What is ecommerce email marketing?
Ecommerce email marketing is the practice of using email to promote products or services to potential and existing customers. It is a powerful tool for driving sales, building customer relationships, and increasing brand awareness.
3 ecommerce email marketing types
1. Transactional emails
Transactional emails are messages that are automatically sent to customers after a specific action has been taken. These include:
- Order confirmation and email receipts
- Shipping confirmation email
- Check-in email
- Thank you email
2. Promotional emails
Promotional emails are designed to promote products, services, or special offers. These include:
- New products (or services)
- Time-sensitive deals
- Subscriber-only discounts
- Seasonal promotions
- Newsletter
- Content update
- Upsell email
- Cross sell email
3. Lifecycle emails
Lifecycle emails are targeted messages that are sent based on where a customer is in their relationship with your brand. These include:
- Shopping cart abandonment emails
- Welcome email series
- Second order emails
- Win-back email series
- Referral email campaigns
- Survey emails
Why email marketing is key to ecommerce success
Email lets you build ongoing customer relationships
By regularly communicating with your customers through email, you can build a stronger relationship with them, leading to increased loyalty and repeat purchases.
Email is incredibly effective at driving sales
According to research, email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing channel. It is an effective way to drive sales and increase revenue for your ecommerce business.
Email can affect the three main growth multipliers
Email marketing can impact your ecommerce business’s revenue, customer acquisition, and customer retention, making it a powerful tool for growth.
Email isn’t influenced by third-party gatekeepers
Unlike social media or search engine algorithms, email marketing allows you to directly reach your audience without being at the mercy of third-party platforms.
Create a successful ecommerce email marketing strategy
1. Choose an email service provider (ESP)
Select a reliable email service provider that offers the features and functionality you need to effectively manage and execute your email marketing campaigns.
2. Start building your email list
Building a strong email list is crucial for the success of your email marketing efforts. Here are some strategies to grow your email list:
- Set up a pre-launch page
- Collect emails from sales and customer accounts
- Place opt-in forms across your site
- Accelerate sign-ups with lead magnets
- Ask for emails in person
3. Send emails legally
Make sure to comply with email marketing laws and regulations, such as obtaining consent from recipients before sending them marketing emails and providing a clear way for them to opt out of receiving further communications.
How to track ecommerce email marketing performance
1. List size and growth
Monitor the size of your email list and track its growth over time to assess the effectiveness of your list-building efforts.
2. Open and click-through rates
Measure the open and click-through rates of your emails to gauge how engaging and effective your email content is.
3. Deliverability and list health
Keep an eye on your email deliverability and list health to ensure that your emails are reaching your subscribers’ inboxes and not getting flagged as spam.
4. A/B test results
Conduct A/B tests on different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, calls to action, and design, to optimize your email performance.
5. Revenue
Track the revenue generated from your email marketing efforts to understand the impact of your campaigns on your ecommerce business’s bottom line.
The value of using green light benchmarks
Green light benchmarks are key performance indicators that serve as targets for your email marketing efforts. By setting and striving to meet these benchmarks, you can ensure that your campaigns are performing at their best.
Lifecycle automation: the next level of email marketing for ecommerce
Segment 1: New subscribers
Automate a welcome email series for new subscribers to introduce them to your brand and encourage them to make their first purchase.
Segment 2: One-time buyers
Automate follow-up emails for customers who have made a single purchase to encourage repeat purchases and build customer loyalty.
Segment 3: VIPs
Send special offers and exclusive content to your most loyal and valuable customers to make them feel appreciated and keep them engaged with your brand.
Segment 4: Defecting customers
Identify customers who have stopped engaging with your brand and automate win-back email series to re-engage them and encourage them to return to your ecommerce store.
Segment 5: Cart abandoners
Automate shopping cart abandonment emails to remind customers of items they left in their cart and encourage them to complete their purchase.
Push send and drive more sales through ecommerce email marketing
By implementing a well-planned and executed ecommerce email marketing strategy, you can effectively drive sales, build customer relationships, and grow your ecommerce business. Start implementing these strategies today and reap the benefits of email marketing for your ecommerce store.
Ecommerce email marketing FAQ
How does ecommerce use email marketing?
Ecommerce businesses use email marketing to promote products, communicate with customers, and drive sales through targeted and personalized email campaigns.
What are the different types of email marketing for ecommerce?
The different types of email marketing for ecommerce include transactional emails, promotional emails, and lifecycle emails, each serving different purposes in engaging and converting customers.
What is the best email marketing tool?
There are several email marketing tools available, each with its own set of features and capabilities. The best tool for your ecommerce business will depend on your specific needs and budget. Some popular options include Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and Omnisend.