3 Automated Email Workflows That Boost Sales on Your Online Store
With automated email workflows, you can reach your customers exactly where they are in their customer journey. This way, you can increase your conversions, save time, and market your online store directly to your customers’ inboxes.
If your company uses email marketing, you may have already considered making better use of automated email workflows.
Maybe you've already dabbled in them a bit through automated welcome emails, but would like to make them a little more personalized based on your customers' behavior?
If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, I’ll discuss three of the most important email sequences that can boost sales on your online store. And once you’ve invested a little time in setting them up, you won’t actually have to lift a finger again.
Pretty smart, huh? 😉
1) Flows You'll Learn
- Welcome Flow
- Abandoned Cart Workflow
- Winback of Inactive Customers
2) How do automated flows work?
An email flow is, as the name suggests, a sequence of emails. In short, it works by sending the first email based on a so-called “trigger.” A trigger can be many different things, such as a customer signing up for your newsletter—or a customer who has added items to their cart but, for some unknown reason, has not completed the purchase.
No matter what trigger causes your visitors to enter the email flow, you can then structure your flow based on how each individual responds. That way, you can personalize the flow and tailor it to suit your online store and your customer segment.
The possibilities are endless, and if you become an expert at setting up the right workflows based on the customer journey, you’re guaranteed to increase your revenue and save valuable time.
That's why you should set up automated email flows today:
- Increase Your Revenue
- Maximum exposure for minimal effort
- Time-saving
- Can be customized for your business
3) Your subscribers should be welcomed with a strong onboarding process
If you have an online store, you most likely also have a newsletter that your customers can sign up for. There are often different reasons why they sign up, so your welcome flow should be structured accordingly.
Because, of course, you want those who have signed up for your newsletter without ever making a purchase to actually make a purchase—and in that way become customers.
And how do we get them to do that?
1. email
One obvious option, for example, would be to offer them a discount code that either gives them a small percentage off or free shipping. After all, you already have a huge advantage in that your subscriber has shown interest simply by signing up for your newsletter—and you should, of course, take advantage of that.
BUT… a lot of your subscribers actually sign up when they make a purchase. And there’s almost nothing worse than receiving a discount code RIGHT after you’ve made a purchase. That’s why you need to take a different approach and, instead of giving them a discount code, highlight the benefits of being part of your newsletter to this group of subscribers.
This could include, for example, access to your blog posts (if you have a blog), or the fact that they’ll now be the first to receive various promotions and discount codes in the future. In short—let them know about all the benefits they’ll now enjoy by subscribing to your newsletter.
2. email
If your customer hasn't made a purchase using the discount you offered, it's a good idea to send a quick reminder. We recommend sending a follow-up email 5–7 days later to remind the person that the discount code will expire soon.
May 3–4–5
From here, you can build on your workflow however you like. If you have a Trustpilot account, this workflow is a great way 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 provide value specifically to your subscribers when you're designing your workflow.
Key elements of the onboarding process:
- Highlight the subscriber's USPs—such as fast delivery, a generous return policy, etc.
- Let your subscribers know what they'll get out of signing up.
- Get your subscribers to engage—whether by using discount codes, reading blog posts, etc.
- Share only content that provides value to your subscribers.
Feel free to use the image above, as long as you link to: https://amplify.dk/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/
For example:
Foto: <a href="https://amplify.dk/en/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/">Amplify: E-mail flows</a>
4) Have your customers abandoned their shopping carts on your online store?
Now's the time to give them a reward!
In fact, there can be many different reasons why visitors to your online store don’t complete their purchases. Often, it’s small details—like their card being in their bag, or perhaps they changed their mind when the shipping cost was added. In short—it could be many different things.
The fact is, however, that as many as 70% of all items added to shopping carts on online stores never result in a purchase. That’s why this is a process you really want to get going for your subscribers.
Regardless of the reason why the purchase wasn’t completed, what all “abandoned carts” have in common is that the customer was so close to converting that it probably wouldn’t take much to get them to do so.
1. email
The first email you send should let the customer know that they have items in their cart waiting for them. However, it’s very important that you send it as soon as possible so your potential customer doesn’t stray too far from your online store.
In other words, you need to “capture their attention” right when the products are still fresh in their minds. It’s also important to make it as easy as possible for them to get to the shopping cart as quickly as possible—if possible, show them the specific products in the cart.
2. email
If your potential customers haven't completed their purchase, you'll naturally want to do something more to encourage them to actually convert. Depending on the price range in your online store and the total amount in the shopping cart, you can offer a certain percentage off or free shipping.
Depending on which email system you use, you can set up conditions for when each customer should be offered a discount or free shipping. Here, you may want to set a threshold based on the total amount in the cart.
No discount?
If you’re not interested in offering any kind of discount, it might be a good idea to send an email with information about your return policy—such as a prepaid shipping label that makes it easier to return items. The purpose of this type of email is to encourage the customer to consider the factors that may have prevented the purchase from being completed—such as the return policy or similar issues.
3. email
The third email can be a follow-up email if you've provided a code that offers either a small discount or free shipping. Let them know that the code is still valid.
Key elements of the abandoned cart workflow:
- Send an email as soon as possible.
- Make it easy to go to the cart—if possible, please display the products.
- Address any concerns that may have prevented them from completing the purchase.
- Follow up in a few days.
Feel free to use the image above, as long as you link to: https://amplify.dk/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/
For example:
Foto: <a href="https://amplify.dk/en/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/">Amplify: E-mail flows</a>
5) Winning back inactive customers
There could be many reasons why your former customers haven't shopped with you in a while. And in the real world, there's absolutely nothing you could do about it.
But that’s exactly why email marketing—and automated workflows in particular—are so effective. You have a unique opportunity to maximize your exposure—completely free of charge.
Specifically, the trigger for this flow should be a certain number of days since your customer made a purchase. When determining the number of days, it’s important to base it on your industry. For example, there’s a big difference between selling makeup products and selling furniture. That’s why the flow should also be structured differently depending on your type of business.
Here is an example of a flow that can be triggered after, say, 60 days.
1. email
For example, the first email could be one that reminds your customer that it’s been a while since they last made a purchase from you. In the email, you can highlight some of your USPs, such as fast delivery, or you can highlight your best-selling products.
2. email
If your customer hasn't converted after the first email was sent, you can take it a step further and offer a discount code for either free shipping or a small percentage off their purchase. Of course, this also depends on the type of business and industry you're in.
If you’re not interested in offering a discount, you can send a follow-up email highlighting some of your other unique selling points (USPs) or send some material that inspires them to check out your online store.
Key Elements of Winback Strategies for Inactive Customers:
- The workflow should be designed based on your type of business
- Inspire and engage customers to take another look at your online store
- Use your USPs to remind customers of the benefits of shopping with you
Feel free to use the image above, as long as you link to: https://amplify.dk/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/
For example:
Foto: <a href="https://amplify.dk/en/academy//e-mail-automation-flows/">Amplify: E-mail flows</a>
Do you need feedback or help setting up email flows that convert?
Feel free to contact me or one of my colleagues. At Amplify, we take a targeted, data-driven approach to email marketing and can help you set up the perfect flows tailored to your business. Please feel free to email me at seo@amplify.dk or reach out to one of my colleagues atinfo@amplify.dk.
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