A well-done, automated e mail sequence is what makes your income look good.
Get that paper (from a digital advertising channel!)
What’s an automated e mail sequence? We’ll get there in a second however for now…
Think about in case you may hold all your prospects with out lifting a lot as a finger.
Effectively okay, perhaps one finger. However solely every so often.
That’s automated e mail advertising in a nutshell. It really works exhausting to ship out an e mail sequence (or a number of) so you’ve gotten time to concentrate on extra enjoyable issues than hitting “Ship” on repeat.
Electronic mail advertising produces the very best ROI out of most digital shops – the truth is, the common order worth of a purchase order from e mail is a minimum of thrice larger than one from social media, in keeping with McKinsey.
On this put up you’ll be taught:
- What’s an e mail sequence?
- 5 most essential forms of e mail sequences and easy methods to deal with them
- Easy methods to set automation targets on your autoresponder emails
What’s an e mail sequence?
An e mail sequence is a collection of emails robotically despatched to particular segments of individuals in your e mail checklist. An e mail sequence will be trigger-based or time-based.
When an e mail sequence is trigger-based, emails are despatched based mostly on actions akin to:
- Looking habits
- Subscribing to your checklist
- Purchasing cart abandonment
- Studying or downloading content material
- Shopping for a product
A time-based e mail sequence (typically referred to as an e mail autoresponder) sends emails at predetermined time intervals, like…
- Proper after opt-in
- 30 days after buy
- On the anniversary of subscribing
You solely should set them up as soon as. After which they give you the results you want.
Electronic mail sequences are automated. They take folks from not figuring out your organization to changing into full-fledged, enthusiastic prospects (who simply like to suggest your model).
The 5 most essential forms of e mail sequences are…
- Welcome e mail sequence
- Onboarding e mail sequence
- Abandon cart e mail sequence
- Repeat buyer e mail sequence
- Re-engagement e mail sequence
1. Welcome e mail sequence
Once you go to somebody’s home, do you simply stroll in? Hopefully not In fact not. They should welcome you.
In accordance with Omnisend, welcome emails have a median open charge of 45%.
Superior! So how do you get these outcomes out of your welcome emails?
Do you make them private? Do you attempt to begin promoting straight away?
Professional perception: Tarzan Kay on promoting with welcome sequences
“Lots of people assume that welcome emails can’t promote one thing. I used to be even instructed as soon as that it is best to ship a minimum of 12 nurture emails earlier than promoting one thing. I completely disagree.
What I educate my college students is, earlier than you write that welcome sequence, take into consideration what you’re going to promote on the tail finish of it.
You…
- Ship a few nurture emails
- Slowly introduce them to who you might be and what you do
- Share one or two of your core tales (make them emotional and actually partaking)
- Begin fascinated by getting them to purchase no matter factor you need them to purchase
Ideally it’s related to the factor that they opted in to get—as a result of only a few folks will be part of a publication simply to get a publication. For probably the most half they’re solely signing up since you gave them a motive and so they wished to get your free factor.”
– Tarzan Kay is a conversion copywriter who focuses on launches and e mail gross sales funnels.
Saying “BUY THIS” within the first e mail will not be going to go over as nicely. However a number of emails later within the autoresponder sequence could possibly be excellent.
We suggest sending 4–6 emails as a part of your welcome e mail collection. That you must construct belief and assist your contacts out earlier than you push for the sale—5 emails offer you area to dedicate every e mail to a selected matter.
Conversion copywriter Val Geisler additionally recommends a 4-email welcome sequence technique. She outlines it like this:
- Electronic mail 1: The Dinner Occasion Technique (a heat welcome and a few easy expectation-setting)
- Electronic mail 2: The Experience Setter (present them the worth)
- Electronic mail 3: The I-Make-Genius-Look-Straightforward Lesson (i.e., educate them to do what you do on your shoppers)
- Electronic mail 4: The Self-Segmenter (phase your subscribers and ship them related emails)
Let’s check out the one which units off the chain response – The Dinner Occasion welcome e mail.
Set expectations early (like Ben Settle)
Once you’re strolling into a brand new expertise (like a cocktail party with folks you don’t know), you all the time really feel loads higher if what you’re in for.
This welcome e mail instance from e mail marketer Ben Settle does an awesome job of setting expectations.
In case you are planning to ship each day emails, allow them to in on it.
