What would happen if you changed the cadence of your multi-step lead nurturing campaign? How would changing the campaign tempo affect response rates, sales conversions, opt-outs, etc?
We were asking these questions of our own lead nurturing campaign at Right On Interactive. We ran a test and realized a significant increase in campaign performance. I’d like to share the results.
When Right On Interactive initially designed its multi-step lead nurturing campaign for new web leads, we debated how often we should communicate with new leads in a given period. We didn’t want to “over-communicate.” We configured our lead nurturing software, 5Buckets, for this cadence: After a new web lead arrives, a follow-up email is triggered immediately. After waiting seven days, the second lead nurture email is sent. After another seven days, the third lead nurture email is delivered. That adds up to three communications in 15-days. That seemed reasonable. Response rates were above B2B marketing averages; conversions to sales opportunities were good; opt-out rates were low.
We decided to do a split-test to see what would happen if the lead nurturing campaign clock was tweaked. The email content remains unchanged. The only variable is the timing. We tested a scenario of three communications in 8-days. In this case, the follow-up email is sent the day after the initial web form is submitted. The second lead nurture email is sent two days later. Four days after that, the third lead nurture email is delivered. Comparing the two lead nurturing cadence scenarios, here are the results:
• Nurture #1 (follow-up email) response rate decreased 42%
• Nurture #2 response rate increased 40%
• Nurture #3 response rate increased 46%
• Opt-out rate decreased 75%
• Conversion of leads to opportunities increased 7%
Overall, we were pleased with the results. The faster campaign cadence increased overall engagement as well as sales opportunity conversion. It’s interesting that the one-day delay in the initial follow up had such a negative impact.
Our next test is forthcoming. We are testing a change in the lead nurturing email design. In a future post, I’ll let you know how that works.
In the meantime, remember the marketer’s mantra: Test, test, test.
In the recent webcast co-sponsored by Compendium Blogware and Right On Interactive, Chris Baggott, co-founder and CEO of Compendium illustrated how business blogging – done the right way – will maximize organic search engine rankings and will have a dramatic impact on your ability to generate marketing leads. I spoke about the equally important aspect of cultivating these new relationships through a progression of relevant email communications – a multi-step lead nurturing program. (View the webinar replay)
When generating leads via blogs or other social media initiatives, a lot of companies only reach out to these new leads via email or phone once or twice. Or, if a sales opportunity is created and later fizzles, the sales lead never makes it back to marketing.
Instead, the best lead nurturing strategy is an automated drip campaign that cultivates a relationship with each individual over time and automatically recycles inactive sales leads.
These lead nurturing campaigns can be time-based or response-driven where, based on how a lead responds to each step, a new path is taken – with an appropriate delivery cadence.
Multi-step Lead Nurturing Results
What’s the value? The results of multi-step lead nurturing campaigns are significantly higher than those with a single-step. For example, in a recent campaign, several thousand new web leads completed a six step process over a 15-week period. Each received a new article or whitepaper in a six part series. Engagement with this group was four-times the rate it would have been with a single-step campaign.
For your next blog or social media campaign, add a series of follow up email tactics that engage new leads with a series of related articles or other educational content. Marketing automation software enables you to quickly create this lead nurturing campaign, execute without manual intervention, and considerably improve business results.
New case study details how leading business blogging platform provider increases customer success with automated on-boarding communications
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – October 5, 2009 – Right On Interactive, maker of 5Buckets marketing automation software, today announced business blogging platform provider Compendium Blogware has selected its software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution to develop deeper relationships with buyers throughout the customer lifecycle.
Compendium Blogware customers are companies that are looking to improve organic search results, and generate online demand. Engaging bloggers to create consistent content is essential to the long-term success of any business blogging strategy.
“We know our customers gain the greatest value from Compendium when bloggers post content on a regular basis,” says Chris Baggott, CEO and co-founder of Compendium Blogware. “With Right On Interactive, we are able to automate a sophisticated communication program that keeps content creation top of mind and encourages consistent content creation.”
“Savvy marketers like Compendium recognize that systematic communications throughout the customer lifecycle is a cornerstone to building lasting profitable relationships,” says Troy Burk, President of Right On Interactive. “5Buckets enables organizations of all sizes to acquire and retain more customers through effective customer lifecycle communications.”
