Can you guess the missing link in most SaaS marketing funnels?
Hint: it’s the #1 cause of the dreaded dead start. You know, when you burn hours creating your shiny, new lead magnet and get tons of downloads — but then NOTHING happens. No demos. No trials. Nada.
Your marketing car is stuck on the side of the road with its hazards on.
What went wrong?
This part of the funnel throws founders all the time. And I have just what you need.
Get my proven framework to put prospects back on the lead nurturing highway in this 5-minute read. Or feast your eyeballs on 37 minutes of FREE training I just pulled out of the exclusive SaaS Academy vault.
It’s up to you.
Let’s dive in ⬇️
SaaS Email Marketing 101: What Is a Lead Nurturing Campaign?
Lead nurturing email campaigns. Onboarding email campaigns. Trial activation email campaigns. What’s what? Who can even keep track?
It’s no wonder so many busy SaaS founders get these mixed up. So, here’s your quick primer:
Lead Nurturing Email Campaign
The next step after prospects download your lead magnet? KEEP giving ‘em quick wins — one little email at a time. And become the go-to expert.
Onboarding Email Campaign
Your leads signed up for a free trial. What’s next? Teach ‘em how to use your SaaS over a series of emails, so they get value from day one. And become paying subscribers.
Trial Activation Email Campaign
You lost ‘em during the trial. But they’re not gone forever — not if you snag ‘em again with juicy stats and FOMO-inducing testimonials about how dang good your SaaS is. And if that doesn’t work? Pull out the big guns: limited-time promos.
3 Reasons So Many SaaS Lead Nurturing Campaigns Fail
What should your first email say? And the second? Third?
How many emails should you shoot off into the digital abyss? When?
And how the heck can you automate it all so that you can buy back your time?
SaaS email marketing strategy is no cakewalk. And most lead nurturing campaigns fail for 3 main reasons:
1. Dead Start Funnels
You don’t have a nurture email sequence, so your marketing car ran out of gas before you could close ‘em.
2. Oil-and-Water Lists
Your lead magnet was a hit! For the WRONG people. Now you’ve got a list of watery leads that simply DON’T mix with your high-octane solution.
3. Crickets Follow Through
You sent 1, maybe 2, emails and then nothing. Crickets. You lost ‘em.
If this all sounds familiar, then keep reading. Because I’m gonna show you how to kill these 3 demo-stalling birds with one stone. NOW ⬇️
The Email Lead Nurturing Framework for Serious SaaS Growth
How serious?
10%-MRR-growth-for-2-straight-years serious.
It’s the exact same framework I leveraged to get Clarity.fm acquisition-ready in just 24 months.
And THIS is how my funnel worked: Prospects downloaded a double-aligned lead magnet called, “How to Get a Mentor.” Then they ALL got a handful of emails from dan@clarity.fm (me!).
Now, did I send thousands of personalized emails? NO. I personalized one sequence and automated it! Trust me, email automation is your best friend.
✅ Pro Tip: Schedule your emails over a 14-day period for your lead nurturing campaign. Other campaigns can be longer, which we cover more in SaaS Academy.
Right about now you’re probably wondering, “What am I gonna say in 6 emails?!” Take the guesswork out of your messaging with these 5 SaaS email marketing principles.
Say Goodbye to Guesswork with 5 SaaS Email Marketing Principles
1. Show ‘Em What You Got
Chances are your prospects will download your lead magnet WITHOUT a clue as to what you do. Do you know when the best time to tell ‘em is?
Your first email.
Think about it. The first time you’re driving down a road, you pay attention to everything, right? Because it’s new. But every time after that, you pay less attention. Soon you’re planning dinner while you drive down it — not even really looking at the route.
Your customers are the same way. A total sponge in that first onboarding call. Like talking to a wall 3 weeks later. So frontload all the benefits of your SaaS on day one.
2. Agitate Their Frustration
They downloaded your lead magnet to solve a problem. And you gave ‘em quick win. But the game’s not over yet.
They still need the BIG WIN — the one only your SaaS can provide. So you have to remind them why they came to your site in the first place.
Push their relevant Hot Buttons. Maybe data silos stalling decision-making. Or time-sucking manual workflows draining manpower. Most companies have 3-5 major Hot Buttons.
✅ Pro Tip: When you can explain your customer’s problem better than they can explain it themselves, YOU become the expert.
3. Keep It Personal
Most people treat B2B emails like formal letter writing. The problem with this approach is you’re NOT talking to a company. You. Are. Talking to a human. The business might be B2B but the communication is always B2C. So act like it. Keep it casual, yet professional.
4. S.P.E.A.R. ‘Em
You’re busier than heck, right? Well, so are your prospects. That’s why you’ve got to write emails that are Short, Personal, and Expect a Reply (S.P.E.A.R.).
Usually, this translates into quick, Hot-Button-pushing questions like, “Are you still looking for help with your demos?”
If you hit a nerve, you’ll get their attention.
5. Keep ‘em Warm (Like a Hot Plate)
Because that’s the whole point of lead nurturing: turning the fire up on those kernels of MRR-potential ‘til they POP into qualified, demo-ready leads.
How?
Keep ‘em on the hot plate. Remember, most companies have 3-5 Hot Buttons, and some hurt worse at different times of the year. So rotate with the season.
Troubleshoot Your Lead Nurturing Emails
Already have an email nurture sequence? Let me guess: you’ve got decent open rates but weak conversions? I see it all the time.
✅ Pro tip: audit your nurture sequence first. See how it stacks up against my framework. Then iterate.
And the rest of your funnel?
Put it to the test with my Lightning Bolt Lead Gen Stack, so you can get your marketing car back on the growth freeway.
