Basically it boils down to building and nurturing a relationship with the people at the companies who could turn into customers one day.

Most B2B deals don’t happen right away, often we have to wait for that “triggering event”

• The contract with the current vendor comes up for renewal.
• The current vendor massively screws something up.
• Or maybe they’re looking for something fresh from a new vendor, like a feature that the current vendor’s solution doesn’t offer or they desire more flexibility in how you do business together.

Whatever may motivate that prospect to consider a new vendor – it won’t matter to you if that prospect isn’t familiar with you.

But just being familiar with your company puts you in the same boat as all the other companies competing for that business – you need an edge, an edge that a relationship could offer.

Lead Nurturing is about positioning your company as a trusted advisor. (I know, “trusted advisor” is a label older than dirt but it actually applies here).

Once a connection is established, via a LinkedIn connection, a brief meeting at a trade conference, a cold call, response to a lead magnet – whatever – you’re on their radar.

The trick is to stay on their radar until they need you.

And the way to stay on that radar is to show them that you’re trying to help them do their jobs better, you’re trying to help them succeed, you have their betterment at heart.

You do this by educating them about your industry.

Procurement, project management, executives, budget owners – all the folks involved in making the decision for a company like yours could all stand to learn more about your industry and solution,

 

Am I right?

 

And by having more industry knowledge, they’ll be much better equipped to invite an awesome company like yours to participate in the next round of buying that new solution that you are fantastic at delivering.

B2B sales…

• Has a much longer sales cycle
• Has a much higher investment
• Can significantly impact people’s jobs if the decision is a poor one.
• And usually, a bunch of people, representing different departments, are involved in making the final decision – and with lead nurturing, you have the opportunity to plant that seed in their heads that you and your company are the experts in this field.