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In healthy relationships, you do nice things out of love and support — not to get something in return. You don’t “keep score” or have a what’s-in-it-for-me mentality. And in spite of the temptation — especially in times of conflict — you avoid making comparisons that could create feelings of insecurity or resentment.

I’m not a relationship guru. I bring this up because the exact opposite is true when it comes to building successful relationships with digital prospects.

Today’s digital prospects are increasingly weary, distrustful, and only willing to part with basic personal information — and that’s only if you have something for them in return. And be prepared, they will compare everything about you — from your brand and product or service to your reputation — with your competitors.

It’s not you, it’s them — but you can still generate high-quality leads

Follow the tips below to create successful digital campaigns that bring in leads, motivate prospects, and achieve your campaign objectives, in spite of the inherent difficulties in connecting with today’s digital audience.

1. Know your target audience
Before launching your lead campaign, do some research to determine what resonates with similar target audiences. If your budget allows, you can also run an A/B test to figure out the best way to engage your audience. For example, do they prefer to complete a form within Facebook or Google or be directed to an external website? Are three form fields their limit, or can you get them to fill in four? What incentive is most likely to drive action?

For tips on how to get to know your audience, see this blog post by Katie Maule.

2. Obey all privacy regulations and requirements
There’s one area where real-life relationships and online marketing relationships overlap: trust. But the similarities end there.

Prospects won’t provide personal information, or any information at all, if they don’t feel their data is being used properly or they don’t know how their data is being used.

You have to comply with all the policies, terms of service, and regulations for the digital marketing platform you’re using (Facebook or Google, for example), but, in some cases, you also have to link to your own privacy policy. It has to outline the data you’re collecting; how the data will be used, stored, and protected; users’ rights regarding their data; etc.

For more information about data privacy practices, see this blog post by Justin Stauffer.

3. Determine the best way to capture data
There are pros and cons to the most common options for collecting digital leads: the lead form in Facebook, lead form extensions in Google, and directing users to an external website.

Lead forms can have high conversion rates and low cost because they’re directly in the platform; however, users may be hesitant to share personal information in a social media platform or in an ad unit. On the other hand, sending someone to a website requires them to take an extra step and navigate another interface.

When you meet or exceed your qualified lead goals, don’t lose momentum. Getting leads isn’t the end goal, it’s a means to an end — new clients or customers.

Regardless of where you capture data, you should collect it in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system so you can easily track your company’s outreach activities and automate marketing tasks, including email campaigns.

4. Ask for only what you need — and reward prospects for providing it
Whether you’re using a platform lead form or a custom form on your own website, tailor your form fields for the specific nurture campaign you have planned. For example, if you need qualified leads for a new-to-Medicare email campaign, ask for the prospect’s name, email address, county, and zip code. The fewer fields you have, the more likely prospects are to complete the form.

In exchange for this information, provide a free information guide or some other compelling incentive. If its value isn’t immediately obvious, “sell it” by including text in your lead form that explains the benefit of your giveaway. For example: “Your free information guide can help you choose the right plan,” “Know what to expect during the enrollment process,” “Understand plan benefits,” etc.

5. Analyze and move on
When you meet or exceed your qualified lead goals, don’t lose momentum. Getting leads isn’t the end goal, it’s a means to an end — new clients or customers.

Ensure all lead information is available in your CRM so there’s no delay kicking off your planned lead nurture campaign. Use a combination of tools from the ad platform itself and your preferred analytics platform to determine click-through rate (CTR), form starts, landing page bounces, form completes, and more. Be sure to create separate lists for individuals who complete a form and those who don’t so you can nurture and retarget the appropriate individuals.

Keep in mind, the more you learn about your audience, the more information you’ll have the next time you target a similar audience.

Partner with DMW

We’re experts in generating leads and acquisitions, and nurturing clients through various channels — from digital to direct mail. After 40+ years of experience in the health care industry, we know what works. We’re happy to be your agency of record or prove ourselves through project work. We get it — sometimes relationships are complicated. Reach out.