Branding is about telling the customer who you are and giving them a reason to create a lasting relationship; a bond that drives the customer to relate and stay loyal. In the virtual world confirmation emails are similar to a receipt and much more. They lead to customer engagement and are a vital tool for branding too.
Why send confirmation emails?
- A study conducted by Experian reveals that confirmation emails have 12% to 20% average click through rates and this amounts to five times the rate of bulk emails.
- Transaction confirmations are the most valuable emails for 64% of consumers.
- Litmus Email Analytics study discovered that customers spend 14.8 seconds on order confirmation emails. This is remarkable because, it is higher by 185% than the usual 8 second average attention span of humans.
Whenever I buy a product online I am anxious to know if the purchase got through, it’s like getting a virtual receipt. And if I don’t happen to get a confirmation email within 5 minutes, I feel anxious. I’m sure this happens with most of us.
What more, we are reassured that we placed the right order and weren’t over charged. They are necessary for replacements, warranties, if we have to return or exchange products, etc. Customers generally preserve these mails so that they can be used as reference sometimes in future
Top 4 tips to use confirmation emails for brand building:
1. Build trust
It makes customers anxious if their purchase isn’t backed by a mail that confirms their order. In this mail along with mentioning the purchases that the customer has made, you can inform them about the exchange and return policy. If you have a free shipping policy mention that too, because it encourages customers to shop more as you are being transparent about all the terms and conditions.
2. Drive repeat purchases
When existing customers buy again, you as a retailer save the cost of acquiring a new customer. So delight your existing customers. Confirmation emails are an opportunity to encourage repeat purchase since customers get the first impression about the treatment you will extend post purchase.
- Promote new arrivals
When customers place an order thank them for purchasing products. Mention the new arrivals, as it is a great way to entice your customers to revisit your site to purchase more. Always send the shipping details once the order is dispatched. Keep in touch with the customer continuously; never lose touch. Mention when the customer is likely to receive the product and send an email confirming when they have received the products. - Customized and Personalized Recommendations
Suggesting your customers about other related products based on purchase history, calls to encourage further purchases. Personalize the email by mentioning customer’s name and informing the customer that you are carefully picking and recommending products based on their choice. This drives purchase intent and makes your recommendations more appealing. The customer feels valued as you share only carefully selected products for him/ her. - Reward and appreciate your customers
Continue the customer journey by rewarding customers. This encourages future purchases. It can be a discount, loyalty program or special offer. New customers find this valuable as it’s their first experience with the brand. Edgell Knowledge Network study shows that rewards drive customer loyalty. Another interesting study conducted by ClickFox found that customers react to brands they love by spreading the word. This is indeed a valuable action taken by customers as they recommend the brand to friends and family thus, expanding your customer base. Confirmation emails are also an opportunity to ask customers to rate their experience.
3. Contact details
When you send an order confirmation email give the assurance to your customers that your brand is available anytime to answer their queries and address their issues. Do include your email id, phone number and contact link. This increases trust between the brand and the customer creating brand loyalty.
A brand should protect its branding on every occasion by sending confirmation emails, and if an order confirmation email is the first impression on its service, then it has to be an impressive one in order to build positive sentiment and convince customers to trust the brand again in the future. Send out some great confirmation emails by using Juvlon‘s email automation platform.