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Customers Buy From Personalized E-Mails During The Holiday Season
November 26, 2007
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It's Cyber Monday and holiday shopping is happening everywhere. Canada and the European Union are taking advantage of the low US dollar and are ramping up their online shopping activity, and more people over the age of 60 are taking advantage of not having to fight the crowds in stores.
This year, people are taking their time and are doing research online before they shop. If your sales seem slow, that might be why. There is still time to market to your audience and get them to shop with you. According to the report, MyBuys Holiday Harris Poll, which was conducted by Harris Interactive, 84% of respondents shop online. Also, sixty percent of online shoppers are more likely to shop with a retailer that follows up with specific recommendations based on past purchases versus a generic e-mail [announcing specials, delivering a coupon, etc.]. The survey found that consumers like e-mails to be personalized to their shopping habits and previous purchases. It makes them feel special - like you personally care that they're tired, haggard, and want to throw darts at other cars when they're making their way to your store.
According to the survey, 65% of shoppers would like retailers to offer e-mail alerts for new products or sales from brand categories they like, as well as e-mails with product recommendations and e-mails about replenished product stock. Eighty percent [80%] of them bought a product recommended by an online retailer.
Does this marketing tip seem overwhelming to you? If so, prepare for the new year and add this to your 2008 marketing plan.
- Create a database or spreadsheet that lists your customers and their email addresses
- Send out surveys to find out what they like and/or poll them in the store (be sure to give them something for their effort)
- Ensure their email addresses are valid by sending out emails throughout the year
- Pull reports from your online store to see what people are buying and what they have bought in the past
- Use an email service that selects/pulls personalized information for you when creating emails. Plan ahead and send these out every week leading up to holiday shopping.
If you're already prepared this year, send them out this week and continue for the next 3 weeks. As they days creep closer, offer higher incentives to buy with you. They're your bread-and-butter; let them know how much you appreciate their business by making their experience easier with less hassle.
More information:
www.shop.org
Posted by Suze Bragg on November 26, 2007 | Comments (0)
