10 Drip Ideas for New Prospects
You likely already know that converting a prospect takes multiple touches—often about 10. That means you need to reach out, follow up or otherwise connect with a prospective client again and again in a way that isn’t repetitive or pestering.
As most advisors have a limited catalogue of material to pull from, coming up with 10 pieces of communication can be a challenge. So here’s a sample list to get you started.
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, and the order and frequency of these touch points will depend on individual scenarios. These are starter ideas that can be expanded on and customized.
- Core brand intro: Your first touch needs to convey, clearly and professionally, your relevant value proposition. The collateral you use at this point may be the same for all prospects, or you might have a few client-type versions to choose from. The content will be high-level in order to pique interest and convey simple, resonating ideas.
- Core brand deep-dive: Now, prospects need to see that you can back up your claims with real expertise and capabilities. If they are open to a second touch, they want more information and what you present should give them that—the details of your services, your process, and the advantages of working with you.
- Intro video: If you haven’t already shared an evergreen video, this is a good time for a change of pace. A brief video can reiterate and summarize your core value proposition in a way that is easy for the prospect to consume.
- Next steps info (meeting agenda): This piece of communication can help ensure prospect meetings go through, while setting the tone for the conversation. Pre-meeting content can also be paired with a follow-up piece summarizing the conversation and/or proposing key strategies.
- Whitepaper: While the prospect is considering their options, you might draw an article or whitepaper from your library of content: “I thought this piece was pertinent to the priorities and ideas we discussed last week, so I wanted to pass it along.”
- Checklist: Similarly, sharing a checklist that’s relevant to the prospect’s situation has more value than a generic follow-up. This might be a list of steps, strategies or questions to consider for owners exiting a business, professionals approaching retirement, individuals getting married or divorced, growing families, and so on.
- Case study and testimonials: This kind of collateral gives the prospect another perspective from which they can consider your service—specifically, that of a current client. It’s one thing for you to explain what it’s like to be a client, it’s another to provide first-hand accounts and success stories.
- Topical video: If you’ve met with the prospect again or are working to arrange that meeting, you might also share your latest quarterly market update or monthly video commentary. If it’s a youtube link it should be easy to share and view through email, or it could be another way to get the lead to return to your website.
- Meet our extended team: An important detail that can be lost in all the discussion and idea-sharing of your initial prospect meetings, your COI network extends your capabilities dramatically. This is often a good time to ensure potential clients understand what your professional network means for them.
- Newsletter or blog: If you publish a newsletter or a weekly blog, send a recent article with a note about its relevance to their situation. You can also add them to your subscription list, so the dripping can continue in a more passive way. This allows you to stay top of mind for those leads who stay in the pipeline for an extended period.
