OK let’s face it. Getting new customers is way more tedious than winning back your old existing ones. Going about exploring new shores is not only time consuming but less efficient too. Time and again, marketing gurus have stressed upon the importance of retention and re-engagement. So, how do we go about it? Win back emails are your answer here!
Win-back emails are a pretty interesting lot. They get your old accounts back and with a style. These emails are used as a part of re-engagement campaigns by almost all the brands. Win-back emails categorically carry a nostalgic emotional appeal that does the entire trick. It makes them feel loved, remembered and special.
So how can you cash in on this opportunity?
1. Segment your list:
Separate out the email addresses of the customers whom you would re-engage with. Clean out your email list to remove the inactive email addresses. Separating the email addresses is important as the campaign and pitch would be different for them.
2. Incentivize them:
Make them feel that they are needed and you can’t do without them. I mean, who doesn’t like that kind of a feeling?! A catchy subject line packed with an irresistible incentive does the trick. Like,
[Subject line] We missed you!
[Body copy] We really want you back to check out our new range of products and so we have added this awesome offer below. JUST FOR YOU!
[Call to action] USE THE COUPON NOW!
See! Doesn’t that sound special!
3. Unclaimed points:
Many a times, customers don’t realize that they have stocked on points in their accounts from their last shopping. So, remind them! The “you have unclaimed benefits/money” win back has the highest conversion rate of them all like this one sent by Jabong. Here, Jabong has incorporated both, the points and coupon strategy with impeccable design to win their customers back!
This type of email should be sent when the customer has not cashed in his/her bonus points. One must also make sure to vary the ‘From’ (sender’s name) and the subject line for every customer you send along with the time of the day.
4. Plan your come-back:
If you are planning a re-engagement campaign, and you should, plan the cadence well. Which means, let your emails be planned in such a way that the decided effect will hit the right keys. For instance, choose customers who haven’t interacted or shopped with you at all for months. As your customers haven’t been responding to your updates for a long time, give this list a ‘rest’ period of 2 weeks. Which means, do not roll out any communication to these email addresses before you launch your win-back campaign. This radio silence from your end adds an extra punch and ingenuity to your attempt at winning them over!
Brands need to incorporate win-back email campaigns to nudge the old customers who haven’t shopped with them for months. Well, you can’t expect them to stick around! Not with competing brands cropping up every single day!
Customers tend to stray every once in awhile and that is natural. Reminiscing old shopping experiences, taking them through new improvements and add-ons not only sounds attractive but also acts as a reverse social proof. This means, you remind your customer about how they enjoyed shopping with you, and leverage that social proof given by them to bring them back! And of course, one of the best ways to keep customers coming back is to prevent them from leaving in the first place. An assortment of emails like newsletter, offers, educational emails sent from time to time does the trick.
Have a win-back campaign to share or ask about? Feel free to comment below.