Do you think email marketing in 2022 is dead?
Despite the claims of immature marketing gurus, email marketing isn’t dead.
Instead, it's one of the most effective marketing channels. Check the following stats to see why business owners still prefer email marketing, even in the era of social media.
Email Marketing Stats
- Email marketing offers the highest ROI. For every $1, a business owner can get a return of $42.
- 87% of business owners use emails for marketing their businesses.
- 4 out 5 business owners stated they’d rather give up social media than email marketing.
What do you think now? Can a dead marketing channel offer the highest ROI?
Hmmm... not really!
Hence, do not give up on this wonderful marketing channel because newbie gurus call it dead.
Email marketing has changed a lot from how it started.
Remember the times when email marketing was all about one-off campaigns and newsletters?
But like anything else, email marketing has also grown. Companies now ditch manual email marketing and invest in email automation practices.
Ever wonder why they are doing this?
Because they want their campaigns to be specific and relevant to their audiences.
If done right, email automation can help you boost ecommerce sales and nurture engagement.
The issue is, that many brands don't know which automation flows are worth prioritizing.
So, I thought it was a good idea to cover this topic in today's post.
Continue reading if you're determined to double... triple... or even quadruple your sales in 2021???
Sounds like a tall order? Don't take my word for it. Let me show you what I mean.
This article has everything to get you started with email automation. ?
How Does Email Automation Work?
Email automation is when you create your campaigns using an automated service. It saves you time and effort.
Let me elaborate...
What do you do when you get a new subscriber on board?
You send them a welcome email, right?
But as your business grows, sending a welcome email to each subscriber would be difficult.
With email automation, your welcome emails will automatically go to your new subscribers.
How awesome is that?
I know what you’re thinking...
No, email automation is not only about automating your email sending process. It does a lot more than that.
You can find at least three good reasons to try email automation in the next section.
Benefits of Email Automation
With automated emails:
1. You Can Drive More Revenues
If you’re running a business, that means you’re interested in making profits.
Email automation leads to targeted communications.
Now, what does that mean?
It means you can communicate with your customers with the right message and at the right time.
You can’t also go wrong with audience segmentation when using email automation.
All of this contributes to your profit margins. Some businesses increased their conversion rate by 77% using automated email workflows.
If they can do it, you can do it too!
2. You Can Connect with Your Customers at a More Personal Level
Automated emails follow personalization protocols.
That means your emails will always say ‘Hi Carey’ instead of ‘Hi there.’
Some workflows even make use of other personal details. For instance, you can highlight where recipients work, what their interests are, etc.
This gives your subscribers a feeling that you have done your homework well.
That’s why automated emails engage better than those old-school template emails.
3. You can Save Time and Energy
Running an online business is no joke.
You can't sit all day long in front of your computer to forward emails.
When everything is automated, it saves you both time and energy. How about spending that time on other more important things?
Enough reasons to get you started, right?
What's next?
Time to choose the best email automation software for your business.
The trouble is you get trillions of suggestions when you search for them online.
Fret not, as I have reviewed my 3-all-time favorite email automation tools in the following section.
Top 3 Email Automation Software
1. Omnisend
Omnisend is my favorite tool. Why? Because it comes with a range of features, a marketer might need for their campaigns.
This tool can be perfect for you if you’re starting out. There are tons of pre-built templates you can use to fuel your email marketing strategy.
With this tool, you can also send text messages and push notifications. So, if you want to invest in an all-in-one tool and not just an automated email solution, Omnisend is for you.
Up next is...
2. Hubspot Email Marketing
If you’re into marketing, the name HubSpot must not be new for you. We know them for their CRM features and inbound marketing solutions.
But did you know their email automation tool is also pretty cool?
The best part?
It’s FREE…
With HubSpot’s free email automation tool, you can:
- send an automated email from lead offers
- send a thank you/welcome email
You can also move to one of their paid plans. But if you’re on a tight budget, the free version would do the job just fine.
3. Mailchimp
I like Mailchimp for two reasons. First, it is easy to use. Second, it has tools you can use to spruce up your basic campaign.
So before you try something expensive, you can use Mailchimp to experience automation.
I gave you an idea of how email automation works. We also talked about why it is important to invest in email automation. And I am sure you know by now the tools you can use.
Time to experiment with some real-time email automation flows...
