In the dynamic realm of digital marketing, creating lasting connections with customers is crucial. Automated email campaigns emerge as invaluable tools not only for acquiring customers but also for fostering long-term loyalty. Despite budget constraints and increasing team pressure, leveraging email workflow automation can be a smart strategy.
Email holds a unique position in the marketing landscape. Surprisingly, a study by MarketingSherpa revealed that 72% of US adults prefer communication via email over other channels like social media, text messages, and phone calls combined. Moreover, as of 2022, the global email user base is estimated at 4.26 billion and is projected to grow to 4.73 billion users by 2026, surpassing the user base of Facebook.
Despite its potency, not everyone maximises the potential of email marketing. This blog aims to guide you through automated email campaigns that win customers and keep them coming back. These strategies not only enhance customer engagement but also contribute to building a strong brand, encouraging repeat purchases, and improving customer loyalty. Discover how these tactics can empower your outreach efforts and help you win more business and customers in the long run.
Types of Automated Email Campaigns
1. Abandoned Cart Email Series
Research indicates that 71.27% of online shopping carts are abandoned, resulting in potential revenue loss for businesses. However, there's an opportunity to recover around 63% of this lost revenue with a well-crafted cart abandonment strategy.
Email Timing:
To start, consider a sequence of automated emails for better results:
Email 1: Send this email within 24 hours. Don't give discounts right away, just remind them about the items left behind. Use pictures for a stronger impact.
Email 2: About 48 hours later, tackle any reasons stopping a purchase. Answer frequently asked questions, be available for help, and ask for feedback.
Email 3: Now, it's fine to offer a discount code or free shipping. Make it urgent with a time-limited special offer.
Maximise the effectiveness of your cart abandonment email series by maintaining flexibility, addressing objections, and offering incentives. Continuous analysis of data ensures a tailored approach that resonates with your audience, ultimately boosting conversions and recovering lost revenue.
2. Welcome Email Series
A welcome email is the first message someone gets when they join your mailing list. This is specifically for new subscribers who haven't made a purchase yet. According to a source, the average open rate of welcome emails is more than 63.91%. These rates are significantly higher than the average open rate for regular marketing emails, demonstrating the effectiveness of welcome emails in engaging new subscribers. Effective welcome emails aim to welcome new subscribers, encourage purchases with incentives, set the right expectations, connect with subscribers on other channels.
Typically, a welcome email series includes three or four emails. Here's an example of how a welcome campaign might be structured:
Email 1: Welcome your new subscribers, introduce your brand, and explain why you're the best. Include attractive graphic links to products or helpful articles.
Email 2: Offer a purchasing incentive, like a coupon code. Share information on your shipping speeds and pricing, and include links to your social media.
Email 3: Feature a product promo or highlight a recent blog post. Keep your tone friendly and casual, avoiding a hard sales approach.
3. Re-Engagement Email Series
As time goes on, your subscribers might begin to disregard your emails. Revitalise your audience with a targeted re-engagement email series. Win back inactive subscribers by tailoring emails to their interests. Use compelling subject lines and offers, like discounts or exclusive content, to grab attention. Optimise for mobile and include a clear call-to-action to encourage action. This series helps rekindle interest and strengthen your relationship with the audience.
Re-engagement email campaigns typically follow these steps:
Email 1: Refresh memories about your company and past purchases. Offer a tempting discount or a special bundle to bring them back.
Email 2: Friendly reminder that non-engagement may lead to removal from the email list. Mention the previous offer.
Email 3: Inform recipients of their removal, reminding them of the initial special offer, and provide instructions on how to resubscribe.
4. Repeat Customer Email Series
Repeat customers are vital for your business. Even though they make up only 11% of the customer base, they contribute almost a quarter of the revenue, according to a Stitch Labs report. This emphasises the importance of prioritising existing customers over acquiring new ones. Studies show that almost 80% of your future profits are likely to come from 20% of your repeat customers. A positive ecommerce experience is key to retaining customers. Focus on providing relevant information and products that address their needs, building on their existing trust and strengthening relationships.
Here's how a repeat customer email series could be structured:
Email 1: Reach out a couple of days after the expected delivery date. Ask about their order, encourage feedback for an improved experience.
Email 2: About four days later, provide personalised product suggestions. Include easy-to-use graphic links for convenient shopping.
5. Email Receipts and Order Confirmation
Improve the customer experience through automated email receipts and order updates. Keep customers informed about their purchases, ensuring a smooth post-purchase process. Encourage feedback by adding review requests in order to update emails for trust and transparency. By giving detailed order information, you boost customer satisfaction and reduce inquiries. Automating this process saves time for both you and your customers, allowing focus on other marketing strategies. Additionally, timely and informative email receipts and order updates create a positive impression, fostering customer loyalty.
6. Email Nurture Series
Automated email campaigns are perfectly suited for lead nurturing. Lead nurturing is when you guide shoppers through each stage of the sales cycle, ultimately driving them to purchase. Here the 3/47/50 rule for the approach to lead nurturing:
3% of your visitors are ready to buy now.
47% of your visitors aren’t ready to buy now, but they will buy sometime in the future.
50% of your visitors will never buy.
It’s a general rule and not a scientific fact, but we find it helpful in outlining the benefits of nurture campaigns for ecommerce. Instead of shoving soulless promotions at your subscribers every week (or day), consider how you can provide the most value to your customers as possible. Let's explore a standard nurturing campaign:
Email 1: Introduce your brand to recipients, highlighting what sets you apart. Keep it light, share something educational like a how-to guide or product information.
Email 2: Continue your brand story, linking to your blog, and incorporating your mission statement into the content.
Email 3: Add a personal touch with a customer testimonial, invite them to your social media, and include a coupon code.
Final Thoughts
Automated emails are a strong tool to simplify your marketing and boost customer involvement. Using email automation saves time, nurtures leads, and boosts conversions. Whether it's a welcome email series or personalised product recommendations, there are many automation ideas to try. Integrating these campaigns can significantly impact customer retention. Keep an eye on your campaign performance, adjust to changing customer needs, and see how automated emails become a key factor in customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Ready to elevate your business through automation? Schedule a call with our experts now. Allow us to assist you in streamlining operations and unlocking the full potential of your business!
