3 Steps for Lead Nurturing on Social Media

Are you properly nurturing your leads? Imagine this scenario—you meet a new prospect at a networking event and exchange business cards. Afterwards, you follow up with a phone call and a few emails with little to no response. You move on. If this sounds familiar, you’re probably missing opportunities down the road.

The reality is, prospects are unlikely to be ready to do business at the exact moment you first meet them. Therefore, it’s important to keep in touch regularly so they don’t forget about you.

This behavior is called “lead nurturing,” and with the right strategy it allows prospects to get to know your expertise, products and services, and overall value proposition. That way, when they’re ready, you’ll be the first financial advisor they think of.

Lead nurturing isn’t new, of course. But as communication channels evolve, traditional methods are becoming less effective. Repeated phone calls can be intrusive and viewed as annoying. Direct mail letters and postcards are impersonal and expensive.

In the digital age, there’s another option – social media.

Reaching your prospects online where they’re choosing to spend their time is more thoughtful and accessible. Messaging can be more personal, conversations can occur at any time, and it’s practically free! How do you use social media marketing to nurture your leads?

Follow these three steps to get started.

1.      Connect with prospects as soon as you meet them

If you find yourself having a great conversation with a prospect, take out your phone on the spot. Ask if they’d be open to connecting on LinkedIn, and invite them right then and there. They might even pull out their own phone and accept your invitation at the same time.

While you’re at it, let them know if you have a Facebook business page or Twitter profile, and invite them to like or follow you there as well. Most people are receptive to these requests in the moment when they’re having a nice conversation. If they follow you on Twitter, be sure to return the favor and follow them back.

If you don’t feel comfortable inviting them to connect on the spot, or the opportunity doesn’t present itself, you can do it later. A good rule of thumb is to send the invite within 24 to 48 hours after meeting, and include a personal note to remind the prospect where you met and why you’d like to connect.

2.      Send a ‘thank you’ message

If they accept your invitation or begin following you, send them a note to say ‘thanks.’ Remind them you’re a willing resource if they ever have financial questions or if you can be of assistance to anyone they know.

3.      Post regular, thoughtful content to stay top-of-mind

As you add more leads into your network, the trick is to post regularly with relevant information that shows off your expertise and helps them get to know you better. Include a mix of relevant articles you’ve written or sourced, and occasional posts that share your personality and interests. (For more on this, see “3 Social Media Tactics to Define Your Personal Brand.”)

Keep the conversation going with prospects by liking, commenting on, and sharing their posts. Notifications on LinkedIn will let you know about milestones in their lives such as birthdays, work anniversaries, job changes, and promotions. These notifications present yet another opportunity to reach out, wish them well, or start a conversation.

It’s just that simple. Keep it going by sharing useful and interesting content regularly, and your social media presence will nurture your leads at scale. The investment is a few minutes of your time, and the potential return is new business and referrals generated from the top-of-mind awareness you’ve built.

Find out more about financial advisor marketing strategies from LPL marketing consultants.

If you're already an LPL Financial advisor, get exclusive marketing, branding, and social media marketing tools and trainings on the Resource Center.

You should consult your compliance department for information about the rules and use of social media.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Sarah provides custom marketing and social media consultations for LPL Financial advisors and investment programs. In this role, she consults with and supports clients in effectively marketing their business in today's increasingly competitive environment. View full bio.