10 Email Automation Flows to Boost Ecommerce Revenues
1. Welcome Emails
I don’t know about you but I always expect a little nice and friendly email when I sign up for anything.
Welcome emails are powerful. In fact, they are 86% more effective than standard newsletters.
Your welcome email should be informative and friendly.
Remember, your welcome email is your chance to build your first impression. So, try to use it in the best possible way.
Check out the welcome email Airbnb sends to its new subscribers.
(Source)
See how beautifully they have explained all their features in this email. All sections are visible. The descriptions are clear with relevant CTAs.
What else could one ask for?
Another email automation workflow you can try is…
2. Cart Abandonment Emails
Customer distraction is real. That means you'll lose a few customers no matter how hard you try.
So what would be your action plan?
Will you let those customers go or try to win them back through abandoned cart emails?
The latter sounds more promising.
By setting up an abandoned cart email workflow, you can encourage those customers to come back who left their purchase in the middle.
If your analytics are strong, you can also find why they left in the first place. This will help you create a more targeted email workflow.
See how Hydro Flask nailed it with their personalized cart abandonment email.
(Source)
3. Post-Purchase Emails
Sending follow-up emails is important for two reasons.
First, they portray a professional image of your brand. Second, they help you build a long-term relationship with your buyers.
With these emails, you can show your customers their feedback matters.
Pro tip: Throw in a unique discount code to make your follow-up emails look more sincere.
The next on my list is...
4. Product Recommendation Emails
With analytics, you can track your customer’s behavioral preferences.
You will find some of your customers browsing fashion products only. There will be a group that always browses and purchases household products.
For some, your pet supplies section is of the utmost importance.
Why am I talking about this? Because I am going to share a secret with you.
You can boost your ecommerce sales with this strategy. Send out recommended product emails to segment customers based on what they like.
‘Crate and Barrel’ has a product recommendation section at the bottom of their emails. This ‘More For You’ segment includes recommendations based on the customer's browsing history.
(Source)
Now, we have...
5. Re-Engagement Emails
Customer choices change fast. Even if they’re your regular buyers, there is no guarantee that they will stick with you forever.
That is where re-engagement comes in.
With re-engagement automation workflows, you remind your customers your brand exists.
Create an engaging copy.
Offer them discounts and vouchers.
And tell them how valuable they’re for your business.
This is what Grammarly sends you when they find you no longer use their app.
Want to know their subject line?
We miss you! Make sure you’re logged in.
Grammarly knows how to win their lost customers back. It’s your turn...
6. Order Confirmation Emails
An online business cannot prosper without establishing trust.
What can be the next excellent step when a customer orders something from your store?
An order confirmation email...
The goal of these emails is to reassure customers that their delivery is on its way.
A standard order confirmation email includes:
- Product details
- Quantity
- Price
- Shipping Fee
- Total payable
- Payment details (Already paid/COD)
What else can you try? Let’s find out!
7. Browse Abandonment Emails
Browse abandonment emails work in the same way as cart abandonment emails.
The only difference is…
You know what your customers have abandoned in case of cart abandonment emails.
Browse abandonment emails are a little trickier. Why? Because you have to recommend products based on the buyer’s browsing history.
8. Feedback and Review Emails
Customer feedback is the deal-breaker for online businesses.
Buyers sharing positive feedback are more likely to do repeat business with you.
The good news is...
You can also ask for their review by sending an automated feedback email.
9. Milestone Emails
Customer acquisition is costly.
Why spend more when you can boost your ecommerce sales by customer retention?
You can appreciate your customer's loyalty by sending a milestone email.
A few campaigns you can start right now:
- Anniversary campaigns
- Birthday campaigns
Send out these occasional emails and see your customers fall in love with your brand.
We’re down to our last option now...
10. Promotional Emails
You can also create automated promotional emails. Have a sale coming up?
Announce it through an email.
Get as creative as you want. But try to keep your copy simple and focus more on benefits.
Emails are only half of the equation. You should also have a list of emails to send them to.
That's where Debutify's Newsletter Pop-Up add-on comes in. It helps you capture your visitors' email addresses before they exit your store.
Isn't the amazing? So, what are you waiting for?
Never Miss The Chance To Build Your Email List Longer With Debutify!
More Subscribers. Better Conversions. Increased Sales.
Llouela Asim