They subscribed. They wish to hear from you. However in case you present up of their inbox repeatedly with out warning (like a impolite banquet non-guest), that’s much less enjoyable.
2. Onboarding e mail sequence
You’ve welcomed them. Now don’t overlook about them! It’s time to onboard.
Once you onboard somebody, you give them the data they want, hold them engaged– and finally get them to purchase from you (or stick round for extra)
This might imply having somebody…
- Begin a trial
- Use a product
- E-book an appointment
To do this, an onboarding e mail sequence ought to embrace:
Onboarding messages be certain that your new prospects perceive easy methods to use your merchandise.
Precise directions with this is able to be good.
Listed here are a number of suggestions we suggest for onboarding emails.
- Concentrate on the worth, not simply the options. Individuals don’t purchase your product for its shiny options – they purchase to resolve an issue. So the best way to transform your new pals into new prospects is to emphasise what advantages your product will deliver to them. Your product can nonetheless be fairly and glossy, however that’s not your promoting level.
- Give social proof. In Robert Cialdini’s guide, Affect: The Phsychology of Persuasion, he writes “We view a habits as extra appropriate in a given state of affairs to the diploma that we see others performing it.” Individuals resolve what to do based mostly on what different persons are doing.
It’s social proof, and utilizing it in advertising will be extraordinarily efficient. Embrace relatable buyer tales and product testimonials to encourage new subscribers to purchase.
- Don’t simply ask – incentivize. A welcome e mail collection will not be the time to be exhausting promoting your prospects, however you will be extra artistic in your onboarding collection. Providing a first-time buy low cost will be all of the push a buyer must convert.
Present folks precisely what they should do
Brooke Kalisiak, a specialist in pelvic well being, is aware of that taking step one for bodily remedy could make you nervous.
You may additionally be unsure – since you aren’t fairly certain what sort of progress is feasible and also you’ve by no means met your bodily therapist.
So Brooke’s welcome collection particularly addresses affected person fears and builds belief.
Right here’s what she places in her onboarding e mail sequence.
- Fundamental appointment data. The first step is to ensure sufferers have every part they want for his or her appointments. Meaning a reminder of the date and time, (and the clinic’s location).
- An intro to their therapist. Simply figuring out who will deal with you is an enormous consolation. This e mail has an image of the affected person’s therapist, together with some information about their {qualifications}.
- Footage of the clinic from the surface. It sounds small, however everyone seems to be a bit nervous about getting misplaced once they go someplace new. Discovering it. An image of the clinic eases that worry.
- Testimonials based mostly on their situation. Through the use of tags to phase her contacts, Brooke can ship testimonials from previous sufferers—who have been handled for a similar situation as the brand new affected person.
It’s reassuring to know who you’re going to work with
This automation isn’t difficult. However at every step, it addresses the anxieties that every one new sufferers are available in with—even ones as small as figuring out what the clinic seems to be like.
Transfer folks from questioning to bought (like Wistia)
(Supply: Copy Hackers)
The largest takeaway from this onboarding e mail is that guides folks from drawback conscious to most conscious.
A paid conversion occurs when you’ve moved a prospect by means of the 5 main levels of consciousness, all the best way to Most Conscious.
By the point a trial consumer began to obtain the emails within the Wistia sequence, there was good motive to consider that they had sturdy Product Consciousness and have been shifting towards Most Conscious. The objective of the Wistia e mail sequence was to maneuver the prospect from Product Conscious to the far finish of Most Conscious, the place closing occurs.
Optimizing your e mail sequence to get a paid conversion would possibly imply reordering your present emails alongside the levels of the attention spectrum.
One different takeaway? The size.
What’s nice about this longer e mail is that it takes time to develop a great argument, make the case, and shut the deal. It seems to be like loads to learn, however what you’re studying is high quality data.
True, longer emails is usually a threat as a result of it may take longer for folks to see your CTA (or they may not trouble on the lookout for it in any respect). But when your e mail is basically good, they may (the three.5x enchancment to Wistia’s conversion charge is proof).
3. Deserted cart e mail sequence
Why do 77% of carts get deserted?
Individuals can go to your web site, browse round, fill a cart – then get hungry, shut their laptop computer, go make a sandwich, and overlook every part.
Or they might abandon their cart as a result of:
- Your fee course of doesn’t look safe
- There are too many steps to the checkout course of
- They have been simply shopping and filling their ultimate purchasing cart for enjoyable (I completely do that)
- Their cart is simply too costly
Regardless of the motive, you want a approach to get a minimum of a few of these prospects again.
