Post-Conversion Analysis: Digital Engagement Tactics for B2B Companies

By Robert Leonard, Senior Content Specialist

Almost half (49%) of DemandGen’s 2020 Lead Nurturing Survey respondents indicated that their lead nurturing efforts need improvement, and only 8% of them claimed their lead nurturing efforts were “excellent.”¹

Lead nurturing is a challenge even in the best of times, but in a constantly expanding digital business landscape, finding what works can be even more difficult. Once a lead has been created and qualified, there are many ways marketing and sales can nurture them through to a sale, with different strategies working best for different companies.

Learn how Ironpaper can help you generate demand for your products and services.

Top post-conversion activities for B2B companies

Ironpaper surveyed 159 B2B leaders to find out how industry leaders most commonly follow up with leads once they’ve converted.

The three most common responses won’t surprise many marketing and sales professionals. But are they utilizing these post-conversion strategies as effectively as possible? Each one requires an understanding of the customer’s pain points and goals and effective use of each team’s knowledge and experience.

Schedule a sales call

Fifty-five percent of B2B leaders surveyed reported sending new customers to a sales representative for an initial call, making it the most common post-conversion activity.

This finding cuts to the core issue of who is best prepared to guide a new lead toward becoming a customer: your sales team. Salespeople know the pain points, your customers’ challenges, and the day-to-day roadblocks that get in the way of leads successfully doing business. Your sales team represents a strong opportunity for post-conversion nurturing.

However, successful B2B marketing requires teamwork. Marketing will struggle with its efforts to engage potential leads if sales hasn’t first shared data on who converts; similarly, sales will struggle to provide a consistent experience unless marketing shares data on what messaging and pain points attracted each lead.

Without data sharing between marketing and sales, B2B companies will find it challenging to communicate effectively with their customers at every stage of their journey. Alignment between sales and marketing is necessary for long-term campaign success in B2B growth. 

What can you do? Be obsessed with alignment between your sales and marketing teams.

1. When sending leads directly to sales, develop buyer-focused sales enablement content.

2. Ensure sales messaging matches your marketing assets. Don’t offer what your sales team can’t deliver.

3. Listen to the new customer’s needs and goals, and ensure that data is shared between teams.

Act Now

The second most reported activity post-conversion was conducting a product or solution demo. Nearly 21% of our clients recognized this essential post-conversion activity as a critical aspect of nurturing leads.

Data sharing between marketing and sales will make this handoff smoother and allow the salesperson to provide a tailored demo experience to the lead. Once a lead has shown interest in a product demo, they are firmly in the Consideration phase. All of their interactions with your messaging should be highly personalized to their pain points, goals, and interests.

What can you do? Provide a personalized experience for each leach using data from both sales and marketing.

1. Provide personalized recorded demos leads can share with others in the buying group. Show them how your product will benefit them.

2. Encourage leads to ask questions about a presentation or demonstration and use their questions and concerns to further tailor your communication with them.

3. Be direct and propose options for when you can take the next step.

Let social media be your guide

Nineteen percent of respondents said they use advertising or social media to engage leads post-conversion. Your target audience - ideal customers - should guide the platforms you utilize, and this post-engagement strategy should also utilize tailored, targeted content.

Your marketing messaging and communication decisions are guided by your customers’ digital preferences and interests. Engaging them on social media allows your sales and marketing teams to share data and work together to engage leads.

What can you do? Engage leads with meaningful, targeted content on their preferred social media platforms.

1. Use retargeting to provide personalized ads and content directly to your leads.

2. Determine which social media platforms your new customers use the most, and position your marketing content accordingly.

3. Follow your customer on social media. You can uncover a lot of hidden interests and goals that might not otherwise come up in an initial interview.

Make post-conversion a long-term relationship

Above all, post-conversion engagement should continue building on the relationship you have already developed with your leads. Utilizing product demos, targeted content, and retargeting, you can engage leads in a way that builds trust and encourages them to continue moving through the funnel.

Sources
¹DemandGen, Lead Nurturing Survey Report, 2020