As an e-commerce business owner, you already know the importance of having a strong online presence. 

But in addition to your website and social media accounts, your email marketing strategy is also crucial for engaging with customers and driving sales. And, not to brag, but we know a thing or two about good email marketing strategy.

Here, we’ll explore the different types of email marketing campaigns every e-commerce business needs to master.

Welcome Email Series

An automated welcome email series is a must-have for e-commerce businesses as it sets the tone for your new subscribers, increases engagement, and drives sales. 

With a well-timed welcome series, your new subscribers will feel valued and engaged from the moment they sign up for your email list.

A welcome email can help set the stage for your entire relationship with a new customer, like this:

Why Automation is Key

The beauty of automation is that it’s all about timing. 

By automating your welcome email series, you can reach your new subscribers at the right time for them, not just when it’s convenient for you. 

Timing is crucial when it comes to welcome emails as you want to be top-of-mind for your new subscribers and provide immediate confirmation that they successfully subscribed.

Number of Emails in a Welcome Series

A minimum of two emails is recommended for your welcome email series – an initial welcome email and an invitation to connect further. 

If you’re looking to get to know your subscribers better, consider adding a third email to the series.

Why More Than One Email is Better

Sending only a single welcome email is a missed opportunity to engage your new subscribers multiple times when they’re highly engaged. 

Overstuffing a single email with too much information also makes it less effective. A short series of welcome emails, designed to increase engagement and sales, is the way to go.

What to Include in Your Welcome Series

Your automated welcome series should be sent to all new email subscribers and include three emails with a purpose and specific information to include. 

The first email is an initial welcome, the second email is an invitation to connect further, and the third email is an opportunity to get to know your subscribers better. 

The examples of these emails can be tailored to fit your business and style.

Abandoned Cart Email Campaign

Ah, the abandoned cart email. A digital delight for e-commerce store owners looking to coax their customers back from the brink of checkout abandonment. 

Research shows that 44.1% of these emails are opened, with nearly a third resulting in recovered sales! 

Much like the welcome series, time is of the essence, and you’ll want to send that abandoned cart email within the first hour for maximum impact.

Crafting compelling abandoned cart emails

Abandoned cart emails shouldn’t be overly ambitious but there are two things that you should get right.

1. A dazzling subject line is key, so make it catchy, personal, or simply straightforward.

2. Personalize the message with the shopper’s name, the product they left behind, or perhaps even a cheeky question. 

PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid to test different subject lines – some of your customers may respond best to a dry and direct reminder, but a snappy one-liner could do wonders for your conversion rate with others.

In short, an abandoned cart email campaign is a valuable weapon in the fight against cart abandonment and a great way to maximize conversions. 

Act quickly, craft a compelling subject line, personalize your message, and test, test, test to find the approach that sends your customers over the moon.

Lead Nurturing Email Campaigns

Lead nurturing emails are designed to gradually build a relationship with potential customers who have shown interest in your products or services. 

These emails can include helpful information, such as blog posts or case studies, that educate the customer and position your business as a thought leader in your industry. Lead nurturing emails can also include special offers and promotions, gradually moving the lead toward a conversion.

The end result? Targeted, engaging experiences that propel high-quality leads down the sales funnel.

Lead nurturing is a crucial element of inbound marketing because it builds trust with consumers and raises awareness; 70% of marketers agree that this type of interaction is more valuable than direct sales.

To craft a lead nurturing email campaign that sets the world on fire:

• Offer valuable content, with a touch of expertise. Treat your emails like mini blog posts, educating your leads with each one.
• One topic at a time. Connect your content to what initially sparked your lead’s interest.
• Keep it short, keep it sweet. Avoid information overload and keep the focus on one key idea.
• A natural progression. Craft campaigns that pull leads through the sales funnel, with ease.
• Test and track. Regularly evaluate your success, using metrics like click-through rate and unsubscribe rate.
• Personalize. Customize emails for different types of leads, based on their interactions with your business.

By following these guidelines, you can create lead-nurturing email campaigns that engage and convert – turning leads into loyal customers.

Re-Engagement Email

Re-engagement emails are designed to bring back inactive subscribers who haven’t opened or clicked on your emails in a while. 

This type of email can be a great opportunity to offer a special promotion or incentive, reminding the customer of the value your brand can bring to their life.

Why re-engagement matters

Re-engagement emails play a crucial role in e-commerce, as they can help you recover lost customers and improve your email marketing efforts. 

Unengaged subscribers on your email list can harm your sender reputation and increase your costs, as they occupy space on your list and force you to pay for a more expensive email marketing plan.

Who are your unengaged subscribers?

At a minimum, consider a subscriber unengaged after a one to two-month period of inactivity. 

Of course, you’re free to adjust this timeline to suit your specific needs but try not to go for less than a month.

To rekindle their interest, consider sending a series of 3-4 re-engagement emails that build on each other. 

Offer incentives like discounts or coupons, remind them of the values that first drew them to your store, and highlight new benefits and features. 

And don’t forget the power of personalization! Address your subscribers by name, reference their past purchases, and suggest products that might interest them. 

With these strategies in place, you’ll be well on your way to reigniting your relationship with your unengaged subscribers.

