Amazon is the world’s largest retailer with a customer base that includes just about everyone. That brand loyalty, which has its own Black Friday-caliber sale each year, is massive but not so unusual in theory. Brands’ loyalty program members generate 12 to 18% more revenue per year than non-members. Of course they do. Loyal customers are the best customers with the strongest retention rates.
For the best way to reach them, look no further than email. According to iVend, 62.9% of consumers prefer to receive communications from brands via email. That makes email the perfect channel to enhance loyalty programs and nurture membership. Here are four tips:
If someone signs up for your email list, they’re telling you that they want to hear from you. Naturally, welcome emails have sky-high open rates relative to other marketing messages. Your welcome stream is a perfect place to highlight your values and what sets your brand apart. The same applies to your loyalty program. Strike while the iron is hot and make sure your new customers know about any loyalty program perks such as free shipping and early access to new products.
Welcome emails are a great place to highlight your loyalty program. So are… every other kind of email, even if it’s just a brief mention at the bottom of your template. If someone doesn’t know about it, they can’t participate. Make sure the customer’s status and points balance are on display on the order confirmation emails. When following up post-purchase, leverage the loyalty program perks to nurture the next sale.
Loyalty members provide a lot of valuable data. You can see whether someone prefers in-store or online shopping and what kind of promotions appeal to them, in addition to their purchase history. Use all that data to personalize, creating the best possible experience for your most valuable customers. Loyalty programs can also fuel proactive triggered emails, reminding customers that they have rewards balances or access to special sales, or sharing recaps
The “in-store experience” looks vastly different in 2020, which impacts brand loyalty. Surveying 5,000 consumers in September, Liveclicker and Sailthru found that 78% consider it at least somewhat important that brands have a strategy in place for social distancing and staying within CDC’s recommended guidelines. By communicating about curbside pickup options, and incentivizing customers to use them, you have the opportunity to let loyalists know that you’re taking their safety seriously.