- First they realize they have a problem or aspiration (awareness).
- Next they try to figure out what their options are and how to compare them in an apples-to-apples way
- Finally they make a choice between the similar options they can afford, based on the strength of the relationship they have with the competing vendors
For prospects who are ready to have a conversation now, it’s essential to provide a way to engage with a person.
For instance, consider a simple call to action such as “To talk to an agent about Your Many Options When Selling Your Farm in Southwestern Ontario, call us at 000-000-0000”.
Some people are in research mode and aren’t ready to enter into a formal relationship with you. Having captured their email address you now have the option to drip-feed them useful information, by email over time. With each subsequent email read, you deepen the relationship with the client and educate them on what they need to know to realize their personal aspirations or solve their problem.
A series of emails can be set up to be sent automatically to the client on specific days once they’ve signed up to your list.
Nurturing messages are organized into two distinct groups.
The first 5-7 emails are called the Soap Opera sequence. This sequence establishes the setting that they find themselves in as they work towards their goal and the kinds of obstacles they might face as the protagonist. The email series introduces you and your story.
Email 1: Setting the Stage
The first email in the sequence is the introduction. It lets the audience know what to expect in upcoming emails.
One of the most effective ways to build anticipation is to start your first email by promising to tell your audience a secret. It’s important to convey what the secret did for you and why you’re eager to share it.
You should always end the first email with a teaser telling people to be on the lookout for your next email.
Email 2: Drama and Backstory
The second email in the sequence has to include a lot of drama to hook the reader. Many companies use this email to talk about a time when they were in trouble. Perhaps the market hit an all-time low and they thought that their company would fail.
The end of the second email should hint at what’s to come. In other words, it should let your audience know that you figured it out and saved your company – and you’re reading to tell them how you did it… next time.
Email 3: Epiphany
The third email in a soap opera sequence is where you reveal the secret you discovered – the one that changed everything.
It might seem early to reveal the secret, but the trick here is not to be coy. You can reveal it, but you’ll also draw it out by letting them know that in your next email, you’ll share even more helpful information.
Email 4: Hidden Benefits
The fourth email in the sequence should be focused on the hidden benefits of your product or service – the one that came to you when you had your epiphany.
The trick here is to make these hidden benefits truly hidden. They shouldn’t be things that your readers figured out as soon as they heard your epiphany. You have to spin them in such a way that this email feels like a revelation.
Email 5: Urgency and Call to Action
The final email in a soap opera sequence is where you hit your readers with a strong, direct sales pitch. Every email in the sequence will include a call to action, but this email should entice them to act immediately.
When you are nurturing leads in this way you are LIGHT YEARS ahead of most people in your industry, in terms of marketing-effectiveness.
Once the Soap Opera Sequence has run it’s course we move on to the Seinfeld sequence.
The Seinfeld Sequence: Seinfeld was the show about nothing. Each episode could be viewed without the benefit of ever having seen any other episode. Your emails to your list following the soap opera sequence is like that. Emails may be one-offs, topical, personal informational or something else entirely. They just can’t be boring. They don’t have to be long. You can keep a well of ideas flowing by setting GOOGLE ALERTS for topics and issues that are important in your industry.
Mail sequences can be set up with a free MailChimp account http://www.mailchimp.com
Mailchimp is free for users with less than 2000 emails in their list.
