Our Blog

3 Types of Email Campaigns and When to Use Them

By Snap Agency October 2, 2020

We’re always on the hunt for the latest and greatest email marketing strategy. And why, you may ask? Because email marketing is effective. Whether you’re a local mom-and-pop business or a corporate entity, email campaigns reach target audiences in personalized, cost-effective ways. Not to mention that you connect with 2.6 billion potential customers in the process.

Let’s explore further some of the most effective email campaigns and when to use them. Can you identify which technique(s) would be the best for your business going forward? (Hint: it’s likely more than one, if not all of the above.)

1. Remarketing Email Campaigns

At its core, remarketing is the process of following up with customers who browsed your site but didn’t make a purchase. It’s all about reintroducing and re-attracting visitors who may have been on the fence about making a purchase before, and turning them into repeat customers. Ever heard the phrase “second time’s the charm?” (well, okay, it’s typically the “third time,” but you know what we mean). Sometimes all it takes to convert a customer is repeating the same info, while wrapping that info in new, pretty packaging.

What does this email repackaging look like, exactly? That’s up to you! If you want to keep it simple, you may send out the same, catch-all ads with different pictures, email-exclusive deals, customer testimonials, or wording. We suggest taking it one step further and tailoring your remarketed emails toward individual demographics and search habits. What if the email featured the exact item that the customer had been eyeing earlier? Or if it included a “picked just for you” section with items geared toward that customer’s demographics (age, gender, occupation, or income bracket)? Your possibilities are endless.

2. Abandoned Cart Emails

Technically, abandoned cart emails should be filed under the “remarketing” header, but they’re such effective email campaign examples that they warrant their own section.

Let’s put it in perspective: there are many reasons a customer might close out of your site with items in their virtual shopping cart. Never fear, not all of them need be bad—maybe their web browser glitched, or the customer got distracted by something IRL. Have you ever been in the situation where you spotted that life-changing product, told yourself, “I’ll look back at it later,” and forgotten the site or product name entirely? In those hair-pulling scenarios, abandoned cart emails ensure that that excellent find isn’t lost in the void of the internet forever.

But enough talk—what are these abandoned cart emails, specifically? They’re automated email reminders that customers have closed out of your site without purchasing the items in their cart. In email marketing strategy, we love a good gentle nudge—and in this case, that nudge might be just enough to get your customer saying, “You know what? Maybe I will buy that product, after all!” At the very least, it’ll keep your business on the customer’s radar.

Still not swayed? In a recent study of 41 businesses, carts were abandoned at a rate of nearly 70%. Yikes, right? Those stats jump even higher for mobile purchases, where it’s easier to “X” out of a tab on a moment’s notice. Thankfully, abandoned cart emails convert, on average, 10-20% of customers, those stats again being higher for mobile sales. And that’s quite the difference.

3. Drip Email Campaigns

You’ve probably heard of drip marketing, but you might not even realize it. It’s the practice of sending “drips,” which are pre-written sets of messages to customers over time. They’re most prevalent in email marketing, especially for companies with an extensive buyer list who want to reach many people quickly.

Although they’re automated, drip emails aren’t sent out simultaneously, with the same phrases, to every customer. Words or phrases are often adjusted to fit the shopper’s demographic, purchase habits, and specific behaviors. You, the company, have a slew of automated emails at the ready that are tweaked to fit your customer’s unique profile.

Now, drip campaigns may sound intimidating, especially with all the subtle adjustments that need to happen. Don’t worry, sites like MailChimp are already designed to make the process an easy one. You’ll want to conduct some demographic research in tandem with such platforms, though.

One last thing—send emails with triggers! These are specific actions the customer must take to receive emails. A common example is a post-purchase confirmation email; bonus points if you recommend similar items in the process. Other examples include subscription renewals and sign-ups for more info, or better deals on future products. A good, old fashioned call to action on a drip campaign has been shown to boost clicks up to 371%. And that’s quite the leap.

Snap: Email Campaigns Made Simple

We take pride in our email campaigns here at Snap. We’re committed to paving the way in email marketing, whether you’re conducting a drip campaign, remarketing strategy, or something else. Join us to be paired with the best email marketing techniques for your business—and straightforward ways to implement them.