B2C lead nurturing :
best practices for 2025

Definition : Lead nurturing is a marketing strategy that aims to support your potential customers throughout their buying journey. It involves providing helpful, personalised content at every stage to guide their decisions and encourage them to take action : whether that’s making a purchase, booking an appointment, or requesting more information.

The goal is simple : Stay on your customers’ radar, build trust, and be the brand they return to when the time is right. It’s a human-centred, relationship-focused approach that truly makes a difference in a competitive landscape.

Did you know that 80% of visitors are not ready to buy right away ?

Without a nurturing strategy, they’ll simply leave and you’ll lose them.

Lead nurturing helps you reconnect intelligently, remind them of your offers, and provide high-value content until they’re ready to buy.

Brands that invest in nurturing strategies benefit from :

• Higher conversion rates : By sending tailored messages at each stage of the customer journey (e.g. awareness, consideration, comparison, decision), you convert more visitors into buyers.

• Lower acquisition costs : Instead of constantly chasing new visitors, nurturing maximises the value of those who have already visited your site or shared their contact details.

• Shorter buying cycles : Regular, relevant contact encourages faster decision-making.

• Increased average basket size : Well-nurtured leads trust your brand more and better understand the value of your products or services.

• Improved customer retention : Post-purchase nurturing (tips, exclusive offers, birthdays) helps build long-term brand loyalty

A solid segmentation strategy ensures you send the right message to the right person.

You can segment by :

• Maturity : casual browsers vs. purchase-ready visitors

• Behaviour : product page views, abandoned baskets, email opens

• Interest or category : organic skincare, fitness, parenting, etc.

With automation tools, you can create smart sequences that follow your customer’s natural rhythm.

📍Example sequence :

• Day 1 : Welcome email with a discovery offer or a “how to choose” guide.

• Day 3 : Showcase best-sellers or share customer reviews.

• Day 7 : Cart reminder with a special incentive (e.g. free shipping).

• Day 14 : Invite to join a VIP club or access a private sale.

Nurturing isn’t limited to email! Diversify your touchpoints for greater impact :

• Email : personalised, automated follow-ups.

• Conversational SMS : short, direct, and engaging.

• WhatsApp : basket reminders or time-sensitive offers.

• Social media : retargeting via Instagram or Facebook Ads.

• Live chat : real-time support directly on your website.

Email campaigns should align with the customer’s position in the sales funnel :

• TOFU (Top of Funnel) → tips, blog articles, tutorial videos

• MOFU (Middle of Funnel) → customer reviews, product comparisons, curated collections.

• BOFU (Bottom of Funnel) → discount codes, free shipping, urgency (e.g. "last items in stock")
  

Pair lead nurturing with behavioural scoring to identify hot leads and optimise your actions.

Examples of scoring :

• Opening a promotional email → +5 pts

• Clicking a product link in an email → +10 pts

• Adding to cart (without purchase) → +20 pts

• Downloading the mobile app → +25 pts

• Signing up for newsletter/loyalty programme → +15 pts

• Entering a contest or special offer → +10 pts

• Confirmed purchase → conversion (score reset or flagged as “active customer”)
  
  

At 40 points, the lead is considered warm → automatically trigger a promo code or a tailored offer.

You can also follow up with a personalised SMS or WhatsApp message.

Effective lead nurturing relies on content that is both relevant and engaging. Examples :

• Guides : how to choose the right product, gift ideas, DIY recipes.

• Videos : tutorials, product demos, behind-the-scenes content.

• Customer testimonials and reviews.

• Tailored offers (birthday codes, VIP perks, etc.)

Goal : Drive traffic and maximise conversions during key campaigns (open days, Christmas, Black Friday, etc.)

Example :

• One week before : Teaser email to build anticipation and announce the exclusive offer

• Day before : Conversational SMS with a personalised reminder and real-time Q&A option (event hours, booking, terms...)

