In the realm of online retail, wise store owners understand the unparalleled potential of e-commerce email marketing. It is not merely about sending emails; it is about the remarkable return on investment it offers at a minimal cost. The secret lies in its ability to grow and save resources, such as time and customer acquisition expenses.
Running an online store involves continuously searching for effective strategies that produce real results. Combining a carefully designed content marketing strategy for e-commerce with a precisely scheduled email calendar creates a strong combination. However, at the core of this approach lies the understanding of your potential customers. Having knowledge about the individuals you are reaching out to and personalizing your messages based on their interests can enhance the customer experience.
In this blog post, you will discover the necessary elements to form your e-commerce email marketing strategy and achieve measurable outcomes for your brand.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is a step-by-step process that involves more than just coming up with catchy subject lines and sending messages. It is a targeted communication strategy that allows businesses to directly connect with their audience via email. How does it work? Companies create email lists as their contact base and use them to send out promotional messages and important transactional emails. These lists consist of the email addresses of potential customers who have voluntarily subscribed, often through a landing page. Once they have opted in, the company begins a series of promotional emails that are designed to nurture leads. This technique effectively guides these contacts through the sales process, converting them from subscribers into loyal customers.
What is the Importance of Ecommerce Email Marketing?
What impact does cheese have on your pizza? What does ice cream contribute to your cold coffee? It enhances their flavor, correct? That is precisely what email marketing does for your online store.
Do you know that about 99% of consumers check their emails daily? Moreover, approximately 80% of users consider email marketing as the most effective method for customer retention. These numbers clearly highlight the significance of email marketing for small businesses.
So, let’s begin exploring the importance of Ecommerce Email Marketing by breaking down some key points.
- Emails keep the customer well informed and connected with your business.
- Emails help in building good relationships with your prospects, leads and current customers.
- So many people have a habit of checking their emails regularly. That’s why they are the best as they bring more conversions than any other form of marketing.
- Emails can be customised and personalised easily. You can add personalisation to your emails, which in turn will make your business more welcoming and warm.
- Emails increase brand awareness and make your brand visible to the public.
- Emails are comparatively cost-effective than other forms of marketing.
What are the types of email marketing campaigns?
Below, we will discuss several types of email marketing campaigns that exist.
1. Promotional Emails
Promotional emails, as the name implies, are emails that aim to promote your business. These emails contain promotional messages and are sent directly to the recipient’s email inbox. This form of advertising allows businesses to send promotional content to potential clients.
Promotional emails are utilized for informing prospects about newly available products and services. The primary objective of such emails is to enhance sales and expand the customer base.
2. Transactional Emails
Transactional emails are automated emails sent from a business to its customers regarding any commercial transaction or activities in account. These emails are sent whenever a transaction occurs between a business and a customer.
Transactional emails, also known as triggered emails, differ from marketing emails in that they are prompted by interactions, events, or preferences within an application or service rather than by a company’s marketing campaign.
3. Lifecycle Emails
Another type of email that a customer receives during their customer journey is known as a lifecycle email. These emails are sent to buyers at various stages ranging from subscription to purchase.
The behaviour of users generally determines the effectiveness of these emails. These emails are essential for helping your business retain customers, increase revenue, and enhance customer engagement. Examples of lifecycle emails include welcome emails, special offers/discount emails, onboarding emails, coupon emails, and more. If you are unsure about which type of email to choose for eCommerce email marketing, I can assist you with that. All three types of emails are crucial for an effective ecommerce marketing strategy, and you need to utilize them strategically based on your specific requirements.
The power of e-commerce email marketing
With its adaptability in the world of e-commerce, email marketing stands out. It allows for the customization of communications specifically for email subscribers, guaranteeing that each message connects with them. Although the emails may be sent to many recipients, the recipient’s experience feels personalized and individual. Despite some viewing email marketing as outdated, a remarkable 86% of marketers consider it to be either “important” or “very important.”
E-commerce email campaigns can profoundly influence three critical business areas: lead nurturing, relationship-building, and after-sales care. Intrigued about their impact?
Learn more about e-commerce marketing and its potential to transform your online retail pursuits.
Lead nurturing
Lead nurturing involves more than just trying to make a sale. It involves creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for potential customers. It is important to remember that nurturing leads through methods like an interesting email newsletter is essential to converting qualified leads into loyal customers. Utilizing well-designed marketing automation with tailored content can be the catalyst for success, leading your email subscribers to make that final purchase.
Building relationships
Lead nurturing is important for creating relationships, but it is equally important to value those who have already made a purchase. In e-commerce email marketing, the objective is not only to make a sale but also to cultivate lasting connections. Your strategy should emphasize ways to keep these customers engaged, such as offering an attractive discount code, to ensure they continue to shop at your online store. The focus should be on building a foundation of loyal customers who will support your brand.
After the sale
So, the agreement is finalized. Is it time to progress to the next kinds of emails and the next customer, correct? Think again! This period after a purchase is very valuable for solidifying customer loyalty. Maintain the conversation. Utilize automated cart email follow-up messages, entice them with related or complementary product lines to promote cross-selling, and consistently request feedback. These practices after a sale not only benefit your e-commerce sales, but they also enhance your brand’s reputation and customer experience, creating a mutually beneficial situation.
Crafting your e-commerce email campaign blueprint
The foundation of a successful email marketing strategy for businesses lies in understanding its essence. However, turning this knowledge into actionable steps for your e-commerce venture can be challenging. This is where we delve into the details of actual execution. To create a strong campaign plan, concentrate on three key aspects: identifying your target audience, establishing specific goals, and defining measurable indicators of success. Let us now begin this step-by-step guide to customizing an e-commerce email marketing campaign.
Dive deep into your audience
The first thing you need to do to create an exceptional email campaign is to fully understand your audience. They are not just recipients or potential customers; they are individuals with unique habits, desires, and preferences. The crucial step is to deeply understand their mindset, analyze their behavior, and assess their preferences. With this knowledge, your campaign can evolve into a powerful tool that incorporates data-driven decisions and flexible strategies.
Set crystal-clear objectives
Why is direction important in your email campaign? What are your goals? Do you want to expand your audience, increase sales, or improve the relationship with your subscribers? It is crucial to clearly define these objectives, whether they involve driving sales or providing discounts to encourage engagement. Once you have clear answers to these questions, creating an email sequence with relevant content becomes easier. By having a clear direction, you can offer exceptional experiences to those who are most likely to support your products or services.
Pinpoint success benchmarks
To conclude the planning phase, you need to define the desired outcomes you want to achieve—basically, identifying your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In simpler terms, KPIs act as your guide to measure the effectiveness of your strategies or a group of efforts within your overall plan. There are a few essential KPIs that are crucial for any business, including Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), conversion rate (or success rate), and the important Net Promoter Score (NPS). So, limit your goals to specific milestones and list the metrics and KPIs that will serve as your measure of success.
