Optimising customer lifetime value from your core client base is a huge point of emphasis for companies in the CRM era.
This desire has contributed to the rejuvenation of email marketing to drive customer retention, repeat business and referrals, and demand generation.
The following is a look at how to offer quality email content that contributes to lifetime customer value.
Offer Useful, Relevant Resources
As you transition to the post-purchase, retention stage of your marketing funnel, focus on delivering valuable, relevant content to subscribers. The goal is to keep your brand in front of customers to continue the relationship.
A Demand Metric study found that 80 percent of clients are willing to read useful company content and 57 percent are accepting of once-per-month communication.
If you sell equipment or technology that requires infrequent renewals or updates, a semi-monthly or monthly email newsletter with useful resources shows buyers that you care about more than a sale.
Monthly email newsletters are another great tool to keep your brand fresh in the minds of customers. With a newsletter, you can offer industry news and trends, and provide relevant updates such as white papers and research studies that could affect the buyer’s situation moving forward.
Let the Customer Pave the Way for Repeat Business
Consider the costs of including satisfied clients on a monthly email newsletter versus those of marketing and selling to a prospect. There is no comparison; generating repeat business from a happy customer is always more efficient than attracting and converting a new one.
In some cases, the timing of renewals and upgrades is predictable.
For instance, you might have a client with an annual service plan. Thus, you send periodic emails to stay in touch and then time your renewal offer. Perhaps even outlining new features that are imminent or due over the next quarter.
This tactic could be useful if you have potential clients evaluating your products, as that small new feature due next month could be the difference between a lifetime customer and a lost sale.
In less predictable situations, the client’s behaviours related to email responses and on-site activity are valuable. Through marketing automation, you can provide well-designed and targeted emails with new solutions based on the responses of a particular customer. This focused approach helps you connect with the buyer on his terms.
Hint At or Request Referrals
Just as repeat business is more efficient than new business, referrals are more effective than other conventional demand generation strategies.
When you get a satisfied client to tell other buyers about his experience, you have an excellent opportunity to land new business. This is especially relevant for your post-purchase marketing funnel stage.
In your regular email message, include requests for referrals. For instance, you can close the emails by inviting the customer to select a button to fill in contact details. Timing is crucial, though, as you may want to wait until your email communication programs kick into high gear before you start to request referrals.
Include email communication strategies when planning your step-by-step selling and retention programs.
Wrap Up
Consistent and quality email communication with clients drives repeat business and referrals, which are the lifeblood of customer retention.
With CRM programs, you can automate much of the activity while still targeting users based on behaviours.
And, as pointed out in the post Your Sales Database Is Killing Your Bottom Line, the primary means of driving both early stage (77%) and later stage (85%) leads is email marketing. So email can help drive customer value for you from start to finish, and beyond your marketing funnel.
