Since the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic, retailers have been strategizing ways to pivot and adapt to a market that’s increasingly moving online. As stores shift out of brick-and-mortar and onto the internet, it’s imperative to know how to encourage conversions through strategic eCommerce email marketing (you can click here to find some great ways to do this), so that you can not only keep up with competitors but stand out.
How to Improve Your Ecommerce Conversion Rate
Your eCommerce conversion rate is determined by comparing the number of site visitors to those who end up as buyers. Understanding how your conversion rate measures up to others in your sector is a useful benchmark to measure your success.
A conversion success rate of around 2% is noted across the board and therefore is a great goal to put into place. Diving into the specific conversion rate noted in your particular industry will help you to better understand how your site stands up to your competitors.
If you’re trying to spearhead your competition, being savvy when it comes to email marketing is worth the effort. Return on investment (ROI) is notoriously high when it comes to email marketing because your audience wants to hear from you. Your email subscribers have willingly shared their email information with you because they want you to stay in touch and share the latest news and updates about your business.
With a bit of finesse, you can boost sales on your eCommerce platform by knowing how the best email marketing practices can work for your marketing strategy.
Make it personal
Personalized product recommendations make it easy for your customers to find exactly what they’re looking for. Using your customer’s gender, size, and purchase history, show them which new product you think is right for them. A good rule of thumb is to send a product recommendation 24 hours after purchase, featuring items similar to the one already bought.
Including the customer’s name in the email will make it even more personal. As if you were a personal shopper guiding a patron through a store, using personalized product recommendations will act in the same way. You’re letting the customer know that they are valued and that you care about what they like and want. A simple nudge towards an item they might like increases the likelihood of securing a sale. It’s a win-win.
Use the product recommendation email as an opportunity for an up-sale or cross-sale. If your customer is interested in something, showcase the higher-end version of it, or include links to buy items that would compliment the item they’re interested in. For example, if your client is interested in a black dress, highlight how to perfectly match their dress with some shoes in a neutral color and some rose gold jewelry or handbags.
Greet your new subscribers
If a customer gives you their valuable, personal information, such as their email address and email preferences, then you can safely assume that this customer wants to know more about your brand. Like making a new friend, the first thing to do is greet your new email subscriber with a welcoming, “hello!”.
It’s important to establish a good rapport with interested buyers right away, as this improves your chances of increasing your ROI. Has an email automated to send as soon as a new subscriber gives you their information? These types of campaigns are reputable for their high open rates, so you won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to put your best foot forward to a potential new customer.
Things to include in a welcoming email include:
- A warm and inviting tone
- A special welcome offer to incentivize a purchase right away
- A call-to-action to get your new customer to engage with your brand on a different platform
Chances are, if a customer added their information to your email list, they are looking forward to hearing from you and excited for whatever incentive you present.
Recover abandoned carts
The buying journey isn’t always a straight and narrow path. Sometimes customers get as close as can be to making a purchase, only to slowly back away at the last minute.
Abandoned carts are quite common. Buyers may love an item but could get distracted before the sale is complete. Gently reminding customers that their items are still available and waiting for them encourages them to get back on your site and complete the sale.
If you want to entice a potential buyer into securing their cart items, offer them free shipping or include a discount code within the email. Create a sense of urgency by adding a countdown feature to the email, or expiration date with your discount code. A little bit of pressure is sometimes needed to get your customer to return to their shopping cart.
Your email may not convert your customer if you send it too soon after their cart was abandoned. Give your buyer some time for whatever distraction kept them from completing the sale to pass. Wait at least a day after a cart has been abandoned to restore your customer’s attention and secure the sale you’re after.
Highlight positive customer reviews
Something to keep in mind as you draft your email campaigns is how you are building your brand’s reputation. An effective way to do this is to include a snippet of a five-star review left by a previous customer. 90% of customers read reviews before they complete a purchase, so by highlighting one that is meaningful to you, you’re displaying social proof that your item is valuable and worth investing in.
Snippets of high-ranking reviews can easily be included in emails that feature product recommendations or new releases — even emails aimed at securing abandoned carts! Strategically showcase a left-behind item with a positive review about it, and you prove the credibility behind what you’re selling.
Do you already know that what you’re selling is valuable and necessary, but does your customer? Show them that their attention to your brand is worth their time with personalized emails that make them feel seen and understood. Offer unique discount codes or free shipping when carts are abandoned or when you want to boost sales surrounding a holiday.
