The following blog post was written by Sara Luu and originally appeared on the Oracle + Bronto blog.
With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other holiday sales, many ecommerce companies will see a huge spike in revenue and gain new customers in the process. But once the holidays are over, some of those customers will drop off and revenue can start to dip going into the new year.
What’s your post-holiday game plan to keep them engaged and coming back in 2018? Here are a few campaigns to get you geared up for the new year.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday Post-Purchase Series
It’s normal to see a growth in your email list during Cyber Week. These subscribers are often first-time buyers who have been waiting for the best sale of the year to make their first purchase. However, only 32% of customers place a second order in the first year as a customer. But once they’ve placed two orders, the likelihood of them placing a third goes up to 50%.
Your new goal: Get them back to your site to buy again. One effective way to encourage them is with relevant, timely follow-up messages. Here are three key messages to include in your series:
1. Offer a Bounce-back Coupon
It’s January 1 – about a month since these shoppers placed an order, thanks to the amazing deals you offered during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. For these savvy customers, consider sending them a coupon to encourage a second order.
Best Practices
- Thank the user again for their purchase.
- Be clear about what you’re offering, and make it the main focus of your email.
- Remail the offer to those who still haven’t purchased a week later, and use a sense of urgency to increase the open rate.
These messages follow all the rules. Take a page out of their book as you create your own.
The beginning of the year will most likely be a slower season, so use the time to gather customer product reviews and ratings for other prospective buyers. This tactic is also a great way to show your most recent buyers that you value their input and feedback. Customers who provide a review are also more likely to go back and make another purchase.
Best Practices
- Personalize the email with their first name and the products they purchased.
- Use more personal language, such as “share your experience” or “we appreciate your feedback.”
- Create a clear call to action to review each item they ordered.
- Reward the customer with an offer for providing their feedback.
3. Provide Product Recommendations
Make it easy for customers to find their next favorite product! With all the data you’ve gathered on their previous purchase history, it’s easy to give suggestions on which items might be right up their alley.
Products to Recommend
- New Arrivals this week – Products based on availability date, prioritized by the newest date.
- Best Sellers – Products with the most units sold or highest revenue generated.
- Top Sales – Products that have generated the most revenue that are currently on sale.
- Category Cross-sell – Products in the same category as their previous orders.
“New Year, New You” Campaign
In the new year, many of your customers will be focusing on their resolutions, so it’s a good time to send a message that offers your top must-have items to help them meet their goals for the new year. And don’t be afraid to run another sale that discounts those products. It may even help them stay within their all-new 2018 budget!
Best Practices
- Talk about making a fresh start. Give subscribers a boost and something positive to look toward.
- Feature products to help achieve their goals, such as items that promote productivity, organization or a healthy lifestyle.
Now that you have a game plan, it’s time to start building! May your 2018 be full of personalization, segmentation, and of course, more revenue!
Want to learn more about email marketing innovation? Don’t miss Oracle + Bronto at our Email Transformation Tour in London on February 1st!
