Crafting Post-Purchase Emails That Increase Revenue and Customer Engagement
Saima Alibhai, Managing Principal Consultant, EMEA, with Oracle Bronto, explains how retailers can build on success.
Many retailers don’t realise that the post-purchase period is a time when consumers are most receptive to your messages. And many still don’t realise the importance of creating personalised messages for recent buyers.
These messages shouldn’t be limited to the traditional order and shipping confirmations or a plea for a product review, but should instead take customer engagement to the next level – by offering value, support, additional resources, or by simply continuing the conversation.
Give thanks
Customers love feeling appreciated, we all do. When it comes to effective post-purchase marketing, a simple “thank you” goes a long way. In fact, these are some of the best performing messages from a revenue standpoint. Remember: It’s not just the polite thing to do, it also incentivises them to make another purchase, or provides a customer service oriented call to action, such as linking to your customer service portal or a resource centre.
If consumers happen to take advantage of the incentive, you can then create a second, non-incentivised version that sends if the contact makes another purchase over a set number of days. This way, the customer will not expect an incentive every single time.
Get social
We’re now firmly living in the age of social media. While it can be difficult to quantify ROI, there’s no denying its ability to help humanise the brand and create a dialogue with customers. Consider implementing social themes into your post-purchase messaging that call on your customer to share their experience. This includes introducing them to your social media sites, asking them to leave a review on Facebook, or even to share a photo of their purchase on social media for a chance to win a prize.
It’s all about balance
When constructing your post-purchase messaging, be sure to balance promotional content that encourages another purchase with other useful content that offers value to the customer.
For example, product care tips and additional resources benefit the customer, whereas cross-sell and reorder reminder messages benefit you. If all your messages ask customers to purchase from you, you’re not providing value to the subscriber. However, if every message only benefits the consumer, you’re likely leaving money on the table.
Make it personal
Consumers today expect more from their shopping experience, and that expectation will only continue to grow with the integration of new technology. By understanding the importance of targeted post-purchase messaging and meeting the demand for greater personalisation, you’ll not only drive revenue but build customer loyalty.
