Email trends from 2015, Email expectations for 2016 and email best practices for subscriber focused...

is the agency that connects subscriber and retail brands to their customers to drive business performance.

|

www.wearelift.com | 1

Email trends from 2015, expectations for 2016, and LIFT email best practices and examples…

…for subscriber-focused businesses.


|

www.wearelift.com

Outline

| 2

Email trends from 2015

Expectations for 2016• Conversational commerce• Chat with robots

LIFT approach to customer lifecycle communication• Welcome• Onboarding • Subscribe/purchase• Cart abandonment • Retention • Free preview/upsell• Referral/advocacy


|


Email Trends from 2015


|


Email is still doing the marketing heavy-lifting

Email Trends 2015: A Visual Guide10 Email marketing experts give their views and examples of the future of email marketing www.smartinsights.com

In 2015, email was still considered one of the top three sales drivers for digital marketing channels.

With a return on investment (ROI) of 38-to-1 on every dollar invested, it has the highest ROI among digital marketing channels.


|

www.wearelift.com

72% of people say they prefer

companies to communicate with them via email over any other channel.


|


Our email inboxes are full… always

www.smartinsights.com

A person’s email inbox is where forgotten passwords are revived, mass-mailings are collected, pumpkin-pie recipes are shared, toddler photos saved and travel itineraries referenced. It’s become the one-stop, go-to spot for all of our information.


|


Emails are more often read on mobile

source: Yesmail.com

And because we use phones more, of course, we use our mobile devices to check email more. 50% of users only open emails on mobile, 42% only open emails on desktop/laptop and 8% on both platforms.


|


“Inbox” will change email beyond recognitionInbox by Gmail is a new app from the Gmail team. It is an organized place to get things done and get back to what matters. Bundles keep emails organized (and group all promotional and marketing emails together).


|


Email needs to display on new screen sizesThe debut of the Apple Watch makes it absolutely clear that marketers must optimize that plain-text alternative for wearables.


|


More customization

By segmenting users into their preferences and behavior patterns, user engagement increases. Email contents are tailored to readers’ preferences by giving them choices to click on.


|


More personalization

It’s no longer enough to include someone’s first name and call it personalization (and it hasn’t been for years now…) With automated communication tools based on behavioral triggers and customer profile information, it’s easier to personalize emails now than ever.


|


Automated marketing tools are smarter than everMarketing automation space is "still a market that is in the learning and skill-building phase." And Silicon Valley is quickly creating more and more competitors.


|


Push notifications are the natural extension of emailThe Internet-everywhere era that smartphones ushered in brought with it vibrating, chiming, knocking, thrumming, anytime alerts from an endless number of people and apps.


|


Expectations for 2016


|


Messaging apps are now bigger than social networks

Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-messag ing-a pp-re port-2015-11?IR=T

Users around the world are logging into messaging apps not only to chat with friends but also to connect with brands, browse merchandise and watch content. What were once simple services for exchanging messages, pictures, videos and GIFs have evolved into expansive ecosystems with their own developers, apps and APIs.


|


Slack: the fastest growing start-up

Ever. And the CEO refers to it as a replacement for company email. "It’s all your communication in one place, instantly searchable, and available wherever you go." Slackbot integrates with Google Analytics to Box. If employees communicate to each other primarily via chat, will they eventually communicate to customers the same way?


|


Slackbot automates internal chat

Isn’t chat easier than an interface? Employees can create their Slack user profiles via chat (with the help us the slackbot). What is customers could sign up for new services and products that same way? It’s immediate. And automatic. And much simpler.


|


Payments are already part of conversationsConversational mobile apps have a lot more contextual information about users, including location, health sensor and social data. Friends can pay friends the same way they text message.


|


Instant interaction is key expected

You can order coffee via a message, pay and have a piping hot cup of joe in front of you a few minutes later. No hailing a waitress required. Interaction is immediate.

If you can order at restaurants via a bot, what else can we use bot communication for?


|

www.wearelift.com

The net result is that customers will be talking to brands and companies over

Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack and elsewhere before year’s end, and we will find it normal.


|


Will messaging replace email?

Maybe. Hard to know for certain. But the role of email is going to change in 2016 as more customers expect to pay via chat and communicate with bots via messenger apps.

Email is always going to have a place in the marketing mix. But we do expect that role to continue to evolve in 2016.


|


2016 will be the year of conversational commerceCustomers will expect to make payments and use brand products or services from directly within their favorite messaging app.


|


2016 will be the year of bot chat

Customers will expect immediate and automatic communication with brands (even if it’s a robot on the other end of the chat).


|


LIFT approach


|


We always look at the entire customer lifecycle.

