Improving your customer experience with email marketing

A great product or service go a long way to creating this experience but, as consumers, we're (rightly or wrongly!) always looking for more. Luxury hotels and restaurants all make the experience of their guests and diners a priority, retailers are increasingly looking at new ways to redefine and transform the in-store experience and, in the business-to-business world, building strong relationships is a foundation for success.

The stats don't lie. 73% of customers fall in love with a brand and remain loyal if they have a great experience, 77% of customers would recommend a brand to a friend after having a single positive experience and 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with companies who offer excellent customer service (Source: HubSpot).

These are compelling numbers and shouldn't be ignored. If the experience your customers have - whatever industry your business is in - isn't a priority, then it should be. Thankfully, there are easy ways to give your customers positive experiences - and the effective use of email marketing is one of the best.

Email is a great tool for building strong, lasting, and successful relationships with your customers. Whether it's through automated journeys, long-form copy or brilliant storytelling, here's an overview of how to use email marketing to help create a great customer experience:

Be personable.

53% of marketers say ongoing, personalised communication with existing customers results in moderate to significant revenue impact while there's a whopping 760% increase in revenue from segmented email campaigns (Source: Campaign Monitor). It could be as simple as personalising a subject line or sending a 'happy birthday' email, through to sending out highly personalised content to your subscribers when a series of rules are met. And, by default, using personalisation tools makes you more personable, friendly and accessible to your customers. The result? A better relationship with them.

Be helpful & timely.

As we chase new ways of improving engagement with our customers, it can be easy to forget the simple power of being helpful. A prime example of this are automated emails triggered when a product is purchased and then despatched, or pre- and post-stay emails sent by hotels. Both are examples of the type of communication that's incredibly helpful for us - as simple as they might seem. Intelligent email marketing programs can help ensure you're always delivering the right message at the right time.

Be relevant.

As customers, there's few things more frustrating than receiving an email from a brand we love which has no relevance to us. We open the email full of hope and excitement only to be let down by content that means nothing to us. It's an extension of personalisation and relevant content will see better click-through rates and conversions as well as delivering a great experience.

Be a force for good.

Delight your subscribers, make them smile, give them a spark of joy and something to remember you by - they won't always remember what it is you said but they will remember how you made them feel. Use email marketing to reinforce positivity and positive experiences.

Be authentic.

And finally, don't try and be something you're not. Consumers are savvy and will see straight through it. Be yourself. Use language you use when you talk to your customers. If you're funny and informal then that's fine! Equally, if your communication with customers if usually formal then don't go off the wall with your email style. Stick to your guns, believe in yourself and let your authenticity shine through - you'll deliver a better experience because of it.

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If you want to find out more about how to use email marketing to improve your customer experience then we'd love to help - you can get in touch with us here.