The ROI of Email Marketing
Email marketing is a powerhouse for e-commerce businesses, often delivering one of the highest ROIs among marketing channels. Automated email flows, in particular, outperform regular campaigns due to their personalised and timely nature.
My blog this week has been driven by the assumption most businesses wanting to engage in email marketing are doing so to ultimately make more money, hence my focus on revenue generating flows.
Revenue from Flows vs. Campaigns
Automated flows are triggered by specific customer actions, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. Studies show that automated emails generate 320% more revenue than non-automated emails.
Revenue from Different Types of Flows
- Welcome Emails: Generate an average of 320% more revenue per email than other promotional emails.
- Abandoned Cart Emails: Can recover about 15% of lost sales.
- Post-Purchase Emails: Boost customer retention and repeat purchases by up to 30%.
Platform Recommendation: Klaviyo
While several email marketing platforms exist, Klaviyo stands out for its robust integration with Shopify and its advanced segmentation and automation features. It allows you to create highly personalised email flows that resonate with your audience, driving higher engagement and sales.
1. The Welcome Flow
Goal of the Welcome Flow
- Primary Goal: Introduce your brand, establish a relationship, and convert new subscribers into customers.
- Secondary Goals: Educate subscribers about your products, highlight unique selling points, and build trust.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but here are some questions 💭 to guide you in creating a successful welcome email series:
- How well are you introducing your brand? Does your welcome email clearly communicate who you are, what your brand stands for, and why your subscribers should care?
- Are you setting clear expectations? Do your new subscribers know what to expect in terms of content frequency and type? Are you establishing trust by being transparent about what they can look forward to? Do you have a content plan that actually provides value to them?
- Are you incentivising the first purchase? Are you providing a compelling reason for your new subscribers to make their first purchase, such as an exclusive discount or special offer?
- How are you providing value right away? What immediate value are you offering to your subscribers? Are you sharing tips, educational content, or industry insights that keep them coming back for more?
Breaking Down the Welcome Email Flow 👇
When designing your welcome email flow, it's crucial to put yourself in your customer’s shoes. For example, are they in the habit of checking their emails daily, or do they only glance at their inbox occasionally? Understanding their needs will help you determine your strategy.
When talking quantities, often, less is more, but it's essential to focus each email on one specific topic. Avoid cramming multiple messages or calls-to-action (CTAs) into a single email. If you want your subscribers to take a particular action, make it clear and straightforward.
Most welcome email series are between 2 & 5 emails with the following content:
Detail of Each Email in the Series
Email 1: The Warm Welcome
- Subject Line: "Welcome to [Brand]! Here’s a Special Gift Just for You"
- Content: Start with a warm greeting and thank your new subscriber for joining. Briefly introduce your brand and what it stands for. Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) with an exclusive discount or offer to encourage their first purchase.
Email 2: Provide Value
- Subject Line: "Tips & Tricks from [Brand]"
- Content: Offer valuable content, such as tips on how to use your products, industry insights, or educational material. This reinforces your brand’s authority and keeps subscribers engaged, positioning you as a helpful and trusted resource early in the relationship.
Email 3: Share Your Story
- Subject Line: "Get to Know Us Better"
- Content: Dive deeper into your brand’s story. Share your mission, values, and what makes your products unique. This is where you build a personal connection with your audience, establishing a relationship based on shared values.
Email 4: Product Highlights
- Subject Line: "Our Bestsellers Just for You"
- Content: Highlight your top-selling or most popular products, backed by customer testimonials. This helps build trust and showcases what other customers love about your brand, guiding new subscribers towards making a purchase.
Email 5: Nurture the Relationship
- Subject Line: "Stay Connected with [Brand]"
- Content: Encourage ongoing engagement by inviting subscribers to follow your social media channels or join your community. This email could also serve as a gentle reminder of their exclusive discount if they haven’t yet made a purchase, helping to keep your brand top-of-mind.
Welcome emails are one of your first opportunities to make a lasting impression.
2. The Abandoned Cart Flow
What’s better; loosing 100% of people who abandon their cart OR loosing less than 100%.
Abandoned cart emails are crucial because they can recover about 10% of lost sales, making them one of the most effective emails you can send. But how can you optimise them to get the best results? And, as always with me, we’re talking long term results - not just quick wins.
