How to Nurture Prospects Until They’re Ready to Buy
In B2B sales, one of the hardest truths to accept is that the vast majority of your prospects are not ready to buy today. Research shows that at any given time, only about 3% of your market is actively buying. Another 7% are open to it, but 90% are not. So what do you do with the 90%?
The old-school "always be closing" mindset tells you to push for the sale, which only alienates them. The new mantra for top performers is "always be helping." This is the essence of lead nurturing: the process of building relationships and trust with potential customers over time, so when they are ready to buy, you are the first person they think of.
This guide provides a clear, actionable framework for nurturing prospects effectively, turning your pipeline from a "feast or famine" rollercoaster into a predictable engine for growth.
1. The Mindset Shift: From Closing to Helping
The foundation of effective nurturing is a mindset shift. Your goal is not to close a deal on every call; it's to be the most helpful and valuable resource for your prospects, whether they buy from you or not.
- Old Mindset: "How can I convince this person to buy my product?"
- New Mindset: "How can I help this person solve their problem or do their job better?"
When you genuinely focus on helping, you build trust. And in modern sales, trust is the currency that earns you the right to have a sales conversation later.
2. Provide Value Consistently
Nurturing is about staying top-of-mind in a positive, non-intrusive way. The best way to do this is by consistently providing value.
- Share Your Knowledge Through Content: You don't need to be a professional writer. Your daily experiences are a goldmine of content. Share short posts on LinkedIn about common problems your prospects face, insights you've gained from sales calls, or your perspective on an industry trend.
- Engage with Their Content: Don't just post your own content. Dedicate 15 minutes a day to leaving thoughtful, insightful comments on posts from your key prospects. A great comment that adds to the conversation is a powerful nurturing touchpoint.
- Be a Connector: If you know someone in your network who could help a prospect, make the introduction. Being a valuable connector builds immense goodwill.
3. The "Warm-Up" Sequence: Staying on Their Radar
For prospects who are not yet ready for a conversation, you can use a subtle "warm-up" sequence to stay on their radar without being pushy. This involves a series of low-stakes engagements over time.
- Week 1: View their profile.
- Week 2: Like one of their recent posts.
- Week 3: Leave a thoughtful comment on a post.
- Week 4: Send a low-pressure, value-driven message.
This slow, steady approach builds familiarity and makes your eventual outreach feel welcome, not intrusive.
4. Systematize Your Nurturing with Automation
Manually tracking and executing a nurturing strategy for hundreds of prospects is impossible. You'll forget to follow up, miss engagement opportunities, and let warm leads go cold. To do this effectively, you need a system.
This is where a secure and powerful automation tool like Bindago becomes your nurturing engine. Bindago is a desktop application that allows you to build and automate multi-step engagement and messaging sequences.
Here’s how you can use Bindago to build a nurturing machine:
- Create a "Long-Term Nurture" Campaign: In Bindago's Campaigns feature, you can create a sequence designed to run over several weeks or months.
- Build a Multi-Touch Sequence:
- Step 1 (Day 0): Automatically View Profile.
- Step 2 (Day 7): Automatically Like a Recent Post.
- Step 3 (Day 14): Automatically send a personalized, value-driven message.
- Template: "Hi {{firstName}}, I was just thinking about our previous chat about [Topic]. I came across this article on [Related Subject] and thought you might find it interesting. [Link]"
- Step 4 (Day 30): Another "Like Recent Post" action to stay on their radar.
With Bindago, you can set up these long-term nurture campaigns for your entire pipeline. The system works in the background, keeping you top-of-mind with hundreds of prospects. The automation is smart: the moment a prospect replies, the sequence stops, allowing you to step in and have a real conversation. And because it's a desktop app, your LinkedIn credentials remain securely on your computer.
5. Listen for Buying Signals
Nurturing isn't just about broadcasting; it's about listening. As you nurture your prospects, watch for "buying signals" that indicate they are moving closer to a decision.
- Increased Engagement: They start liking or commenting on your posts more frequently.
- They View Your Profile or Pricing Page: A clear sign of active research.
- They Ask a Specific Question: A comment or DM asking about your solution is a direct invitation to engage.
- Company News: They announce a new funding round, a key executive hire, or an expansion—all of which can create new needs and budgets.
6. The Transition: From Nurturing to Selling
When you spot a buying signal, it's time to transition the conversation. Your approach should be confident, direct, and still focused on value.
Template:
"Hi {{firstName}}, I've really enjoyed our interactions here on LinkedIn and I've noticed your interest in [Topic].
Based on what you've shared, I have a few specific ideas on how you could achieve [Desired Outcome] at {{companyName}}.
Would you be open to a brief 15-minute call next week to explore if these ideas are a good fit for your current priorities?"
This message acknowledges the relationship you've built, connects it to a business outcome, and proposes a clear, low-friction next step.
Conclusion: Patience and Process Pay Off
Lead nurturing is a long game, but it's the most reliable way to build a predictable and sustainable sales pipeline. It's about building trust, providing consistent value, and being there when the timing is right.
By shifting your mindset from "closing" to "helping" and by using a powerful automation tool like Bindago to systematize your efforts, you can effectively nurture hundreds of prospects at once. This approach will not only fill your pipeline but will also position you as a trusted advisor in your industry—the person prospects want to buy from when they're finally ready.
Ready to build a predictable pipeline of warm, nurtured leads? Download Bindago today and start your 10-day free trial.
