It’s Time to Create a Connection With Your Customer Through Email

People are looking for human connection, now more than ever. Being stuck at home, working from home, or just a little isolated due to the pandemic is a reality for most Australians right now. 

Brands that have used in-store experiences to create human connections in the past are now struggling to re-create the same dynamics through online purchases and interactions. 

On the upside, consumers are taking the time to open and read emails; both email engagement and performance are up to when people are stuck at home. This trend is independent of other channels, which may be down due to reduced search volume or increasing competition in paid media. 

“Consumers are taking the time to open more emails from brands. It makes sense, considering people have been spending more time at home and less time dealing with the normal hustle and bustle of daily life.” – Klaviyo.com

There’s also many first-time online shoppers who are not digitally savvy entering the market right now as their usual shopping habits have been disrupted. Personalisation and segmentation matter more than ever (i.e. we don’t want to spam our customers if they’re not engaging with our emails).  

Having the right content, for the right audience, at the right time is crucial to getting your message heard, understood and accepted. The number one reason people unsubscribe is that they receive “too many emails” 46% of people who unsubscribe put this as their reason. One reason this number exists is that many brands just email their whole list – all the time. While there’s a time and a place for this, the more personalised the communication, the better your human connection will be with your customer. Don’t fret, though, unless your unsubscribe rate is higher than 0.7%, you don’t need to be concerned. 

Not sure how you can create human connections in a digital world? Below are some practical tips that you can get started on right away. 

Replicate in-store experiences with virtual tours and consults

OneWorld Collection (we work with them) has the right idea, an upmarket furniture brand with eight stores in Australia. Since most of their customers are in metro areas affected by the pandemic, they’ve created a virtual consult where sales staff can be invited into the living rooms of their customers while still being able to demonstrate products on the showroom floor. They’ve used Calendly.com to schedule appointments to ensure all the customers can be seen and no one is waiting. 

Creating ways for customers to experience your product in new and unique ways is what will keep that human connection alive. 

Multi-channel communications with Gorgias

Let customers reach you however they want. Instagram comments, Facebook direct messages, email, live chat, SMS and any other form of communication you can think of. Gorgias can do it all. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to reach a brand that doesn’t leave another method of communication to reach them with. You may even convert more sales! I’ve personally been able to convert 25% of live chat inquiries into sales, working in an e-commerce team.

Reposition products in terms of value for their new routines

Since many lifestyle changes have had to be made for a lot of Australians, consumers don’t think about products and services in the same way they used to. Suppose you can reposition the way that your marketing; this will increase the connection between your brand and your customers. They’ll be saying to themselves, “they get me and the challenges I’m going through.”

This means for abandonment emails, include product comparisons, how-to-videos, helpful blog content or best practices in using your products. It will help the consumer realise how your product is uniquely positioned to support their new lifestyle. 

Pre-orders and back in stocks have also been one of the most successful email campaigns outside of sales or promotions in the pandemic. Don’t just limit these to auto-generated emails from your pre-order app or Klaviyo’s inbuilt back in stock. Use personalisation and customer behaviours to populate your emails with content that will be relevant and timely. 

Projects that you can do at home (or challenges to I imagine) have worked very well in creating connections with your audience. 

Tighten up your shipping notifications

Lastly, and probably most importantly – shipping notifications! Delays are inevitable while we’re all stuck at home, all shopping online. 

So, be especially clear and empathetic; people are stressed about their packages and where they’ll be, or if they’ll arrive in time. You can read more about Klaviyo’s recommended best practices for communicating shipping delays here. 

Not sure what Klaviyo is, or if it’s the right fit for your brand? Take a free trial via this link. 

Article by

Leonidas Comino – Founder & CEO

Leo is a, Deloitte award winning and Forbes published digital business builder with over a decade of success in the industry working with market-leading brands.

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