Newsletters – The Old Reliable

Newsletters are a staple of email marketing and can help keep your subscribers informed about new products, promotions, and company news. 

By consistently providing valuable content, you can establish your brand as a trusted source of information and stay top of mind with your customers.

PRO TIP: The key to any successful newsletter is value. Your subscribers don’t need another source of news (despite the name). They need you to alert them when something truly valuable is coming down the pipe and important things they need to know to get the most out of your product or service.

E-commerce Newsletter Best Practices

Personalize, personalize, personalize. Use the data you have on your subscribers to make your outreach feel like a warm hug. People are more likely to engage when they feel seen.

Make the most of your preheader. It’s the first thing people see after your subject line, so make it count. Add a personal touch, ask a question, or highlight the reader’s interests. This will boost open and click rates.

Mobile is king. Nearly half of all emails are opened on mobile devices, so design with this in mind. Stick to single-column layouts, prioritize critical content at the top, and use concise image descriptions for devices that may not display them.

Craft compelling calls to action. CTAs are the cornerstone of converting leads into sales. Get creative with your language and make the buttons pop with contrasting colors.

Make it engaging. People don’t want to feel sold to, they want to be entertained. Keep your content fresh, use images and videos, and give subscribers ways to interact with your brand.

Video Emails

OK, so video isn’t exactly a type of campaign but it’s definitely worth mentioning here.

Video emails are a relatively new type of email marketing, but they can be a powerful tool for engaging with your customers. 

By including a video in your email, you can add a personal touch and bring your brand’s personality to life. 

However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all email clients support video playback, so be sure to include a fallback image and text description.

Advantages Of Video Emails

• Increased engagement: in our experience, videos increase click-through rates a ton.
• Personalization: adding a video to your emails can help build a personal connection with your customers, especially if it’s a video that specifically addresses a pain point they have.
• Increased retention: videos are more memorable than text, increasing the chances that your message will be remembered (and shared).

Disadvantages Of Video Emails

• Technical limitations: not all email clients support video playback, meaning some of your subscribers may not be able to view your videos.
• Increased file size: videos can be much larger than text-based emails, increasing the chances of your email being marked as spam.
• Production time: creating a video can be time-consuming and may require specialized skills. There are tools out there that massively cut down on this time and we discuss many of them.

Seasonal Email Campaign 

Seasonal campaigns are a great way to capitalize on holidays and special events, such as Christmas, Black Friday, or Mother’s Day. 

These emails can include special promotions and offers, festive imagery and messaging, and highlight products that are perfect for the season. 

Why They’re so Darn Effective

Basically, because of habit.

At their core, these campaigns leverage the natural rhythms of the calendar to create a sense of urgency and anticipation. 

Whether it’s the lead-up to the holiday season, the start of a new season, or a big annual event, there is built-in excitement that can be harnessed to drive conversions.

By aligning with current events and trends, these campaigns are able to resonate more deeply with consumers and create a sense of relevance and immediacy.

Brand Story Email Campaign

Brand story email campaigns are a great way to showcase the personality and values of your business. 

By sharing your brand story and mission, you can deepen the connection with your customers and position your business as more than just a place to buy products. 

This type of email campaign can include behind-the-scenes looks at your company, interviews with your team, or stories of how your products have impacted the lives of your customers.

Transactional Emails

Unlike flashy promotional emails, transactional emails are automated, triggered by specific actions taken by customers, such as making a purchase or subscribing to a mailing list.

But just because they may not have the same level of pizzazz as other types of email campaigns, that doesn’t mean they are any less important. 

In fact, transactional emails can be a valuable touchpoint for building brand loyalty, and providing a personalized and seamless experience for your customers.

So, what exactly are the different types of transactional emails and why are they so effective in e-commerce? Let’s dive in.

Post-purchase/Confirmation Email

We’re not going to cover every possible transactional email, but we have to mention the flagbearer of this category. 

The post-purchase email.

This email is sent after a customer has completed a purchase, and it is an opportunity to show your appreciation for their business. 

With a post-purchase email, you can thank the customer, provide a receipt and any necessary follow-up information, and even encourage them to share their experience with friends and family. 

Who knows, you may just have a new brand ambassador on your hands!

Think about it, the customer just spent their hard-earned money on your product or service. The least you can do is extend a warm and heartfelt thank you.

Upsell and Cross-sell Emails

Upselling involves offering customers a more premium or upgraded version of the product they are currently considering, while cross-selling involves offering complementary products or services that complement the current purchase.

These emails are effective for several reasons. 

First, they tap into the psychological principle of commitment and consistency, where customers are more likely to make additional purchases if they have already made a commitment to a brand. 

Second, they offer customers additional value and convenience, as complementary products or services can enhance their current purchase and make their lives easier.

In addition, upsell and cross-sell emails can also boost a brand’s revenue and improve customer loyalty. 

By offering customers relevant and valuable products, brands can increase the average order value, while also providing customers with a positive brand experience that builds trust and loyalty.

Conclusion

And thus, with the knowledge of these varied forms of email marketing at hand, we wish you luck on your journey of customer connection and business growth. 

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your email marketing to the next level, these campaigns provide a solid foundation for success.