The document discusses creating an effective lead nurturing strategy in 90 days. It recommends focusing thought leadership content on addressing buyers' problems within specific themes over multiple campaign cycles. An effective program establishes credibility by producing educational content and webinars on one theme in the first 90 days before expanding to additional themes. The content should address all stages of the buyer journey from problem definition to decision criteria. Measuring results is important to test and improve the nurturing strategy over time.

1. +
Create a Winning Lead Nurturing
Strategy in 90 Days
Henry Bruce, President
The Rock Annand Group
September 29, 2012
#B2BCamp
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential
@hebruce

2. Let’s be social today …
#B2Bcamp
@hebruce
Wifi:
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 2

3. Some interesting stats to consider …
■ 70% of buy cycle complete before sales is engaged
■ Only 10 - 25% of new lead inquiries are “sales-ready”
■ 3 out of 4 sales opportunities come from leads that
are NOT sales-ready
■ 65% of B2B marketers have not established lead
nurturing
Sources: Forrester, Gartner, Gleanster, Forrester, Marketing Sherpa, Sirius Decisions
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 3

4. Lead Nurturing Driven Results
■ Lead management practices drive 10+% increase in
revenues in 6-9 months
■ Good lead nurturers generate 50% more sales ready
leads at 33% less costs
■ Mature lead management teams have 9+% higher
sales quota achievement rate
■ Lead nurturing emails have 4-10x response rate vs.
“batch and blast” emails.
■ Nurtured leads drive 20% increase in sales opps
Sources: CSO Insights, DemandGen Report, Forrester, Gartner
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 4

5. #1 Sales & Marketing Challenge
Generating Qualified Opportunities
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential

6. #1 Sales & Marketing Challenge
Generating Qualified Opportunities
75% to 90%
of the time,
cost & effort
10% to 25%
qualified
leads
0.3% to 1.3% Closed Sales
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential

7. #2 Sales & Marketing Challenge
Producing & Delivering Compelling Content
The Buyer Cycle
Building Buyer Centric Sales Engine for NY Tech 7

8. #2 Sales & Marketing Challenge
Producing & Delivering Compelling Content
How Buyers Spend Time:
■ 23% in discussion with
colleagues
■ 19% searching the web
■ 19% with educational content
■ 18% reviewing promot’l content
■ 21% with sales team interaction
IDC Webinar: 2012 Sales Enablement Strategy: Content is King so Why Does Sales Feel Like a Jester?
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 8

9. #2 Sales & Marketing Challenge
Producing & Delivering Compelling Content
How Buyers Spend Time: Buyers Top Complaints:
■ 23% in discussion with ■ 33% - too much content that’s useless
colleagues ■ 29% - content not relevant
■ 19% searching the web ■ 24% - content does not meet needs of
■ 19% with educational content all stakeholders
■ 18% reviewing promot’l content ■ 23% - not enough educational content
■ 21% with sales team interaction ■ Other complaints:
 Content too long
 Not enough video/audio
 Content hard to share with others
IDC Webinar: 2012 Sales Enablement Strategy: Content is King so Why Does Sales Feel Like a Jester?
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 9

10. Demonstrate Thought Leadership
Where Do You Start?
■ Focus on your buyer’s problems … NOT products
 Start with the primary problem you solve
■ Break the problem down into 3-4 main themes
 Why multiple themes? Buyers each have their “hot-buttons”.
■ For example: eSignature Process Automation
 Audience: Financial Services (banks, lenders, debt services)
 Problem: Customer service expectations and regulatory
compliance strain operational efficiency and increase costs
 Themes: Focus on business process areas
• Automated account opening
• Loan origination and consolidation
• Debt consolidation
• Customer account management
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 10

11. Program Fundamentals:
Focus on 1 Theme for First 90 Days
■ Develop one good content piece
 Usually involves re-purposing existing content
 Focus on problem as it relates to the buyer
 Present solution as it relates to you … BUT don’t mention your product
 Relate a client case study … Highlight results they achieved
 No more than 1500 words, ideally 800-1000 words
■ Develop 90 day campaign focused on that theme:
 1st Cycle: Promote the content (email, BLOG post, tweet)
 2nd Cycle: Webinar on the topic/theme (ideally with client)
 3rd Cycle: Recap with content, webinar and client case study
 Create a separate landing page for all program components
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 11

12. Program Fundamentals:
Focus for Next Two Quarters
■ Repeat the campaign cycle for theme #2 in Q2, theme #3 in Q3, etc.
■ Other TIPS:
 Optimize for search for each campaign
 If permission-based contacts is a problem, consider using reputable
3rd party publishers, analysts
 Drive themes to other media channels
• LinkedIn, Twitter, Syndicated sites, guest blog posts
 Re-purpose into other format … Blog posts, Voice-over slides, Video
 Establish “Welcome Campaign” for Inbound leads:
• Qualify interest. Where are they in Buy Cycle?
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 12

13. Program Fundamentals:
Create Content for Each Stage of Buy Cycle
Buyer wants to: Define Problem Evaluate Decide &
Solutions Commit
Content should Education & Solutions & Credentials &
focus on: Thought Product Decision Criteria
Leadership Suitability
Some content  Problem  Differentiators  How to buy
definition/themes business case
examples:  Solution
 Whitepapers/ comparisons  Testimonials
webinars  3rd party product  In depth case/use
 3rd Party coverage reviews studies
 Case studies  Implementation  ROI/TCO analysis
 Solution plans
approaches  Product roadmap
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 13

14. Summary and Take Aways
■ Focus on lead quality NOT quantity
■ Demonstrate thought leadership to gain credibility
■ Focus beyond the immediate quarter
■ Establish a platform that builds your “followers”
■ Test and measure everything ,,,
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential 14

15. henry@rockannandgroup.com
203-870-9076
Twitter: @hebruce
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/henrybruce
Blog: www.rockannandgroup.com/blog
T hank you … Questions??
c2012 Rock Annand Group Confidential