A short guide on designing the ideal customer journey
Are emails still relevant? The answer is a resounding yes.
According to HubSpot, emails generate $42 for every dollar spent, an impressive 4200% return on investment (ROI), making it one of the most effective marketing tools.
Unlike social media, emails provide direct engagement with your customers without getting lost in news feeds. Additionally, your email list belongs to you, regardless of what happens to other platforms.
Here’s how to create the ideal customer journey for your clientele.
What is a customer journey?
The customer journey is an integral part of an email marketing strategy.
This strategy involves using an automated system to email users or potential customers when interacting with your brand.
Each email is tailored to meet a user’s needs based on where they are in relation to their particular customer journey.
For example, if a new user visits your site and subscribes to your newsletter, they should receive targeted emails about your brand and products as they are new customers. In contrast, established clients' emails would cater to their previous purchases and highlight new products of interest to them.
Why should you create a customer journey?
There are many reasons why it's a good idea.
For one, it's easy to implement and cost-effective. Moreover, it helps shape and improve customer experience, benefiting both the customer and the business. With plenty of user-friendly email marketing platforms available, like Mailchimp, Venngage, Militant, Zoho Campaigns, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Klaviyo, or SendinBlue, there's no reason not to create multiple customer journeys.
The typical customer journey
Before creating a variety of customer journeys, it’s essential to trace the steps your customers typically follow.
Think about your shopping habits: what do you do when shopping online?
You’ll type the product you want into the Google search bar and visit different sites.
You then compare prices and quality, and you might shop around to see if the company offers a discount or an enticing promotional offer.
Finally, you add the product to your cart and check out.
In short, the customer journey could be summed up as follows:
Discovering a product;
Assessing whether it meets your needs;
Looking for a deal and completing the purchase.
Once you understand this, creating an email strategy that matches each user’s journey, whether a new or repeat customer, is easy.
Where to start?
To foster customer loyalty, craft a compelling welcome email introducing customers to your brand's identity.
Instead of focusing on promoting products or services, demonstrate how you can address customers' needs while being different from your competitors. What makes you unique?
Offering a discount on the customer's first purchase is one way to incentivize them. Ask them what type of communication they prefer. Personalized communication is key nowadays.
First impressions count, and the welcome email is your brand’s first impression, so don’t mess it up!
Don’t worry, though, marketing and content creation experts can help you craft the perfect email.
The different types of emails
Various types of emails are essential to keep track of a customer's journey, and they need to be tailored and sent at the right time to maximize their effectiveness.
“FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA” EMAILS
Sending this email is crucial because social media draws significant traffic to your website.
Including testimonials from satisfied customers and 5-star reviews as content and incorporating your keywords and community engagement can help.
Highlight the benefits of following your business on social media, such as exclusive access to contests, discount codes, new products, and more.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR EMAILS
Consumer behaviour emails are automated and sent based on customers' actions on your website.
For instance, if they leave items in their cart without completing the purchase, they'll receive an email encouraging them to proceed. You can highlight the quality and value of the intended products and leverage scarcity marketing strategies.
Once they complete their purchase, a confirmation email thanking them for choosing your company and providing shipping and tracking details should be sent.
A few weeks after the purchase, you can request feedback or encourage customers to leave comments on your social media. You can suggest complementary items or personalized offers based on recent purchases.
MARKETING/EDITORIAL CALENDAR EMAILS
Marketing and editorial calendar emails should announce new releases based on special occasions, events, or holidays. Planning an editorial calendar will help manage communication and publication on social media platforms.
PROMOTIONAL OR BIRTHDAY EMAILS
Promotional or birthday emails encourage active and prospective customers to make new purchases. It's an opportunity to thank customers for their support and interact with them. Consider offering discounts, free samples, free shipping, extra loyalty card points, or a discount on the second item to celebrate their birthday. Again, it’s all about personalization here.
REACTIVATION EMAIL
Reactivation emails are critical in re-engaging inactive users with discounts to encourage them to return to your site. Use intriguing phrases like "We miss you!" or "Try X for free!" to capture their attention”.
Surprisingly, these emails usually perform really well.
Create your ideal customer journey
If you thought email marketing was obsolete, think again!
If you need advice on creating targeted content for your email campaigns, don’t hesitate to call on the experts at Branddit to help you optimize your customer journey. Remember, the key is to continuously test and tweak!
