4 Ways to Start Delighting Your Subscribers

Last month, I shared “4 Ways to Stop Annoying Your Subscribers.” This month, let’s do something that’s rare in the marketing world by focusing on something positive! We spend so much energy trying to convert prospects into customers, non-openers into openers, one-time buyers into repeat customers…the list is endless. Unfortunately, this ongoing race to increase conversions and engagement rates can lead many marketers to neglect their most active, loyal customers. Rather than constantly trying to create something from nothing, why not take some of that time to focus on your biggest fans?

When turning your attention to loyal customers, it’s important not to get bogged down in defining the criteria for best customer segments. While a deep analysis into performance and purchase data can give you fantastic insights into customer behavior, there’s a lot you can do by creating basic “best customer” segments that you can use throughout the year. Simply build a segment of subscribers who have consistently opened your messages or customers who have recently made multiple purchases. If segmenting by recent openers casts too wide of a net, use recent, consistent clickers instead. See, that was easy enough, right?!

So, what should you do now that you have aggregated these active individuals? Remember, these subscribers are paying attention to what you send them. Based on their engagement, you can assume that they have liked what you have sent them so far. Why not step up your game by dazzling and delighting them with some extra special attention?

Here are four ways to charm your active subscribers by building on your brand voice, communication strategies, and promotional offerings.

1. Sweeten the Offer

Even if you have a formal loyalty program, consider offering your most active subscribers a special discount in addition to a current offer. The heightened engagement levels of these shoppers could indicate that they are in the mood to buy, and a special discount could be just the thing they need to submit their order. Rather than grouping these subscribers in an “Hours Left” email, sweeten the pot by adding a free shipping offer or an extra percent off for a higher price point.

2. Boost the Bonus

Who doesn’t love something for nothing? Give your loyalty program a jolt of energy by adding a few extra points to the loyalty accounts and sending an email notification sharing the good news. For active subscribers who are not loyalty program members, offer an incentive for them to sign up, such as bonus introductory points or an immediate VIP upgrade.

3. Sneak Peeks

The next time you are planning a major product release or prepping a seasonal shift in inventory, send your best subscribers a sneak peek. If products are not yet available for purchase, take the opportunity to speak to these subscribers with a more conversational tone. Let them know how you curated the new summer fashions or why you think the soon-to-be-released gadget is going to change the world. These messages can build anticipation for the new items and also help these active subscribers to feel special and “in the know.”

4. Make It Personal

During the holidays, retailers flood inboxes with messages touting charitable giving, a few words of thanks from the CEO, and other warm fuzzies, but these sentiments should not be limited to Q4. Send a note of thanks or share how your company makes the world a better place. Give these subscribers a way to contribute to your efforts. These subtle, non-promotional emails can give your active subscribers another way to engage, reinforce brand loyalty, and help keep your brand top of mind when it’s time to shop.

With the constant pressures to improve email performance and fix what is not working, it can be easy to overlook ways to enhance what is working well. Each time you plan an email to re-engage inactive subscribers or execute a test to improve a low-performing metric, pair that message with an email to your best subscribers that will keep them engaged, encourage them to make a purchase, and remind them how much you care. They will be delighted.

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