"A lot of marketers say they are 'nurturing' their prospects when in reality all they are doing is sending out nice brochures or marketing copy focused on product releases or company announcements," writes Brian Carroll at the B2B Lead Generation Blog. With that in mind, he discusses activities that do—and do not—belong in a true nurturing program. Here are some highlights:

• You can't say you're nurturing leads when you periodically send the same old case study to everyone on your email list. If, however, you send new content to a targeted list or follow up individually with information relevant to a recent conversation, you're on the right track.
• It isn't really nurture, either, if your whitepapers overtly push your product or service. The idea is to give your leads valuable information that improves their business with no strings attached. "Your audience is more savvy than ever," he notes. "They are also more hungry than ever for some real sustenance. Take advantage of that."

The Po!nt: Think like a lead. Are you more likely to buy from a company that calls once a month to ask whether you're ready to buy, or from a company that sends you compelling content just when you need it?

Source: B2B Lead Generation Blog. Click here for the full post.

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