails and calls, all to support their lead nurture. First of all, he was extremely persistent. He called repeatedly, sent emails and LinkedIn messages and left many voicemails. This went on for months. One early Monday morning he sent what he claimed to be a final email attempt, offering me a gift of an Amazon Echo; I read the email. I got in the office that day and there was a package with a picture of an Echo and a personal note asking if I would give him 30 minutes. Delivery of the package was followed by an email—which I opened—then a call. How could I not respond; he had timed everything so perfectly!

I spoke with the salesperson for 30 minutes and we talked about his solution and I continued to press him on his own selling tactics. He admitted his persistence and utilizing marketing automation aligned with data enhancement all effectively help him to get prospects to talk to him about his solution. Today, I am actively engaging with this vendor regarding a data quality layer for use in our own automation ecosystem.

This case is a perfect example of what I fundamentally believe and strive to achieve every day. The only way to “get through” is to nurture your prospects—and not just with email. Nurturing prospects requires multi-channel, multi-touch, well-timed touches based on what and when a solution is needed. This all makes up an effective lead nurture. A recent article published by the Harvard Business Review stated “you are 90% more likely to get in touch by the 6^th call.” In this case persistence really worked. I was the right profile for his solution so he aligned content, messaging and tactics that would make me respond. The power of a well-timed nurture using all channels really does lead to a conversion, and it is motivating and exciting to see it in action. It should also be a lesson to us all that persistence really does pay off. In fact, this case has elevated my level of persistence as a digital marketer to deliver the same results.