Ecommerce is about selling online, but you can do sales in a helpful way leaving consumers with a smile on their face and even gratitude for the products offered. When done right, you might find your company name or your client’s company name on a list similar to the following.
Petflow
Petflow has a strong presence on social media – especially Facebook with over 1 million followers. They regularly send email updates out using information from their Facebook fan base. When the fans make positive comments about products, they are likely to show up in emails. When they have one of their top-selling items on sale, the emails are created with the sale information, often a quick video showing how the product is used and then the testimonials. Using this approach, Petflow had over $30 million in revenue during 2012.
Harry’s
Harry’s is an online seller of men’s shaving products. They have a lot of great ideas they do with customers, but one idea that works particularly well for them is their transactional emails. Those are the ones like – here’s your receipt or your order has shipped. Harry’s uses their emails to offer tips and other possible order items. One great example is their email notifying the customer that their order has been delivered and checking to make sure it was received. They continue with that email giving five tips for a better shave. Two of the tips include product information to get closer, smoother results.
Banana Republic
BR will sometimes send out an exclusivity email – you can do this as well. A prime example is an email they sent to recent customers at the end of 2013. They offered a 40% discount on certain items to a limited number of people. To take advantage of the sale, customers needed a special coupon code and to place their order within a 24-hour time limit. If you love BR products, getting an exclusive discount offer could easily have you placing an immediate order.
Whipping Post
Whippingpost sells leather bags, wallets, cases, and guitar straps. A short time after a purchase is made, an email is sent thanking the customer for their business and giving them a tip for leather maintenance. Of course part of that includes a product sold by Whippingpost to keep leather supple for years to come.
If you are looking for ways to increase your clients’ ecommerce marketing and PR, think about the emails being sent to existing customers. Make them fun and memorable and they might even be shared with friends and family of the customers to increase name recognition and sales of products.