Goal of the Abandoned Cart Flow
- Primary Goal: Recover lost sales by reminding customers of the items they left in their cart.
- Secondary Goals: Address any potential objections or concerns and provide incentives to complete the purchase.
Here are some questions 💭 to guide you in creating a successful abandoned cart email series:
- Are you sending your abandoned cart emails at the right time? Timing is everything. Are you sending the first reminder soon after the cart is abandoned, and following up without being pushy or annoying?
- Are you addressing potential objections? What might be stopping your customer from completing their purchase? Are you addressing common concerns like shipping costs, return policies, or product quality?
- Is your message strong? Is your call-to-action clear and compelling? Are you guiding your customers back to their cart with a simple message?
- Are you willing to incentivise them to complete the purchase? Sometimes, a small nudge is all that’s needed. Are you offering a discount, free shipping, or an added bonus to encourage them to finalise their order? If you have a high returning customer rate, this is a no brainer.
Breaking Down the Abandoned Cart Email Flow 👇
When crafting your abandoned cart emails, it's essential to keep your customer’s journey in mind. Here’s how you can structure a high-converting, brand building series:
- Email 1: The Immediate Remindersome text
- Send this within a few hours of cart abandonment. Include a friendly reminder of the immediate benefits they’re missing out on with a clear CTA to return to the cart.
- Email 2: Address Objectionssome text
- Send this 24-48 hours later. Use this email to address potential concerns and highlight the benefits of the products in the cart through social proof (reviews / UGC)
- Email 3: Offer an Incentivesome text
- If the customer still hasn’t completed their purchase, send this 3-5 days after the cart was abandoned, offering a discount or special offer to sweeten the deal.
Abandoned cart emails play a big role in your automated email strategy and can significantly boost your revenue by converting hesitant customers into buyers. Then, with well structured and thought out direct communications, you’ll be turning buyers into advocates, and the process repeats.
3. The Post-Purchase Flow
Goal of the Post-Purchase Flow
- Primary Goal: Enhance customer satisfaction and encourage repeat purchases.
- Secondary Goals: Collect feedback, build loyalty, and upsell or cross-sell related products.
Basic Structure of a Post-Purchase Series
- Email 1: Order confirmation and thank you.
- Email 2: Product care instructions or usage tips.
- Email 3: Request for feedback or review.
- Email 4: Suggest related products or upsell.
Detail of Each Email in the Series
- Email 1: Order Confirmation
- Subject: "Thank You for Your Purchase!"
- Content: Confirm the order, provide shipping details, and express gratitude. Include customer support information.
- Email 2: Product Tips
- Subject: "How to Get the Most Out of Your [Product]"
- Content: Share tips and instructions for using the purchased product. Include a thank you note and additional value.
- Email 3: Request Feedback
- Subject: "We'd Love Your Feedback"
- Content: Ask for a review or feedback on the purchased product. Provide a link to the review site and thank the customer for their time.
- Email 4: Product Recommendations
- Subject: "You Might Also Like..."
- Content: Suggest related products based on the customer's purchase. Include special offers or discounts for repeat purchases.
Adding Value in Every Email
To maintain a positive brand image and high engagement rates, always offer value to your readers. Here are some tips:
- Educational Content: Provide tips, how-to guides, and industry insights.
- Customer Benefits: Highlight the benefits of your products and how they solve customer pain points.
- Exclusive Offers: Offer discounts, early access to new products, or special promotions.
By focusing on providing value rather than just pushing for sales, you'll build a loyal customer base that is more likely to engage with your emails and make repeat purchases.
Conclusion
Implementing these three essential email flows—Welcome, Abandoned Cart, and Post-Purchase—will significantly boost your revenue and enhance customer relationships. By using a platform like Klaviyo, you can create personalised and effective email campaigns that drive engagement and sales for your Shopify store without all the headaches that come with API's and other engineering jargod we'd have to Google to understand.
I'm sorry there's no silver bullet email outline I can give you in a blog post because you should be putting in the work to tailor each piece of communication to your specific customer problems, and the more specific, the better.
You know you need these flows in your business, but if you don't have the time / resources let's be honest, when will they go live. Want to monetise your email marketing quicker? I might just be your guy. Reach out at ando@andosmarketing.com
