eCommerce is the fastest growing sector in retail. Across the internet, it accounts for billions of dollars in new revenue and sales monthly, while also generating hundreds of millions of dollars in new sales for businesses of all sizes.
If you need a few examples of just how important ecommerce is, look no further than Amazon, eBay and Apple. Not only are they raking in the big money, they’ve always built extremely successful businesses and powerful brands in the process.
At the same time, for some companies, it’s the only section of retail that is growing for them. To compete in today’s changing landscape, you have to accept that eCommerce is here to stay and is the only way your company will remain relevant. Email is also the quickest and cheapest way to communicate with your customers.
Here are some ways to add the two together and drive your eCommerce sales.
1) Offer special orders to your email customers
This should go without saying. If they took the time to sign up for your emails, reward them. The average person is inundated with emails every single day. Most get deleted before they were even read. Reward your customers for taking the time to sign up and the time to read your emails by giving them something special. They will thank you and show that thanks by making a purchase.
2) Create great content that is designed for mobile
There are still some people who check personal emails on a laptop or desktop computer. But the vast majority of consumers are on the go these days and check email on their phones. When designing your email content, keep that vital fact in mind. Your emails must be mobile friendly! By that same token, ensure that your website is also mobile-friendly. If you are going to put links in your mobile-friendly emails, then it better take consumers to your mobile-friendly website. Today’s consumers don’t have time to switch from mobile to laptop/desktop to make a purchase. They want to purchase on their phones and go!
3) Create a referral program
While it may seem old school, word of mouth is still the best way to get your brand in front of more customers. However, what word of mouth looks like has changed. Word of mouth in our electronic world can now be an email forward or having a friend pass on your email address. You need to get on board with this and take advantage of someone bringing customers right to your door. Offer rewards to the new customer for signing up AND rewards to your existing customer for the referral. This is a great way to grow your business and reward existing customers for their loyalty.
4) Send a welcome email with an exclusive offer
It’s a habit that has fallen out of favor these days, and it should never have. A welcome email is the modern-day version of a thank you note. A thank-you note is just good manners, and good manners should never go out of style. If someone took the time to add themselves to your list, thank them by sending them an exclusive offer. It’s a great way to show your appreciation and encourage them to make their first purchase.
5) Keep growing your email list
A company can never be content with what they have. They need to work and keep growing their business and customer base. Working with your current customers is just one way to increase your base. Some companies chose to use firms who buy information about those who seem to match their target market and then attempt to market to them. Whatever you decide to do is your decision. But you can’t be complacent in hoping customers find you. You have to work at it day and night. It will pay off with an increase in sales.
6) Shopping cart reminders
While some consumers like to fill up their online shopping carts and then print them out and take them to the store, others put items in their cart and forget about them. Sending a reminder about a user’s cart can prompt them to come back and finish that purchase. You never know what may have happened. They could have gotten distracted or had to take a phone call and mistakenly navigated away from your page. This can help bring them back. By that same token, if they don’t come back and purchase after they get a prompt from you, don’t give up. Another successful tactic can be emails letting customers know items in their cart have dropped in price or are running low in quantity. This sense of urgency can also drive customers to purchase.
7) Send emails that are relevant to that user
The fastest way to have people unsubscribe from your emails or flag them as spam is to blast them with every email you create. If your business covers multiple ages and genders, you do not need to send every single email to every single person. People on your list without children most likely aren’t interested in your children’s collection. A man most likely isn’t interested in lingerie. You can use data from purchasing history to help you segment your list so the emails that a person is getting actually matter to them. If they just get bombarded with every piece of content under the sun, they will unsubscribe or flag you as spam.
8) Create campaigns around events and seasons
Holidays and changes in the season always drive consumers to shop. Don’t miss your chance to make sure they shop with you. Design campaigns around those events and drive your customers to your website. You can even include specials or a free gift with purchase for customers who shop because of your email campaign. You want to capitalize on these occasions and reward your customers for choosing you. Competition is fierce, and customers have no shortage of options. You want to give them a reason to pick you.
How to Make eCommerce and eMail Work for Your Business
When you look at the internet today, two of the most important and profitable driving forces behind all businesses, are email and ecommerce. Billions of people view their email inbox several times daily, and millions are buying online daily as well.
If you used these tried and true tips, you should have no problem using your email list to grow your eCommerce business. Email and online shopping are how customers engage these days. There is also a vast pool of options for customers to choose from. Create amazing campaigns, use these tips, and you will reap the rewards!
To learn more about how to grow your mailing list through 100% opt-in email campaigns, be sure to contact us today.