Read the case study of how Compendium Blogware is using 5Buckets to navigate the on-ramp of new customer success.
About Right On Interactive
Right On Interactive is a customer lifecycle marketing automation software provider that helps organizations increase new and repeat business. Its 5Buckets “software-as-a-service” (SaaS) solution enables marketers to easily segment, schedule, and trigger relevant out-bound communications to customers and prospects through email, voice messaging, text, fax, and direct mail. In 2009, Right On Interactive was offered $1.3 million in performance-based tax credits and training grants by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The company is also a 2009 Indianapolis Techpoint Mira Award Finalist. For more information about Right On Interactive, visit www.rightoninteractive.com.
About Compendium Blogware
Compendium Blogware is a Web-based blogging platform built for businesses and organizations. With its administrative layers and proprietary compending feature that maximizes search engine optimization, the company offers businesses a search marketing solution for lead generation, customer acquisition and humanizing their marketing. Compendium Blogware has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, BtoB Magazine and DM News. The company is also a 2008 Indianapolis Techpoint Mira Award Finalist and a 2008 recipient of Indiana Company to Watch presented by Indiana Economic Development Corporation.
###
A new demonstration of 5Buckets for Appexchange is available online. 5Buckets for Appexchange seamlessly integrates with Salesforce.com to automate communications with customers and prospects throughout the customer lifecycle – from initial contact to brand loyalty.
5Buckets enhances the power of Salesforce.com by using data in any Salesforce object, including Leads, Contacts, Campaigns, and Cases, to create actionable marketing segments. 5Buckets then schedules or triggers outbound communications to these segments via email, voice messaging, SMS (text), fax, and direct mail.
The 5-minute demo shows Salesforce.com users how to use 5Buckets to configure an automated lead nurturing campaign, including steps to:
- Create advanced audience segmentations
- Automate multi-touch, multi-channel marketing communications
- Automate follow up actions using Salesforce Tasks
Register here to view the 5Buckets for Appexchange Demo.
A classic Seinfeld moment (YouTube) has Jerry arguing with a rental car agent about their poor reservation management. Simply replace a few words in his famous quote and one could imagine a frustrated salesperson venting to their marketing department.
Jerry: See, you know how to generate the lead, you just don’t know how to *manage* the lead and that’s really the most important part of the lead, the managing. Anybody can just generate them (wildly waving his arms).
In today’s challenging business climate, companies are looking to squeeze more out of their existing leads database. To succeed, marketers must focus on lead management fundamentals that increase sales conversions with fewer resources.
In the whitepaper report, “Action Guide to Lead Management Success,” Right On Interactive offers a primer for implementing an effective lead management program that enables marketers to:
- Send higher quality leads to the sales team;
- Nurture leads that have the potential for future purchase; and
- Recycle inactive sales leads
Excerpted from the report, here are eight action steps that will put effective lead management in place faster than Newman grabbing the last doughnut
- Clean and Append Audience Data
- Establish a Lead Scoring Methodology
- Map Audience Segments to Relevant Messaging
- Nurture Buyer Relationships
- Follow-up Immediately
- Reclaim Abandoned Sales Leads
- Measure the Right Things
- Automate the Lead Management Process
You can download the full report, Action Guide to Lead Management Success, when you register here.
INDIANAPOLIS (June 12, 2009) — Lt. Governor Becky Skillman joined executives from marketing automation provider Right On Interactive today to announce the company’s plans to expand its operations here, creating 100 new jobs by 2014.
The provider of integrated, on-demand marketing automation software and database marketing services will invest more than $1.3 million to expand and upgrade equipment at its Downtown Indianapolis headquarters.
“Growing high-technology business like Right On Interactive in Indiana is among our highest priorities as a state,” said Skillman.” We must continue to look for opportunities to make expansion possible for great companies like this that create high-paying opportunities for Hoosier workers.”
Right On Interactive, whose customers include Conseco, Marsh Supermarkets, and Wild Birds Unlimited, plans to begin hiring additional technology support, business development, and client services associates in the third quarter of 2009 as work begins on equipment and facility upgrades.
“Our strong growth is a testament to the value our innovative products and services are delivering to our customers,” said Troy Burk, president of Right on Interactive. “We’re proud of our Hoosier roots and the ability to contribute to Indiana’s continuing economic growth.”
