How can you nurture leads generated by your demand generation content?

Sometimes we overcomplicate things. By definition, to nurture is the process of caring for and encouraging the growth of someone. - As creators, our content should focus on providing tools/insights your ICP may leverage to get them to their dream state (Visual: You're building the bridge that takes them over the gap [problem]) . - ID the gap between your ICP and their dream state and offer them the vehicle (your solution) to get them to their goal the fastest/smoothest way possible. - Technically, your ICP shouldn't need you to solve their problem, but they will hire you because they recognize you get them there with the least amount of effort, on their part.

To effectively nurture leads from demand generation content, start by defining clear goals like engagement, education, conversion, upselling, and retention. Measure success using KPIs such as email open rates, conversion rates, and customer lifetime value. Segment your leads based on behavior, demographics, and buyer personas. Tailor your content to each stage of the buyer's journey: informative blogs for awareness, case studies for consideration, and demos for the decision stage. Use tools like email automation platforms for drip campaigns and CRM systems for lead tracking. Analytics tools can help gauge success and areas for improvement.

Focus on any one of the main channels, and you can nurture any lead within it. In the end, the information getting to the audience is what is important. I personally, enjoy emails due to their versatility in terms of content you can stuff within them (e.g. whole sales letters). I have met people that are afraid of this. "Erasto, I think it's too much, they won't read it!" There's no such thing as too long, but there is a thing called BORING! To loosely quote, great marketer, Dan Kennedy: the purpose of the first sentence is to get your reader to read the next one. If you can do this effectively, then you can stay a top-of-mind, and when the prospect is ready to purchase, you will be prime choice.

Choosing the right channels for lead nurturing depends on multiple factors, including your target audience, content type, and business objectives. Here's how you can proceed: Email: Highly effective for delivering personalized, targeted content. Watch out for frequency and relevance to avoid being marked as spam. Social Media: Ideal for engagement and brand awareness. Requires standout content due to the competitive nature of these platforms. Webinars: Effective for deeper engagement and establishing thought leadership. Can be resource-intensive. Podcasts: Growing in popularity, good for brand-building and detailed content. Requires a long-term commitment. Blogs: Excellent for SEO and providing value. Needs consistent, high-quality output.

As well as making the content valuable and engaging, it needs to be spread across multiple platforms (email, blogs, social medias, etc) You will soon find out what media the prospects engages with most

Don't be afraid to give away "the solution", most of your prospects are probably very capable/smart individuals. What I mean by this. They most likely could solve their problem themselves; however, they don't have the time or resources to get it done NOW, which is when they need it. This is especially true when selling B2B services. So if your audience is always at the ready, what are they waiting for? They are waiting to find the right person for the job. Enter - your Valuable/Engaging content - which shows them, you are the right person to HELP them achieve their goals and arrive at the dream state.

Creating engaging and valuable content for lead nurturing hinges on understanding your leads' position within the buyer's journey. Tailoring content to each stage ensures relevance and maximizes engagement: Awareness Stage: Produce content that educates leads about their challenges. Think eBooks, whitepapers, or informational blog posts. Consideration Stage: Create content that positions your solution among alternatives. Webinars, comparison guides, and expert interviews work well here. Decision Stage: Offer decision-enabling content like case studies, testimonials, or ROI calculators to alleviate doubts and justify the selection of your solution.

Your content strategy should address what the prospect is interested in, and the degree of interest will differ depending on where they are on their educational and purchase journey. Working in The Attention Economy isn’t just about reaching people anymore; it's about engaging them, holding their gaze, making them pause, think, and act. As marketers, we're not just competing with other brands - we're vying against everything that demands a slice of our audience's time. It's not about shouting the loudest, but resonating the deepest. Only the truly memorable stand out so focus on Authenticity, Depth and Value. Remember - quality trumps quantity!

Automation is not a "set it and forget it" solution. While tools like HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot can help automate the process, regular monitoring and optimization are crucial for sustained performance. Key performance indicators such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of your campaigns. These metrics not only inform you about engagement but also provide data-driven avenues for refinement. For example, a low open rate might indicate a need to revise your email subject lines, while a high unsubscribe rate could signal that your content is not resonating with your audience.

Continuous testing is indispensable for refining your lead nurturing strategies. In a digital landscape that's constantly evolving, what worked yesterday may not necessarily work tomorrow. A/B testing or multivariate tests allow you to isolate variables, whether it's the CTA color, email subject line, or the content layout, and measure their impact on your key performance indicators. For example, experimenting with email subject lines can drastically affect open rates. Likewise, tweaking the CTA wording or placement could impact click-through rates and conversions. Different segments of your audience may also react differently to the same content, so testing allows for more personalized, effective targeting.