Nurturing Sales Leads After Small Business Saturday
“The fortune is in the follow-up.” It’s not just a saying; it’s true. Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to get new people into your store, build awareness with a new audience, and make additional sales. However, if you don’t nurture your sales leads after Small Business Saturday, you’re missing an incredible opportunity and leaving a lot of money on the table.
Capitalizing on Small Business Saturday
Many business owners know that Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity for local brick-and-mortar retailers. What you may not realize is that Small Business Saturday is also great for online retailers, service businesses, and consultants as well. Everyone can benefit from encouragement to shop small.
There are a lot of resources available to help you. You can create specific marketing materials, advertise locally and online to reach local consumers, and create contests and specials to draw in a new audience. Even people who don’t buy from you right away are still gaining awareness about your business. This makes them valuable leads.
Collecting Sales Leads During Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday may bring new people into your store, but do you have a way to follow up with them afterward? If you are an online retailer holding a contest or using a coupon code, do you know how to collect information from those who don’t buy?
Know who you draw in, so those new leads don’t slip through the cracks, never to be seen again. The best way to do this is through automation. But if you don’t have anything set up, at least get people to fill out their information on paper. Collect names, phone numbers, and email addresses as a way to enter a drawing or gain another incentive. This will give you a wealth of data to follow up with after the big day has passed.
How to Nurture Sales Leads after Small Business Saturday
Once you have the information from your new leads, whether they purchased or not, it’s time to follow up. The best follow-up will have these characteristics:
- Personalized. You use their name in the emails or calls. Make reference to the contest they entered or drawing they put their name in for. That way they know who you are, why you have their information, and that you know them personally.
- Entertaining. People are far more interested in being entertained than they are in learning or listening. Make your communication fun and interesting, and put a key lesson or request at the end.
- Have a Clear Call to Action. What do you want them to do next? Should they use a new coupon code, come back to the store for a special event, or visit your website? Make it clear what you want them to do after they receive your message.
To save yourself enormous amounts of time, consider using an automated email sequence to follow up. When those emails are personalized and use great subject lines, you’ll get better open rates and engagement. Follow other important steps, such as keeping emails brief and using a deadline in your call to action. You’ll be able to get your leads to read your messages and respond.
They key is to continue to nurture your sales leads long after the event. Only a small number of your leads are likely to buy from you immediately. If you continue to follow up, engage, and create irresistible offers, you’re going to convert a lot more of them. Also, your initial buyers can become repeat customers and send you referrals. That’s a win-win!
If you'd like to learn more about nurturing sales leads after Small Business Saturday, including how to automate the process, contact me for a free consultation today!