Way back in 2006 Brian Carroll, CEO of InTouch and author of Lead Generation for the Complex Sale had found in a research that 95% of prospects on your website are not yet ready to talk with a sales rep, they are probably on the site to research your solution. Of these only 70% actually buy a product from you or your competitor.

The scenario is not very different even today. Many of the leads your marketing automation tool identifies may actually be dumped into trash or labeled useless by your sales team because the lead is not sale ready. In truth many of these leads could be turned into future sales if nurtured properly.

If I were to define Lead nurturing I would say its the art of building long term relationships with people who might at some point need and purchase your services. It is the art of adding that personal human touch to the entire lead management cycle.

It also requires a plan.