Congratulations! You have a lead from the digital campaign you ran. You have a name, contact information, and the financial topic the person is interested in.

So now what?

Remember, a lead doesn’t automatically equal a client. A lead is only a potential client. At this point, it’s just a name. To turn that lead into a client, there’s a nurturing process involved, and that process is up to you.

So what should you do? 

Nurturing a lead requires the right mix of messaging, insight, and content to inspire a person to reach out to you. There’s no magic, one-size-fits-all approach. But there are some best practices you might consider.

Most leads prefer to be contacted first by email—which they can read and respond to on their own terms—rather than a phone call.

• Try to reach out with an email within 24 hours of receiving a lead. Introduce yourself, note your credentials, and ask if the person has any questions about the material they viewed on your landing page.
• Be prepared to send a series of emails, spaced 1 or 2 weeks apart, to drill down on the financial topic in an attempt to further engage the lead. Consider adding commentary, links, or attachments to relevant content. End each email with a strong call to action.    
• If a lead contacts you after receiving an email, try to respond immediately. Responding to a question within an hour can significantly increase your odds of meaningful interaction.
• After you’ve sent 3 or 4 emails, call the lead if you have a phone number. If the person answers, remind them how you got their contact information, and ask if they have any questions about the materials you’ve provided, or any questions generally. If you reach voicemail, leave a brief message.

If you haven’t made contact in the first month or two, don’t give up!
Keep in mind that it generally takes 4 months to convert a prospect to a client, so be patient.

At this stage, you might use an ongoing nurturing campaign.

• This could be automated—for example, you could add your lead to a distribution list for a monthly newsletter that is personalized with your name, photo, and contact information.
• Or you might manually send your lead a relevant piece of content every month.
• Or you might invite them to a webinar or seminar you’re hosting in the future.

The idea is to keep yourself top of mind, so that when your lead does need a financial professional, they’ll turn to you.

In the end, nurturing a lead is a little bit art, a little bit science, and a little bit luck. By adopting a professional, coordinated outreach strategy, you’ll have the best chance of turning your lead into a client.