Enterprise Insider mentioned that on-line retailers will lose as a lot as $4 trillion to cart abandonment.
That’s trillion. With a “T.”
However the excellent news – these retailers can get better about 63% of that misplaced income. Hallelujah for the deserted cart e mail sequence.
deserted cart e mail sequence makes use of a minimum of 3 emails.
- Electronic mail 1: The primary reminder – despatched after 24 hours
- Electronic mail 2: Addressing doable objections – despatched after 48 hours
- Electronic mail 3: Incentivize them with a reduction – despatched after 72 hours
Should you assume you want extra emails, go for it! Simply watch out to not be too pushy.
Listed here are a number of deserted cart e mail examples we love.
Interesting to feelings (like Dote)
Nobody needs to be deserted, and nobody likes to be accused of abandoning. Dote targets that guilt with this highly effective autoresponder e mail copy.
One different factor we love about this e mail is that it exhibits the bodily product about to be deserted.
It’s simple to disregard an summary thought as a result of there’s nothing about an summary idea that it’s a must to face head-on. Placing the product in entrance of them helps them think about what it might be wish to have it, and reminds them of why they wished it to start with.
Hold it easy and clear (like 23andMe)
Have you ever ever had somebody catch you on the final minute and say “Hey, don’t overlook that”?
This 23andMe deserted cart e mail does the very same factor. They hold it brief, easy, and direct.
Advocate different merchandise (like Brooklinen)
Brooklinen offers a praise and a free delivery incentive, plus additional beneficial merchandise to make revisiting that deserted cart much more engaging.
I do must name out a number of issues about that final bit – including product suggestions.
These are sometimes included in a triggered e mail like this, and so they can positively assist prospects add a further product to the order (and enhance the order worth). However they’ll additionally result in a deleted e mail in some circumstances. To keep away from this, be sure you:
- Use just one CTA. One is usually most well-liked to reduce distraction from clicking by means of.
- Examine that the included merchandise aren’t out of inventory (to one of the best of your means)
- Examine that every one product information is appropriate from title to cost (particularly if it’s included in a sale)
- Advocate solely non-purchased merchandise
4. Electronic mail sequence for repeat prospects
Return prospects yearly spend 120% extra than new prospects.
Once you concentrate on getting new leads, it’s simple to overlook your repeat prospects.
Do you know that despite the fact that repeat prospects solely make-up about 11% of your buyer base, they pull in nearly 1 / 4 of your income?
The factor is, they gained’t keep repeat prospects in case you ignore them.
And so they may wish slightly coaxing to return again.
Right here’s easy methods to ship repeat buyer emails:
- Electronic mail One: Examine in 2-3 days after they need to have obtained their buy and see how they felt about every part.
- Electronic mail Two: Ship one other 4 days after that with one thing helpful, akin to product suggestions or just lately printed content material they’d get pleasure from.
Examine on their expertise, then upsell and cross-sell (like Chewy)
Pet provides enterprise Chewy checks in shortly after folks obtain their orders.
Right here is an instance of the primary sort of repeat buyer e mail that Chewy sends on the 2-3 day post-delivery mark.
Asking for suggestions can even enable you to ship higher emails sooner or later.
Right here’s an instance of a second repeat buyer e mail that’s despatched in a while.
Have you ever ever heard of trip-wire advertising?
Journey-wire advertising is getting a buyer to purchase a smaller or extra cheap product from you to make sure repeat buyer retention going ahead.
The thought is that when folks have purchased even a cheap merchandise from you, they’re extra more likely to buy one thing else.
Why?
Veteran on-line marketer Frank Kern says that persons are suspicious of an outright free provide and search for the catch, whereas a lower-cost provide tends to transform higher as a result of it helps to alleviate that suspicion.
Drew Sanocki, the CEO of AutoAnything and former CMO of Karmaloop,, talks about how tripwire advertising actually helps retain repeat prospects and enhance profitability.
How does he know it really works? As a result of within the span of three months, tripwire advertising turned his buddy Ron’s almost-failed enterprise right into a worthwhile, secure model.
In tripwire advertising, you set off your emails based mostly on what your prospects do. If somebody hasn’t purchased from you in 45 days (however they normally purchase each 30) it’s a great time to market to them.
