Lead Generation Company | The Power of Story-Telling in Lead Nurturing and Scoring
If you listened to the VP of Marketing and co-founder at Marketo, Jon Miller, discuss lead nurturing in a Find New Customers podcast, (to subscribe to these podcasts for free, click those underlined words.”) you heard why it is so important.
The fact is that many businesses are potential customers that are not ready to buy today, but may buy in the future.
Unless you find a way to connect and build trust over time until they are ready to buy, these prospective customers can be lost forever.
In this article, I explore how businesses should talk to prospective customers, especially highlighting the importance of good stories.
I also invite you to watch a video clip of B2B marketing expert, Ardath Albee of MarketingInteractions talking about story-telling in her keynote presentation at Demandcon: Click the link below to watch her keynote address.
DemandCon Video: Storytelling Turns Prospects Into Buyers
In her keynote, Ardath says “How many times can I hear ‘We are the leading provider of?’” Amen, Ardath! She’s right when she says it is just noise. No one cares.
I was presenting to a group of software CEOs in NYC when I noticed a company plaque on the wall “(We) are the leading provider of software to financial services firm in the world.” I said to them “Do you really think any of your prospective customers care about chest-thumping?“
Look at the girl reading a book. Could she be engrossed in product specs and speeds and feeds? How about your world-class whatchamacallit? Is she impressed that you “are the leading provider of…”. No, she’s reading a story that captures her imagination. That’s what your marketing team needs to do. Tell stories that capture imagination.
The first rule every marketing must embrace when they look at lead nurturing programs is this: Companies don’t buy. People do. Since we’re speaking to people rather than companies, one must engage on an emotional level. You need to build trust and confidence in your company and the very best way to connect in this manner is through the use of stories. People react to stories on an emotional level and trust the companies they connect with. Use simple language, as if you were across the table at a diner.
Think of companies you respect: perhaps Apple, BMW, Southwest Airlines, and Singapore Air. In each case, do you think of the technicalies of the products? Or do you think of innovative designs, a driver’s car, friendly service and pure elegance? Those are companies that built a brand by telling stories.
There are no hard and fast rules for story-telling. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be patient and gentle. Don’t overdo it. Think outside the box. Don’t be afraid.
I cannot tell you what to write in your story. But here’s a link to a great e-book by my client/partner on Telling Your Brand Story to Grow Sales. In fact, maybe you need to recruit differently or outsource it — check out my partner. But think of how you can engage your prospective buyers with stories and you’ll prosper.
Check out the Lead Nurturing and Scoring service from the lead generation company Find New Customers
