Follow the Leads:
B2B Nurturing Strategies That
Work!
Laura Cross
Research Director, Demand Creation Strategies
SiriusDecisions
Laura Cross
Research Director,
Demand Creation Strategies
Follow the Leads: B2B Nurturing Strategies That Work!
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 3
What Is SiriusDecisions?
• Leading global B2B research and advisory firm. Deliver actionable
intelligence, strategic and operational frameworks and personal
guidance from experience practitioners.
• Founded in 2001
• Over 1,000 member clients
• A variety of sizes, industries, shapes
• Unique differentiators
• Broad, ongoing decision support
• Focus on B2B companies
• SiriusDatabase: Fact-based intelligence
• Where sales and marketing meet
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 5
Executive Summary
• Key issues
• The role of lead nurturing in B2B marketing has evolved from
important to imperative
• Although integrated, multi-touch programs significantly outperform
one-and-done tactics, many marketers still do not apply a systematic,
repeatable and complete process to lead nurturing
• Demand creation programs leveraging a lead nurturing framework will
have greater revenue impact
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 6
Executive Summary
• What you will walk away with
• A framework for adding four types of lead nurturing to demand creation
programs
• How each type of lead nurturing affects the demand waterfall and
revenue impact
• An approach for building highly successful lead nurturing programs
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 8
SiriusPerspective:
The Evolution of B2B Demand Creation
8
Program Type
Single Channel,
Single Touch
Multi-Channel,
Multi-Touch
Number of Leads
Required to Close 1 Deal 15.3 7.2
Cost per Lead$400 - $650 $100 - $200
Marketing Touches25+ 15 - 20
Programs30+ < 30%
Sourced Pipeline18% 30%+
Integrated, multi-touch programs outperform one-and-done tactics.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 9
SiriusPerspective:
Three Primary Waterfall ChallengesThe most effective B2B demand creators use a shared demand waterfall.
A raw response or hand-raiser to outbound or inbound marketing;
relatively little is known about the prospect at this point.
A lead – by way of definition and service-level agreement –
that is deemed ready for a receiving function to work.
A lead that has been formally accepted by the receiving function,
which is then compelled to work the lead in a given timeframe.
A lead that has evolved into an opportunity – complete with
estimated dollar value and timeframe to close.
An opportunity that has come to fruition.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 10
The B2B Waterfall: Average vs. Best in Class
4.4%
66.6%
48.8%
20.3%
Average
9.3%
85.0%
61.7%
29.1%
B-I-C
2.89 per
1,000 inquiries
14.23 per
1,000 inquiries
Observations
• Best-in-class companies
outperform those that
are average by 5:1
• The gap has closed
between average and
best in class
• Better-quality leads and
tighter service-level
agreements are leading
to better SAL rates
• Close rates continue to
be choppy in both
categories due to the
difficult economy
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 11
SiriusPerspective:
Three Primary Waterfall Challenges
The Synonym Syndrome1
1
2
Leads Actively Fall Out
Leads Passively Fall Out
2
When Deals Die, Opportunities Remain3
3
Best-in-class marketers protect against and manage lead waste.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 12
SiriusPerspective:
The Nurture Debate
1
2
Missed opportunities
Poor use of sales effort
Negative buyer experience
Elevated costs
Rep/partner
gets leads
Those not ready
are set aside
More leads
are deliveredMore leads
are delivered
More are
set asideMore are
set aside
Today’s reality is sub-optimal for sales, marketing and the prospect.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 14
SiriusPerspective:
Lead Nurturing Framework: Components
• Entry
• The pathway(s) for a prospect to move into a nurture flow
• Treatment
• The content, offers and messages used to drive incremental activity with
the prospect
• Transition
• Signals that a prospect is ready to be moved back into an “active
demand” state
• Disposition
• Location(s) where a nurtured prospect will be delivered
1
4
A complete nurture effort, regardless of type, is built on four pillars.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 15
SiriusPerspective:
Nurture Type: Pre-MQL
1
5
Pre-MQL
Nurturing before a prospect is
handed off to a teleprospecting,
field or channel resource1
1
Prospects can “sit” in a variety of demand waterfall stages;
thus, B2B organizations must consider multiple nurture types.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 16
SiriusPerspective:
Pre-MQL Case Study: The ProblemProspects can “sit” in a variety of demand waterfall stages;
thus, B2B organizations must consider multiple nurture types.
