What occurs when a model with an unimaginable product depends too closely on reductions to drive gross sales? For one wholesome snack firm, this meant shrinking revenue margins and unintentionally coaching prospects to by no means purchase at full value. Even with a excessive repeat buy charge, the model was caught in a non-sustainable low cost cycle.
On this case examine, e mail strategist Samar Owais shares how she helped the model break away from fixed promotions by redesigning its welcome circulate and constructing a easy, sensible funnel. The outcome? First-time consumers changed into loyal snack followers, and the corporate noticed a major improve in income with out leaning on reductions.
Knowledgeable
Electronic mail conversion strategist for SaaS and eCommerce companies and founding father of Emails Carried out Proper
Meet the professional
Samar Owais is a number one e mail conversion strategist for SaaS and eCommerce companies — the go-to downside solver for corporations together with HubSpot, Pinterest, Drip, and Workamajig. Because the founding father of Emails Carried out Proper, she helps companies flip their e mail packages into high-performing conversion channels whereas sharing her experience with the broader advertising neighborhood.
By her Emails Carried out Proper e-newsletter, Samar challenges business norms and sparks conversations that push the e-mail advertising world ahead. Recognized for her sharp insights and unapologetic method (“one e mail struggle at a time,” as she places it), she has change into a trusted voice for entrepreneurs and copywriters seeking to rethink their e mail methods.
Samar shared a case examine from her observe explaining the technique of utilizing an e mail advertising funnel for an eCommerce model.
The issue: A snack model caught within the low cost lure
Each buyer journey begins with a welcome circulate. It’s the very first interplay with a model and the proper alternative to construct a relationship on the precise foot – from the very starting.
One among my purchasers was a well-liked snack model with an unimaginable product that routinely went out of inventory — in reality, so unimaginable that quite a few prospects returned for repeat purchases.
Certainly, there was an enormous situation. When auditing their emails, I discovered that the model was closely reliant on reductions to drive gross sales. Exactly, they provided a reduction of their opt-in provide, promoted it within the welcome circulate as nicely, and ran month-to-month promotions. This led to prospects getting used to purchasing solely when there was a reduction (as a result of they knew a reduction provide was at all times across the nook); they weren’t prepared to purchase at full value anymore. These fixed reductions have been consuming into the enterprise’s revenue margins.
Reductions could be a nice provide, however they’re not at all times proper for each model. Particular to this case, the model didn’t should depend on reductions to drive gross sales. With a product this good, all it wanted was to undertake a wiser e mail advertising method that will practice prospects to buy not solely when there’s a sale.
The answer: An opt-in provide and welcome circulate that highlighted the product as a substitute of the low cost
Step one was to optimize the opt-in provide and welcome circulate. We pulled the low cost fully and changed it with one thing that made far more sense for the model: a “taster pack.” The taster pack included all of the flavors they provided in smaller portions.
This technique allowed the model to market all its flavors without delay and gave prospects the choice to seek out their favourite taste at a fraction of the associated fee. It labored fantastically!
However the perfect half but? The model already had a taster pack, so it wasn’t further work for them. It was only a matter of positioning and choosing the proper provide.
Clients may strive every thing with out feeling prefer it was a waste in the event that they didn’t like one of many flavors. And those they did like? They ran out of them quick, which naturally left them wanting extra.
I additionally wasn’t apprehensive about eradicating the low cost within the welcome circulate. Since this circulate is just for new subscribers, they’d no concept how closely the model had been discounting earlier than. That gave us the area to reset expectations and introduce the model on stronger phrases.
Subsequent, we centered on reshaping the emails themselves. As a substitute of pushing reductions, we used the welcome circulate to construct an emotional connection. We despatched emails that:
confirmed who the snacks have been for — youngsters and adults alike. Mums may pack them for varsity lunches, and adults may carry them to events or picnics as a wholesome reward;
gave a behind-the-scenes have a look at how the snacks have been made (and why they bought out so shortly);
advised the founder’s story, which was deeply rooted in childhood and immediately relatable;
leaned into the well being elements — non-GMO, keto-friendly, and extra; and
used phrase affiliation to stay within the prospects’ minds. The copy had a easy tagline: “Like X however sooooo a lot better.” We backed that declare with well being advantages, superior style, and buyer critiques.