Never just individual steps.


|


Our examples

We’ve specifically looked at onboarding and retention emails from subscription-based companies across multiple industries.


|


Onboarding


|


Sign-up/Start trial

We’ve captured their email address. Now what? We need to help a new customer over barriers, show key benefits, validate the offer, and guide new customers through their first experience. Easier said than done.


|

www.wearelift.com 29

Netflix uses “Anytime, Anywhere” to drive free month trial

Enjoy Netflix Anytime, Anywhere. The messaging is consistent across remarketing banner ads and social. Emails are concise with a single call to action.


|


ClassPass encourages users to start a free trial risk-free

Trial offer is top priority. Email includes the two key benefits of joining ClassPass. 1) The ability to take multiple classes for one monthly price, and 2) The ease of booking via the app or website.


|


LeTote explains how the service works then sends discounts

The first two emails from LeTote focus on how the service works. The idea of rental wardrobes is new and they have a lot of explaining to do.

Once they have explained how, they focus on getting customers to start their subscription (and offer as low as 50% off in order to do so).


|


MeUndies uses testimonials to drive subscription purchases

After one month (or two weeks after a new customer bought their first pair) MeUndies encourages customers to subscribe in order to save and receive the design of the month.

The monthly design is a key part of the brand and content. Each month they have a theme, campaign and content ranging from video spoofs to zombie races to promote the design.

Tweets specific to the subscription are pulled into emails.


|


Birchbox shows users what they might be missing out on

Although you don’t have to subscribe, the core of the Birchbox business model is a subscription to their sampling program. Only 30% of their business is e-retail. Each month they feature what was inside the Birchboxto anyone who didn’t receive it.

Birchbox follows up with a ”Last chance to subscribe and get the January Box” email.


|


Welcome emails

This is the first line of communication. It sets the tone for all future communication. These initial emails need to set expectation and demonstrate stats.

Welcome emails serve several purposes from welcoming members onboard, brand indoctrination, setting expectations, giving incentives and connecting with the brand in other channels.

www.marketingsherpa.com


|


Hulu provides a basic overview of subscription and content

Hulu sends a single email to guide the initial experience followed by an email about top shows 7 days later.


|


Netflix provides a basic overview of subscription and content

Netflix Welcome is divided into two emails. 1) The first confirms your trial and provides details. 2) The second showcases top-watched shows and encourages new users to watch across any supported device.


|


Netflix communication at start of membership similar

The content and the tone are similar (if not identical to messaging in the trial emails.


|


MeUndies “Welcome” from Jen states company mission

Whether you subscribe or buy, the first email is a message from Jen. All of your email communication will be from Jen!

The message is impassioned; it’s essentially a mission statement. MeUndiesthinks shopping for underwear is boring and they want to change it. This email lays the foundation for the rest of your MeUndies experience.

(The MeUndies team won’t reveal Jen’s

identity and there are billboards begging

the question “Who is Jen?” around Los

Angeles.)


|


MeUndies follows up with product information 24 hours laterA photo of the team and #hashtag immediately connects new customers to the @meundies community online.

They share three important things that differentiate their company: high-quality materials, great customer service and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This email is all about alleviating anxiety.


|


Make the most of the products and services (during trial)

Helping a person make the most of the product or service is key to getting trial users to subscribe and to retaining customers. It’s important to build a multi-step flow of emails and communication that makes sure the customer is engaged and satisfied.


|


Evernote “Welcome” provides clear next step

Evernote has 10 welcome and onboarding emails spread over 36 days. Instead of sending a generic “welcome to the family,” Evernote sends specific calls to action in their subject, “Get started with Evernote,” and in the body, “Access your notes anywhere. Open your email on your computer, tablet and phone to download Evernote on each device.”

Each email in the welcome series has a specific call to action in order to expose new customers to Evernote features. One at a time.


|


Evernote “Welcome flow” over 10 emails/36 days onboards


|


Trunk Club encourages app download early

Trunk Club saw that when customers installed the app they were better able to engage with their stylist and therefore more likely to continue using Trunk Club. Therefore Trunk Club encouraged users to download the app (and could target users that hadn’t downloaded the app or had never used it with additional information).


|


Cart abandonment emails

67% of online shopping carts are abandoned. Yikes.

In other words, 67 out of every 100 potential customers is browsing your website, looking at products, adding products to their cart and going to the checkout page because they intend to purchase.

But then they leave.