You’ll be able to set your ‘tripwires’ based mostly on something you assume is essential.
In accordance with Drew, it solely takes 3 steps to see profitability from lapsed repeat prospects.
- Modeling desired buyer habits
- Flagging deviations from that habits (i.e., the “tripwires”)
- Focusing your advertising time and power on correcting these deviations
Drew shares his personal instance of how this works:
“Each Friday I work out at Sluggish Burn Health on the Higher West Facet of Manhattan.
That’s my “customary habits.” That is Step #1.
After a number of months of this, I cease. Possibly I discovered one other fitness center or simply acquired too jacked (much less probably) or simply acquired too lazy (extra probably).
There’s my deviation. That is Step #2.
I’ve simply “tripped a wire”: Sluggish Burn notices that I’m not coming in anymore. They ship me a “Come again and your subsequent exercise is on us!” coupon. That is Step #3.
I obtain the coupon, really feel responsible, and begin hitting the fitness center once more.”
Repeat prospects will repeat their shopping for behaviors once more with the correct e mail advertising.
5. Re-engagement e mail sequence
What’s a re-engagement sequence?
A re-engagement marketing campaign is a sequence of emails despatched to previous prospects to “win them again” after they’ve stopped interacting with a model over a sure size of time (akin to 30-60 days after their final interplay).
It’s cheaper to re-engage previous prospects than it’s to search out and nurture new ones.
In actual fact…
- Buying a brand new buyer can price 5 occasions greater than re-engaging an present buyer
- Growing your buyer retention by simply 5% can enhance income by 25-95%
- You’ll be able to see 60-70% extra conversion success promoting to an present buyer versus 5-20% success promoting to a brand new one
Does this imply that you just shouldn’t concentrate on discovering new certified leads? In fact not. However it is best to positively have a powerful re-engagement marketing campaign.
Solely ship 2-3 re-engagement emails. These aren’t brand-new prospects who want a ton of data. They simply want a number of useful reminders to nudge them into motion.
Shine a lightweight on their progress (like Teespring)
Simply TRY to disregard this pet and their e mail. Go forward, I dare you.
What we like about this e mail (in addition to that heartbreakingly, lovely pet) is that Teespring simply tells you that they miss you – they let you know why it is best to miss them.
- “You’ve bought 214 merchandise or $6016.39 in whole gross sales.”
- “You’ve additionally averaged a 50% general success charge.”
Teespring is providing proof that working with their model was a good suggestion. Need to re-engage a quiet viewers? Remind them of their previous success.
NOTE – Don’t take away folks out of your checklist simply because they don’t reply to your win-back marketing campaign straight away. Give them slightly time.
But when they do keep quiet, don’t stress. Record cleansing is nice for everybody – it makes room for folks able to be related with you, and it improves your deliverability and open charges over the long run.
Conclusion: Set targets first, create objective actions after
We’re going to state the plain right here. If you’d like an automatic e mail sequence that works, begin with a objective.
What would you like your automations to perform?
Most likely loads of these, proper?
Automations are useful, however they aren’t mind-readers. You continue to have to manage what’s going to be automated – and know why you might be automating it.
You don’t must know precisely what every automation will appear like (that’s subsequent). Proper now you’re simply making your follow-up targets want checklist.
When you’ve acquired your checklist of targets, separate them into two classes:
- Pre-sale: Automations designed to show prospects into prospects
- Submit-sale: Automations designed to show prospects into repeat prospects
After you decide your automation targets, create your motion lists to realize them.
“Enhance engagement” by…
- Emailing new weblog posts (with RSS to e mail)
- Asking what content material they need
- Incentivizing social media follows
“Enhance repeat gross sales” by…
- Sending information on a rewards program
- Giving ‘buyer solely’ low cost (20 p.c?)
- Notify of bi-weekly gross sales
“Enhance order dimension” by…
- Ship a ‘one-click improve’ provide instantly
- Purchase-one-get-one provide on equipment
- Recommend complimentary merchandise (3-5)
Put loads of effort into brainstorming all of the methods you may accomplish these targets, and don’t restrict your self. You by no means know what would possibly come to thoughts.
And when you’re able to create an e mail sequence, think about using pre-built automation recipes and e mail templates to take some automation work off your arms.
Here’s a cart abandonment e mail automation recipe (which you can really use in ActiveCampaign):
Automated e mail sequences make your on a regular basis advertising life a lot simpler.
What are you ready for?
