Conversational marketing is pretty much what the name implies: having a conversation. Rather than traditional marketing tactics, you’re talking with your leads, rather than at them. It’s about addressing what matters to them first, then offering solutions. And while most of the conversational marketing you may hear about is used through chatbots or social media, you may be surprised just how effective it can be through email, starting with…
Prospecting
Finding and verifying new leads through prospecting is easier when you keep your messages brief and ask a single question. For example, say you’re marketing for a company that sells customer service training programs to other businesses. Here’s how you might broach that subject in your first email.
Hi Jane,
I was curious what kinds of customer service training programs you currently use at [company’s name]. Are you the best person to talk about them?
These types of emails aren’t meant for promoting your services, but to find who the right people are for those conversations. Once you confirm that, you can dig a little deeper into their current needs, and see whether they’re a fit for your services. Conversational marketing is important at this stage because you’re asking your leads for help.
Email Marketing
As your leads transition from prospecting to email marketing, the same approach holds. Sure, these emails may contain more information, but they should still sound as natural as talking to someone in person. You want your leads to feel like they have an active role in the material you’re sharing. For example:
Hi Jane,
I thought you might enjoy an early sneak peek at the new training programs we’ll be rolling out this month. You can take a look at them here [link].
Plus, we’ll be meeting on [date] to talk more about them in detail, if you’d like to join that discussion.
Do these look like they could benefit your team?
Timely Responses
While prospecting and email marketing are both more effective when automated, individual responses from your leads can’t be as streamlined, and for good reason: those are the ones you want to focus your attention on for scheduling sales calls and closing deals. They’re the most relationship-intensive parts of the funnel, and require the quickest response times. You don’t have to be as immediate as a chatbot, but you’d do well to answer emails from your leads within twenty-four hours. Otherwise, they may think you aren’t really interested, and are more likely to go elsewhere.
Forms ≠ Conversational Marketing
You may be tempted to ask your leads to fill out forms, but keep in mind that these aren’t part of conversational marketing. Even if they aren’t long, they can feel long. If you still decide to use them, keep them brief and easy to fill out.
If at all possible, try to replace that box-checking with human interactions that cover all of the same questions so that you get the feedback you need and make your leads feel heard.
Why Conversational Marketing Works
People are more inclined to talk when they’re asked questions. Asking makes them feel helpful, or the focus of attention. It helps lower the defenses they might have toward traditional sales pitches and potential spam emails. At the very least, it makes you look like a real person. It’s why one-on-one marketing relationships are so effective, and why new B2B business can thrive on it.
Ready to Have More Conversations?
Would you like guidance on the best ways to craft emails using conversational marketing? We would love to talk with you! Click the button below to schedule time for a free marketing discussion.
