Is Drip Marketing For You?

Drip marketing is the term that's being applied to lead nurturing these days. Somehow the "drip" part sounds like slow water torture to me, but that seems to be the term, so we'll drop that lovely visual and move on.

Many companies are still doing batch & blast marketing--sending one-off messages that don't do a thing to build a relationship. In fact, the best thing that can be said about them is that these messages seem to be coming with alarming consistency.

It's time to take a look at what "drip" marketing is and frame the thinking about what it does and how it can help content marketers to build better relationships with potential buyers through engagement with high-value content.

Definition: Drip marketing is a nurturing program that sends out a series of messages on a timed basis to leads who have given their permission to hear from you.

To get a bit more in-depth, designed well, this is a nurturing process created to deliver incremental high-value information that adds value to your leads as they consider how to best address their highest priorities. Because, let's face it, that's all they have time to pay attention to.

Drip marketing gives you the opportunity to create interactions that help both you and the lead get to know each other better. You provide information they want and they get it because they're willing to give you more information about themselves with each response they make to your communications.

In fact, research shows that using progressive forms that pre-populate with the lead's existing information and then ask for a bit more are completed 25% more of the time. The theory is that by showing them they've already chosen to give you their information, you've eliminated that consideration, so it's easier for them to move forward. They also have expectations about the value of the information on the other side of the form due to past experience.

The results for click through and open rates are also better -- by about 18% and 25% respectively when compared to single send, one-off emails.

Considering that at least 70% of your lead database has a longer-term horizon than what's effective for sales activities, incorporating a "drip" nurturing process into your marketing communication efforts is a compelling choice.

  • Learn more about your leads and be able to finely tune segmentation efforts.

  • Create "interest tracks" and more assuredly add value with the content you share on each track.

  • Improve response with each touch point and have more influence on how leads frame their thinking and consideration on how to solve their most pressing problems.

The consistency of your communications, both in frequency and in targeted subject matter will build your credibility and also encourage those not really interested in buying to opt out. This may sound counter-intuitive, but it's helpful to know you're focused on the leads who actively want to be involved with you. Saves everyone's time.

Which finally means that salespeople will get highly qualified leads -- but more importantly -- they'll get insights to true interests that you've culled from the lead's virtual behavior over time. Insights salespeople can use to frame their conversations for higher relevance.

Since most b2b sales cycles are over 6 months, drip marketing can be your ace in the hole for gaining knowledge about your target market, building credibility, becoming the imprint for expertise in how to help your leads answer priorities...and much more.

So, what do you think? Is Drip Marketing for you?

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B2B marketing strategist and CEO of Marketing Interactions, Ardath Albee helps companies significantly increase their marketing effectiveness by generating more and better leads for their sales organization. She helps them capture the attention of web site visitors, and keep in touch with high value content till they are "sales ready."