• On the day : WhatsApp message with final reminder and direct link to an exclusive deal or VIP access.

• After the event : Follow-up via email + SMS to capture indecisive customers with an extended offer or VIP opportunity

Context : The customer hasn’t purchased in over 6 months – previously tagged as “active”.

Example : Conversational SMS flow (mix of automation and human follow-up)

• Day 0 – Auto SMS

“Hi Emily, we’ve missed you 😊 Looking for something in particular ? I’m here if you need help!”

• If reply ("I’m browsing but unsure")

“No worries, I can help you out. Are you after a summer look or something for the home ?”

• If reply ("Home")

“Perfect, our cosy spring collection just dropped. Got 2 mins to browse together ?”

• Day 2 – Human follow-up if no response
  “I’m available today if you need help choosing. Just send a quick message and I’ll guide you 😉”

Context : A customer buys an inflatable spa. Goal : provide reassurance, reduce returns, and begin the relationship.

Example : WhatsApp sequence (automated + human adviser)

• Day 1 – Automated message
  “Hi James 👋 Congrats on your purchase ! You’re going to love your new spa. Ready to get started ?”

• If click or reply “yes”
  “Here’s a quick video to set it up 🔧. I’m online  if you need help.”

• Day 3 – Human message
  “Hey James, is everything  going well  ? Any questions on setup or maintenance ? I’m here for you.”

• Day 6 – Contextual upsell
  “Thinking of adding a thermal cover or scented tablets ? I can advise based on your usage habits.”

Goal : Tailor nurturing based on lead maturity.

Example :

• Lead score <30 → Send educational blog content. 

• Score 30–70 → Send case studies and customer testimonials.

• Score >70 → Offer a special offer on a promoted product.

Context : A customer bought face cream. Data shows high interest in premium items.

Example : Human-led Instagram DM conversation

• Day 3 – Initial message
  “Hey Emily 👋 Hope you’re enjoying your cream ! Fancy boosting your skincare routine ? We’ve got something new you might love 😍”

• If reply (“What is it ?”)

“It’s our intense glow serum – perfect as a booster. Want a mini routine tailored to your skin ? 🧴✨”

• If yes
  “Fab! What’s your skin type and main goal (hydration, glow, anti-ageing)?”

→ Follow-up based on answers : personalised recommendation + direct link + mini exclusive offer

Context : Product viewed + added to basket, but no purchase.

Example : SMS sequence

• Day 0 – Auto SMS
  “Spotted you liked [Product]! Any questions holding you back? Just reply – we’re here to help 🧑‍💻”

• If reply (“Will it fit in my boot ?”)

“Great question. What car model do you drive ? I’ll check the size for you right now.”

• Day 2 – Human follow-up if no reply
  “Still tempted by the [Product] ? We can offer free delivery this weekend to help you decide 🚚”

To automate and scale your lead nurturing strategy, you’ll need a marketing automation platform that fits your business needs. The right software helps you deliver personalised content based on customer behaviour and readiness to buy.

Here are some top tools for B2C lead nurturing :

• Emailing & Newsletters : Brevo, Klaviyo, Mailchimp. 

• SMS & WhatsApp : eKonsilio, Twilio. 

• CRM & Segmentation : Shopify, Brevo CRM. 

• Live Chat : eKonsilio, Crisp

• End-to-end automation : Make, Hubspot (Starter version). 
  

With these tools, you can track your visitors, engage leads across multiple touchpoints, and optimise your conversion rates. A well-configured automation platform allows you to send the right message, at the right time, through the right channel, while also boosting your marketing team’s efficiency.

Effective segmentation helps you speak to customers as if they were one-to-one conversations. This not only improves your conversion rate but also builds long-term loyalty.

Segment your audience by :

• Product interest (e.g. skincare, fitness, home décor)

• Customer lifecycle (new, regular, inactive)

• Behaviour (opened emails, clicked links, made a purchase, abandoned a basket)