How To Generate And Nurture Leads In The Artworld In 5 Easy Steps
11 April 2022
Lead generation has been a marketing buzzword for a while, however, 61% of marketers say lead generation is their number one challenge. The art business is no different.
By way of definition, the lead generation process allows you to create marketing opportunities to capture information on potential buyers and nurture them through the sales cycle by offering them specific and relevant content. All businesses, no matter how small, should have a lead generation and nurture strategy.
People are becoming more marketing and ‘click here’ savvy and we have to work that much harder to generate leads. So how do you generate leads in the artworld and nurture them effectively?
“Customers are now smarter, more connected, more informed, more influenced and influential socially, and less likely to respond to campaign-bait. Marketing has to create content people actually want.” Tim Barker, Chief Product Officer, DataSift
Here are five easy steps to help you through the lead generation and nurture process:
Identify WHO you want as a lead.
Before you can generate leads, you need to understand WHO your target market is and what appeals to them. Each marketing persona is different with different media usage, and while some personas may appear similar, this may not be the case. You have to dig deep into your knowledge of your target market. Here are some questions to ask:
Once you have a detailed marketing persona, you need to OFFER them some form of value in return for their email address. The easiest way to do this is to create a lead magnet. A lead magnet is an incentive that drives prospective consumers to become new leads. There are different types of lead magnets and the most popular ones are:
Free Trial
Webinars
E-books
White papers
A set of tips
An interview with an expert on relevant topics
Newsletter
Lead Magnets, should be specific, have quality content, and be relevant and engaging to the target audience. Lead magnets should also be free and instantly accessible in order for them to entice your market.
Leads are 9x more likely to be converted if followed up by a sales call within 5 minutes Lead generation
Capture the Information
Once you have created and finalised your lead magnet, you need to focus on the information you would like to capture. Here are some common information requests:
Name
Surname
Telephone number
Email Address
Where they live
It is important to note that the more information you ask for, the less likely the lead is to give it. It is best to stick to name, surname, email address and telephone number as this requires the least amount of commitment and you have a stronger chance of getting the lead’s details - and that’s what this whole process is about.
Create a Perfect Landing Page
Landing pages are the least popular type of sign-up form, but they have the highest conversion rate (23%), and 62.6% of leading landing pages already use them. Hubspot
A landing page is a standalone web page that a person "lands" on after clicking through from a specific email or social media campaign. A landing page is not part of your website and should illicit some form of action ie. subscribe to a list. Here are some tips on creating a landing page that has the best chance of generating leads:
The headline of the landing page should be the same as that used in your email or social media campaign.
Include videos and images on your landing pages
Don’t ask for too much information as you may lose your lead.
Emphasize the benefits of the offer and its value to the lead.
Only include one call to action as the visitor may lose focus, become overwhelmed, and leave without giving you the information you require.
Ensure you have a detailed but short and succinct description of the offer
Include testimonials, case studies, and any information that can validate the offer’s value to the lead.
Addressing the lead’s barrier to purchase can increase your conversion rate by 80% - Hubspot Landing Page Stats
Promote sharing of your landing page on social media.
Nurture your leads
‘Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases.’ The Annuitas Group.
Since you have the lead information you require, it is important to nurture your lead through the sales process, in other words, warm them up to a point where they feel comfortable enough with you to consider buying from you. Your main objective here is to convert your lead into a customer.
Nurturing leads can be done through a number of automated emails that get sent to the lead over a period of time. The automation is called a nurture sequence. There are a number of email automation software platforms on the market that are user-friendly and well priced. Best Email Marketing Automation software
Your nurture sequence should include the following:
A Welcome or thank you letter
An introduction to your art business - who you are, a list of your artists, and your story.
Testimonials of happy customers (give them reasons why they should buy from you).
Address their pain point ie. and what is stopping them from buying from you.
Another email lead magnet if they have not converted at this stage.
A reiteration of your story.
How you write your emails is critically important. Short and succinct copy far outweighs a lengthy email. Who has got time to read copious amounts of copy in today’s world? Exactly. Keep it short and keep it simple. For more information on how to write a great email, read here.
In conclusion, lead generation and lead nurturing are a vital part of a successful marketing strategy and if they aren't part of yours, they definitely should be.
Artfundi helps art businesses grow through our tech and marketing services. For a FREE consultation to establish how we can help you, click here.
