May 2, 2024

Rethinking Nurture Sequences: The Case for Contextual Engagement

By Michael G. · 2 minute read

We all know nurture sequences and multi-touch approaches are what convert and engage customers. Typically, these sequences are just some sort of linear trajectory: a customer shows interest and then they’re locked into the extensive chain of emails that follow as well as nudges via social media or retargeting ads. Is the relentless pursuit effective or does it pull the risk of alienating a potential customer? The answer isn’t as simple as it seems…

The Problem with Linear Nurture Sequences

Consider the following: a customer downloads your whitepaper. Does this justify them being sent ten plus emails detailing all the features and benefits of your product? If they were to attend a webinar, does that automatically toss them into follow up calls from the SDR for the next three weeks? These not only presume the level of interest that may or may not exist, but it also ignores the customer’s current engagement level.

What this means is that traditional, linear nurture sequences follow a guideline of “one-size-fits-all” which ultimately fails to recognize the unique intentions and needs of each customer. The result? Customers might feel overwhelmed or frustrated, receiving irrelevant sales content/assets when all they wanted was some information.

The Power of Segmentation and Contextual Engagement

To really make an effort to resonate with customers, companies should use some sort of segmentation and contextual engagement. This involves understanding and respecting where individual customers actually stand in their buyer journey, rather than where we think or wish they were.

An Alternative Strategy:

Educational Engagement for Learners: If a customer engages or interacts on a purely educational level (i.e., reading a blog, downloading a whitepaper) you should aim to keep the nurture sequence educational as well. Provide more in-depth guides, case studies, newsletters, or loom/screen recordings which enrich their understanding without the push for sales.

Sales-Oriented Engagement for Potential Buyers: Only when a prospect engages in activity that indicates buying interest (i.e., requesting a demo or pricing) should you then push them into a sequence nurturing to the sale.

Taking one or both of these approaches and segmenting based on them respects your prospect’s needs and boundaries. It also tends to build better trust with them as they’ll feel more valued and slightly more understood. Another unmentioned benefit is that adopting this approach allows prospects to self-select into sales cadences, which is more likely to convert because the prospect would know when they feel ready and are willing to explore the purchase stage.

Commitment to Content Diversity

This engagement also requires content that will build trust and boost your overall strategy. Companies have to be prepared to invest in creating content that addresses each stage of the buyer journey. However, this doesn’t just mean crafting sales content, but it also includes the valuable educational pieces that a prospect can appreciate even when they aren’t ready to make a purchase.

Adding this content will allow any company to effectively nurture the relationships due to the more personalized and respectful manner of it. This ensures prospects receive the right type of content at the right time, making each interaction meaningful and tailored to their needs.

Takeaways

Prospects and customers are our best friends. However, we don’t treat them as such as most companies will bombard them with information through multiple channels. It’s important that you and your business stand out by being considerate and context-aware in the marketing efforts you put forth. By adopting segmentation and context-driven approach to nurturing, business can build deeper trust and a loyal audience, which are fundamental pieces to long-term engagements.