If your business sells products online, autoresponder emails are a great way to keep your customer in the loop (without tying up a bunch of your time.)
Once set up, these messages are automatically sent out through your email client (like Campaign Monitor or MailChimp) after certain actions take place.
In this situation, that might be:
· When a purchase is made
· When the product ships
· When the product is received
As long as you enter the proper timing gaps for when these actions will happen, your email provider will handle the legwork and send these messages straight to your wonderful customer—without having to have you there to hold its hand. Nice, don’t you think?
We recently were on the receiving end of some fantastic email copy within an autorepsonder campaign and had to take the time to point out what it does well (so you can leverage this tool, too.) Here it is:
“Thanks for your order. We mean it. Your support of our family-owned business and sustainable farming practices allows us to do what we love, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Right now, your peaches are waiting for you. No, they’re not on your doorstep (yet). They’re waiting- taking their time soaking in the hot Georgia air, flavors sweetening and colors blushing to that perfect shad of peach we all know and love. Once they’re ripe and read (and not a second before), we’ll send them your way. We promise it’ll be worth the wait.
Thanks again,
The Peach Truck”
Yes, we just mentioned The Peach Truck in our last post. And no, they’re not paying us or sending us free peaches to sing their praises (although we are totally open to the free peaches idea.) Kidding. But seriously.
So let’s talk about these simple eight sentences and what they do so well.
1. They Express Gratitude
Thanking customers for making a purchase is a step many businesses forget about. This email goes beyond the standard “Thank you for your order”, and instead reinforces the passion they have for their business and offers a more sincere thank you to customers who’ve taken the time to place an order.
2. They Inform
Because their peaches only ship once a week from Georgia at the peak of freshness, some customers who order online have at least a six day wait time before the peaches even hit the mail truck. Because of this significant wait, The Peach Truck uses autorepsonders to keep customers informed about the shipping process and let them know their order hasn’t been forgotten.
3. They Create Anticipation
Did you read that part about peaches “soaking in the hot Georgia air” and “flavors sweetening and colors blushing to that perfect shade of peach”? Strong imagery and words that evoke the senses make the customer even more excited to get their purchase. Until they arrive, they’ll be dreaming about that first bite into a fresh, juicy peach.
4. They Reinforce Quality & Value
Because customers are paying a premium to have this fresh produce shipped to their doorstep, the business wants to make them feel good about their purchase (so they’ll do it again and again.) They do this by reinforcing their commitment to quality and ensuring that the final product will be top notch.
So how can you use autoresponders in your business?
Think about the effective elements in this very simple autoresponder and how you can tie in some of these same strategies for your products.
Whether it’s a new watch or a download of an eBook, every online purchase deserves a follow up message.