Drip marketing, a.k.a. lifecycle emails, autoresponders, marketing automation, automated email campaigns: regardless of the name, the results are the same. Instead of one email, the message you want to communicate is spread out over a schedule of several emails. Pretty clever, huh?
The idea is sending people the right information in a temporally strategic manner. Of course, these messages are already written and can be sent out automatically. The combination of automation and delivering a custom message at opportune times makes drip emails an extremely attractive marketing tool.
While the advantages are clear, the trick to any tool is using it properly.
While you probably already have several ideas for how to use drip emails, here are 5 proven ways to make the most of the drip.
1. Following up on abandoned shopping carts. One of the perks of online shopping is saving a product in your shopping cart until you’re ready to buy it. Automated drip campaigns allow businesses to effectively nurture a customer to purchase what’s in their shopping cart. The first email might be a simple reminder, the next a discount, and the final: a notice that the discount is about to expire. They can also be used to inquire into why a customer decided not to purchase an item they’d placed in, or removed from, their cart.
2. Preventing unsubscribes. While unsubscribes might seem like a rejection, that’s not always the case; some people simply prefer not to receive emails. An autoresponder can send a brief, friendly “goodbye” message that directs customers to your social media accounts or physical contact information.
3. Engagement emails. Whether a customer visited your site without making a purchase, or if you just haven’t seen them in a while, engagement emails are a great way of staying on your customers’ radar.
4. Sales confirmations. Confirmations and thank you emails show your gratitude and keep your customers’ attention. For example, if a customer buys a tent, your ‘thank you’ email could include links to other camping supplies your company sells.
5. Welcome letters. When someone signs up on your website, or subscribes to your newsletter, an autoresponder welcome letter not only confirms their entry, it also gives you the perfect opportunity to share more about your products or further introduce them to your community. Once the initial welcome letter is triggered, the following drips can keep subscribers up to date on events or sales associated with your products.
Of course, it doesn’t matter how meticulously your drip campaign is planned, without a carefully crafted message, your plan probably isn’t going to work out so well. Fortunately, there are companies who specialize in just this sort of thing.
ContentBacon employs a team of expert storytellers with one objective: to catch readers’ attention. From there, your message is ingested as easily as a freshly toasted BLT. For more information on how to maximize your drip marketing campaign, contact one of our marketing experts today.