• Volume of “leads” too great for sales to handle
• Poor quality “leads”
• No marketing automationThe Situation
• Inquiry to MQL near 100%
• Extremely poor middle and late stage conversion rates
The Metrics
• Wasted marketing resources
• Disengaged and inefficient field sales teamThe Result
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 17
SiriusPerspective:
1
7
Touch 1
Responders to Tele
Touch 2
Responders to Tele
Touch 3
Responders to Tele
Long-Term Nurture
Tele
Field
Pre-MQL Case Study: The Problem
Results
• Lower INQ to MQL conversions with strong mid and late stage conversions
• 27% more pipeline contribution
• Improved sales efficiency and pipeline dynamics
Prospects can “sit” in a variety of demand waterfall stages;
thus, B2B organizations must consider multiple nurture types.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 18
SiriusPerspective:
Nurture Type: Active and Passive Recycled
1
8
2
Active Recycled
Nurturing when a prospect
is rejected by a sales
resource for a pre-
determined reason
Nurturing when a prospect
has experienced no
movement for a pre-
determined period of time,
but has not been rejected
by sales
Passive Recycled
2
Prospects can “sit” in a variety of demand waterfall stages;
thus, B2B organizations must consider multiple nurture types.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 19
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
1
9
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 20
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
2
0
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
Process
starts with
the reason
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 21
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
2
1
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
Marketing
takes the
lead
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 22
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
2
2
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
Theme takes
the DQ
reason into
account
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 23
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
2
3
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
Behavior
dictates whether
touches can be
“evolved”
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 24
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
2
4
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
Time measured
in quarters; can
extend
indefinitely
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 25
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Active Recycled
2
5
DQ:
Compete
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Education
Touch
Opt
out
Education
Touch
Education
Touch
Complement
Touch
Qualify
Yes
No
Education
Touch
Qualifying
TouchDisqualify
Re-Enter
Nurture
Our first sample process flow tracks what might happen if an
opportunity’s resolution was a competitor purchase.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 26
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
2
6
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Call One
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 27
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
2
7
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Call One
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
Tele takes
the lead
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 28
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
2
8
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
Marketing provides
backing support
Call One
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 29
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
2
9
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
Telephone and email
are combined
Call One
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 30
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
3
0
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
Leads DQ’ed go to
long-term nurturing
Call One
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 31
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
3
1
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
Time measured
in weeks
Call One
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 32
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Passive Recycled
3
2
DQ:
Passive
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Followup
Touch
0 W1 W2
Touch followup/content
No
Connect
Connect
Call Two
Re-qual
DQ
No
Connect
Connect
Followup
Touch
Our second sample process flow tracks what might happen if a lead is pulled from sales.
Call One
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 33
SiriusPerspective:
Nurture Type: Reconstituted
3
3
Nurturing when a once-engaged
opportunity has had no activity
for months or even quarters
Reconstituted3
3
Prospects can “sit” in a variety of demand waterfall stages;
thus, B2B organizations must consider multiple nurture types.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 34
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Reconstituted
3
4
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Touch
One
0 D1 D4
Leads
Gathered
D7
Touch
Two
Touch
Three
Requal
Requal
Time bounded, reconstituted nurture programs are the easiest type of
nurture to plan and execute.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 35
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Reconstituted
3
5
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Touch
One
0 D1 D4
Leads
Gathered
D7
Touch
Two
Touch
Three
Requal
Requal
Time bounded, reconstituted nurture programs are the easiest type of
nurture to plan and execute.
Even split
between
marketing and
tele
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 36
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Reconstituted
3
6
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Touch
One
0 D1 D4
Leads
Gathered
D7
Touch
Two
Touch
Three
Requal
Requal
Time bounded, reconstituted nurture programs are the easiest type of
nurture to plan and execute.
Theme dependent on age of
dead opportunities (same v.
complementary)
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 37
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Reconstituted
3
7
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Touch
One
0 D1 D4
Leads
Gathered
D7
Touch
Two
Touch
Three
Requal
Requal
Time bounded, reconstituted nurture programs are the easiest type of
nurture to plan and execute.
Touches scored and
aggregated, or any
touch can be
moved on
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 38
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Reconstituted
3
8
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Touch
One
0 D1 D4
Leads
Gathered
D7
Touch
Two
Touch
Three
Requal
Requal
Time bounded, reconstituted nurture programs are the easiest type of
nurture to plan and execute.
Time measured
in days
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 39
SiriusPerspective:
Sample Flow: Reconstituted
3
9
MA
RK
ET
ING
TE
LE
FIE
LD
Touch
One
0 D1 D4
Leads
Gathered
D7
Touch
Two
Touch
Three
Requal
Requal
Time bounded, reconstituted nurture programs are the easiest type of
nurture to plan and execute.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 40
SiriusPerspective:
Nurturing Framework: A Checklist
4
0
Pre-MQL Recycled: Active Recycled: Passive Reconstituted
Entry
• Target market agreement (companies, entry points)
• Complete, clean list (owned or purchased)
• Inbound marketing strategy
• Disqualification reasons
• CRM-to-MAP prospect feed
• Visibility rules (e.g. can sales still see active nurture prospects)
• Service-level agreements (if any prospects will go to tele)
• Time thresholds for lead inactivity
• Warning system (first-line manager, sales rep)
• Service-level agreements (field to tele)
• Aging opportunity parameters
• Segmentation rules
• List pull process
Treatment
• Need-based campaign structure
• Decision-based demand program
• Conversion-optimized Web site
• Content
• Information collection strategy (categories, gating approach)
• Hierarchical touch strategy (reason, category of interest, vertical, role)
• Scripts/templates (if tele is involved)
• Information collection strategy
• Teleprospecting scripts
• Email templates
• Pre-call/post-call content
• Multi-touch reconstituted program
• Content to serve
• Information collection strategy
Transition
• Lead scoring schematic(s)
• Lead definition threshold(s)
• Lead scoring schematic(s)
• Tele-triggers/definitions
• Sales removal permissions
• Contact rules (number of timesdialed/emailed)
• Requalification rule set
• Lead scoring schematic
Disposition
• Marketing automation/CRM linkages
• Service-level agreements (marketing to tele, marketing to field)
• Lead bypass rule set
• Procedural rejection rules
• Service-level agreements (marketing to tele, tele to field)
• Lead bypass rule set
• Procedural rejection rules
• Non-qualifier/no contact pass (tele to marketing)
• Qualifier pass (tele to field)
• Non-qualifier/no contact pass (into long-term recycling)
• Qualifier pass (tele to field)
Use our checklist to determine your readiness.
© 2014 SiriusDecisions. All Rights Reserved 42
Action Items
• Audit current nurturing initiatives against the SiriusDecision Lead
Nurturing Framework
• Implement appropriate nurture types in your demand creation
programs
• Create or audit service-level agreement (SLA) with sales to ensure
SiriusDecision Lead Nurturing Framework adherence
4
2
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