By the tip, the welcome circulate wasn’t simply an entry level — it turned a robust storytelling device that turned new subscribers into curious, excited consumers.
(Supply: Electronic mail by Samar Owais)
Electronic mail funnels assist you construct relationships along with your subscribers. When accomplished proper, they stroll folks by way of your complete buyer journey — from the primary good day to post-purchase and past. That’s the way you construct model loyalty sturdy sufficient to climate a pandemic or some other huge challenges.
And the most important benefit of a funnel? You’re sending the precise e mail to the precise individual at precisely the precise time.
For this snack model, we created a easy however highly effective funnel:
inside per week of a buyer ordering the taster pack, we ship a follow-up e mail to inquire about their favourite taste or the one they appreciated the perfect and nudge them to position an order earlier than the inventory runs out;
after a buyer buys the snacks at full value, we “reward” them with a reduction on their subsequent order;
to assist them save whereas by no means working out of their favourite taste, we advisable the “Subscribe & Save” possibility.
Collectively, these emails took folks from subscriber → first-time buyer → repeat purchaser → loyal buyer. As soon as every thing was in place, the model noticed a major improve in e mail income.
The outcomes: Larger margins and more healthy income
It’s value mentioning that once we launched the brand new welcome circulate, gross sales did dip at first, which was anticipated. In any case, we had simply taken away the low cost. Nevertheless, that did not harm the model’s income as a result of, with the low cost gone, their revenue margin per sale had solely grown. It additionally did not take lengthy for gross sales to climb again as much as the place they’d been earlier than.
On the floor, it might need regarded like nothing had actually modified. Gross sales numbers have been about the identical. However once we checked out income, the distinction was clear. As a result of we weren’t freely giving reductions anymore, each sale introduced in additional revenue.
The model was now making the identical variety of gross sales as earlier than, however with increased margins and more healthy income.
And as soon as the total funnel was in place, the impression was even stronger. The taster pack inspired first-time purchases, the follow-up emails then turned these into full-price gross sales, and the rewards and subscription possibility constructed loyalty. Collectively, these methods not solely protected revenue margins but in addition drove a major improve in e mail income over time.
In different phrases, by shifting focus from reductions to a wise funnel, we proved that the product may stand by itself and construct a more healthy, extra worthwhile basis for the model.
Suggestions for e mail entrepreneurs
There’s just one technique to know in case your emails want optimization — monitor and analyze your key efficiency metrics. In case your emails aren’t performing the way in which you need, it’s time to peek below the hood and see what’s happening.
A couple of easy issues to examine instantly:
Electronic mail copy: Is all of it about “me, me, me — the model”? Or, is it about “you, the shopper”? If you would like conversions, you could be speaking on to your subscribers.
Electronic mail matter: Ask your self, do your subscribers really care about this e mail? Are you sending it simply to stay to a schedule, or is there a motive behind it? Even when it’s a primary advertising e mail, discover the angle that makes it related to your buyer. Why ought to they care? Why ought to they purchase?
White area: Use it generously. No one enjoys studying a cluttered e mail.
Sentence construction: Keep away from partitions of textual content. Preserve paragraphs to a few sentences max, and range sentence size, so your e mail feels pure and straightforward to learn.
Topic traces: Make them conversational. Use sentence case so that they learn like one thing a pal may ship, not a robotic.
Wrapping up
This case reveals that efficient e mail advertising isn’t about chasing fast wins with reductions or gimmicks. It’s about constructing actual connections along with your subscribers and giving them causes to belief — and purchase from — your model.
For my snack model shopper, eradicating reductions from the welcome circulate may have felt dangerous. However by reshaping the emails to inform their story, spotlight the product, and join emotionally with their viewers, we constructed a stronger basis. The outcome wasn’t simply regular gross sales — it was increased income and a more healthy model.
The takeaway for you as an e mail marketer? Don’t be afraid to rethink the “customary” means of doing issues. Check, measure, and search for locations the place you may shift focus from reductions to storytelling, from pushing merchandise to speaking to your prospects. That’s the way you create campaigns that final — and truly develop your small business.