1) Flows you'll learn about
- Welcome flow
- Abandoned cart flow
- Winback of inactive customers
2) How do automated flows work?
An email flow is, as the name suggests, a flow of emails. In short, they work by sending the first email based on a so-called “trigger”. A trigger can be many different things, such as a customer signing up to your newsletter, or a customer who has put items in their basket but, for reasons unknown, hasn't completed the purchase.
Whatever trigger sends your visitors into the email flow, you can then structure your flow based on how each person responds. That way, you can personalise the flow and build it to suit your webshop and your customer segment.
There are plenty of possibilities, and if you become an ace at setting up exactly the right flows based on the customer journey, you're guaranteed to increase your revenue and save precious time.
That's why you should set up automated email flows today:
- Increase your revenue
- Maximum exposure for minimal effort
- Saves time
- Can be tailored to your business
3) Welcome your subscribers with a strong welcome flow
If you have a webshop, you very likely also have a newsletter your customers can sign up to. People often sign up for different reasons, so your welcome flow needs to be structured accordingly.
After all, you naturally want those who have signed up to your newsletter without ever making a purchase to actually buy something, and in that way become customers.
So how do we get them to do that?
Email 1
An obvious option could be to offer them a discount code that gives them either a small percentage off or free delivery. You already have a huge advantage, because your subscriber has shown interest just by signing up to your newsletter in the first place, and of course you should make the most of that.
BUT… a lot of your subscribers actually sign up when making a purchase. And there's hardly anything worse than receiving a discount code JUST after you've bought something. So you need to do things differently: instead of giving this group of subscribers a discount code, let them know what they get out of being part of your newsletter.
That could be access to your blog posts (if you have a blog), for example, or being the first to receive campaigns and discount codes in future. In short, let them know about all the benefits they now get from being part of your newsletter.
Email 2
If your customer hasn't made a purchase with the discount you've given them, it's a good idea to send a little reminder. It's worth sending a follow-up email 5-7 days later, reminding them that the discount code expires soon.
Emails 3, 4 and 5
From here, you can build on your flow however you like. If you have a Trustpilot account, this flow is an obvious opportunity to get more reviews. You can also share valuable content such as blog posts and guides about your products.
The most important thing is to consider what will add value for your particular subscribers when you build your flow.
Key elements of the welcome flow:
- Make the subscriber aware of USPs, such as fast delivery, a long returns period, etc.
- Let your subscriber know what they get out of signing up.
- Get your subscriber to engage, whether through discount codes, reading blog posts, etc.
- Only share content that adds value for your subscriber.
You're welcome to use the image above, as long as you link to: https://amplify.dk/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/
For example:
Photo: Amplify: Email flows
4) Have your customers abandoned their basket on your webshop?
Then now's the time to dangle a carrot!
There can be many different reasons why visitors to your webshop don't complete their purchase. Often it's small things, like their card being in their bag, or perhaps they changed their mind when the delivery cost was added. In short, it can be lots of different things.
The fact is, though, that a whopping 70% of all items added to the basket on webshops never get bought. So this is a flow you'll really want running for your subscribers.
Whatever the reason the purchase wasn't completed, what all “abandoned carts” have in common is that the person came so close to converting that it probably won't take much to get them to do it.
Email 1
The first email you send should let the customer know they have items waiting in their basket. It's very important, though, that you send it as quickly as possible, so your potential customer doesn't drift too far away from your webshop.
In other words, you need to “catch them” while the products are still fresh in their mind. It's also important to make it as easy as possible for them to get back to their basket quickly. If possible, show the specific products in the basket.
Email 2
If your potential customers haven't completed the purchase, you'll naturally want to do a bit more to get them to actually convert. Depending on the price range of your webshop and how much money is in the basket, you can offer a certain percentage off or free delivery here.
Depending on which email system you use, you can set conditions for when each person should be offered a discount or free delivery. Here, you could take into account how large the basket total is.
No discount?
If you're not interested in offering any kind of discount, it can be a good idea to send an email with info about your returns policy, such as a shipping label that makes returns easier. The idea behind this kind of email is that you think about the concerns that may have stopped the purchase from being completed, such as your returns policy or similar.
Email 3
The third email can be a follow-up if you've given them a code for either a small discount or free delivery. Let them know the code still works.
Key elements of the abandoned cart flow:
- Send an email as quickly as possible.
- Make it easy to go to the basket and, if possible, show the products.
- Address the concerns that may have held them back from completing the purchase.
- Follow up after a few days.
You're welcome to use the image above, as long as you link to: https://amplify.dk/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/
For example:
Photo: Amplify: Email flows
5) Winback of inactive customers
There can be many reasons why your past customers haven't shopped with you for a while. And in the physical world, you could do absolutely nada about it.
But that's exactly why email marketing, and automated flows in particular, are so effective. You have a unique opportunity for maximum exposure, completely free.
Specifically, the trigger in this flow should be a set number of days since your customer last made a purchase. When deciding on the number of days, it's important to base it on your industry. For example, there's a big difference between selling make-up products and furniture. So the flow should also be built differently depending on your type of business.
Here's an example of a flow that could be activated after, say, 60 days.
Email 1
The first email could, for example, let your customer know it's been a while since they last shopped with you. In the email, you can highlight some of your USPs, such as fast delivery, or point out your best-selling products.
Email 2
If your customer hasn't converted after the first email, you can take it a step further and give them a discount code for either free delivery or a small percentage off their purchase. Of course, this also depends on your type of business and industry.
If you're not interested in offering a discount, you can send a follow-up email highlighting some of your other USPs, or send some material that inspires them to take a look at your webshop.
Key elements of Winback of inactive customers:
- The flow should be built around your type of business
- Inspire and engage the customer to take another look at your webshop
- Use your USPs to remind the customer of the benefits of shopping with you
You're welcome to use the image above, as long as you link to: https://amplify.dk/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/
For example:
Photo: Amplify: Email flows
Need advice or help setting up email flows that convert
Then feel free to contact me or one of my colleagues. At Amplify, we take a focused, data-driven approach to email marketing and can help you set up exactly the right flows for your business. Do send me an email at seo@amplify.dk or get hold of one of my colleagues at info@amplify.dk.