Founded in 2006, Right On Interactive (ROI) provides integrated, on-demand customer lifecycle marketing automation software and database marketing services for organizations of all sizes. The company helps marketers leverage technology to increase revenue while decreasing the cost of acquiring and retaining customers.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Right On Interactive up to $1.1 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $21,500 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. The City of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Economic Development, Inc. will support property tax abatement for Right On Interactive before the Metropolitan Development Commission.
“These are good quality jobs opening up for our workforce, and we’re happy to be able to help bring these opportunities to Indianapolis,” said Mayor Greg Ballard. “We are excited to have Right On Interactive in Indianapolis and we’re going to continue to work with private industry to bring more jobs like these to our community.”
Right On Interactive’s expansion in Indiana follows Indianapolis apparel merchandiser MainGate’s March announcement that it will invest more than $3.6 million to expand its headquarters and manufacturing center on the city’s west side, creating 75 new jobs.
About Right On Interactive
Right On Interactive is a marketing automation software provider that increases return on marketing investment by helping companies build better relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. 5Buckets is an on-demand subscription service that automates the sophisticated and time consuming tasks associated with customer lifecycle marketing. 5Buckets functions as a “marketing automation hub,” connecting disparate databases with multiple marketing communication technologies. 5Buckets enables marketers to easily segment, schedule, and trigger relevant out-bound communications to customers and prospects through email, voice messaging, text, fax, and direct mail. For more information about Right On Interactive, visit www.rightoninteractive.com.
About IEDC
Created by Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Indiana Secretary of Commerce Mitch Roob serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.
Media Contacts:
Richard Cunningham (Right On Interactive) 317.225.5868 or rcunningham@rightoninteractive.com
Blair West (IEDC) – 317.232.8873 or BWest@iedc.in.gov
###
Marketing Automation Software Maker Selected as Information Technology Gazelle Finalist
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – April 21, 2009 – Right On Interactive, maker of the 5Buckets on-demand marketing automation solution, today announced it has been named as a finalist in the 2009 TechPoint Mira Awards Information Technology Gazelle category.
The prestigious Mira Awards represent the top technology businesses, business professionals and educators in the state of Indiana. “We are honored to be named a finalist as an Information Technology Gazelle,” said Troy Burk, president of Right On Interactive. “This achievement reflects our team’s passion for delivering to our customers and partners a world-class marketing automation solution.”
The 2009 winners will be announced at an “Oscars-style” award ceremony being held Saturday, May 16 at The Westin Indianapolis. TechPoint will also honor the past Mira Awards winners and finalists attending the ceremony.
About Right On Interactive
Right On Interactive is an interactive marketing software company dedicated to helping companies build better relationships with their constituents. 5Buckets is an on-demand subscription service that automates the sophisticated and time consuming tasks associated with customer lifecycle marketing. 5Buckets functions as a “universal connector”, integrating disparate databases with multiple marketing communication technologies. 5Buckets enables marketers to easily segment, schedule, and trigger relevant out-bound communications to customers and prospects through email, voice messaging, text, fax, and direct mail. For media inquiries, contact Luke Newton at 317.225.5871 or lnewton@rightoninteractive.com. To learn more, go to http://www.rightoninteractive.com.
About TechPoint
TechPoint is Indiana’s only statewide technology initiative, representing industry stakeholders including publicly-traded companies, private businesses, colleges and research universities, and local economic development organizations. The mission of TechPoint is to accelerate Indiana’s emerging and vibrant information technology sector by: promoting the successes of IT companies and professionals; supporting the formation, expansion, and attraction of IT companies; and advocating appropriate public policy. Visit www.techpoint.org.
###
Right On Interactive recently announced a new webinar and companion white paper entitled, “Seven Steps to Effective Customer Lifecycle Communications.” I hope you can join us on Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
This event is now over. Watch the recorded webinar.
In this 30-minute live webinar, we present a framework for implementing a customer lifecycle communications strategy and actionable steps to plan your first project. Plus, we’ll show how 5Buckets customer lifecycle marketing software automates the lifecycle communications process.
When you register for the webinar, we’ll send you the companion white paper. It’s a primer for getting started on the road to maximizing the lifetime value of your customers.