Retail cart abandon emails follow these guidelines: • Email 1 is a reminder (23 hours later) • Email 2 is an objection handling email (47 hours

later)• Email 3 is a discount email (71 hours later)


|


NatureBox reminders new subscribers to complete your order

Simple. Direct. Honest. It’s immediately obvious why they’re emailing you, as well as what you need to do next.


|


Honest offers customer support to complete order

The first step that Honest takes is to connect a customer to the support team.

Customer testimonials are featured on all emails to new customers.


|


Blue Apron shares recipes for every meal you miss

Blue Apron never wants you to miss a meal with them.


|


Retention


|


Make the most of the products and services

Unlike during trial and onboarding, brands can leverage emails to communicate changes, updates, new content and new services to continue to engage their subscribers.


|


Hulu shows subscribers what is trending each week

Subscribers receive a weekly email with what is trending right now on Hulu. Emails are poorly integrated with the product experience and not designed well.


|


Netflix communicates new shows added regularly

Although these emails most likely go out to all subscribers, “we just added new shows you might like” feels personal (but isn’t overly promising). Users can immediately play the content or add to their watch list.


|


NatureBox sends you the best of the best

NatureBox sends out weekly recommendations based on the most popular items and recently added seasonal snacks.


|


Texture sends daily recommendations for what to read

Texture sends daily recommendations for what to read based on current events and activities.


|


Customization and personalization

The emails with the highest engagement rates are those that feel the most specific to ME! This is done in two parts: firstly, by segmenting your customers and secondly, personalizing the content for the different segments.

source: MarketingSherpa.com: Top 8 Marketing Sherpa case studies


|


The entire Yummly experience is customized to you

The home screen of the app is also tailored to a user’s past views and saved recipes.

Yummly times their emails based on your previous engagement with the app. For example, if you last searched for recipes at 5pm, your next email from Yummly with recipe recommendations will arrive at the same time.


|


Netflix sends personal recommendations for what to watch

The email is titled “What to watch tonight” and although it says “for Danielle” it doesn’t match what is in the app experience. It’s unclear how often these emails are sent.


|


Birchbox tailors to groups based on profiles and behaviors

Birchbox’s light touch customization feels more personal than it really is. These emails are based on a specific profile attribute (skin type) and a custom email is sent to the 5 groups.


|


Zapier sends emails when no actions are taken

This is an example of a behavioral email. Zapier can see that the user has signed up for a free trial but hasn’t done much. With that knowledge, they can trigger a very targeted email. This email is loaded with ideas for using Zapier and it’s a great catalyst for onboarding.


|


Blue Apron sends a year in review

Blue Apron sends a year in review of all the meals cooked and ingredients used to remind customers how much they used the service. Each email is personalized to the user.


|


Upsell/Cross-sell

New products and services are often created because brands identified an additional need of their existing subscribers. We want our customers to get the most out of what we offer them. So the messaging needs to start there.


|


Dollar Shave Club offers add-ons before shipping

Dollar Shave Club provides an overview of what is shipping each month. Even though most members receive the same products each month, this serves as a reminder for what to expect in the shipment (and opportunity to add something to the shipment).

Customer testimonials are featured on all emails to new customers.


|


Blue Apron dedicates email campaigns to new product

Blue Apron dedicated a 3+ month email campaign to existing subscribers to get them to try their new wine pairing product. They did everything short of sending bottles of wine!


|


Referral/Advocacy

What would you offer your current subscribers if they referred a friend to use the product? Can your current subscribers tell your product story to a friend better than you can? We think so. And shares to Facebook don’t cut it anymore. Brands need to be smart about how they incentivize and reward current subscribers for referring their friends.


|


Blue Apron sends free meals for subscribers to gift friends

Blue Apron gives each member the ability to gift free meals to 3 of their friends (based on usage and time). The current customer doesn’t receive anything, but the recipient gets 2 meals free (about 66% off) their first delivery when they subscribe.


|


Bark Box rewards all dogs with a free month of goodies

Bark Box confirms when a referral has signed up and prompts the subscriber to check their account online to confirm the credit has been applied.

Bark Box takes the opportunity to encourage the subscriber to invite more friends (and receive more months of Bark Box free).


|


Texture leverages gift cards rather than credit

Texture used multiple incentives within a short period of time to test what worked!


|


ENJOY!


|


LIFT is the agency that connects

subscriber and e-retail brands to their customers

to drive business performance.


|


Contact us: [email protected]

Need a LIFT?

Date post:	13-Apr-2017
Category:	Marketing
Upload:	danielle-narveson
View:	286 times
Download:	0 times