💬 Re-engaging inactive segments of customers can be a bit of a challenge, especially when consumers have numerous distractions and naturally seeing various ads from competitors or similar products - and sometimes the reality is, even despite email marketing promotions and newsletters, customers can forget or simply don't open emails due to 'promotion fatigue' (I know this is something that happens to me).
So, how can you standout and 'win' back segments to start buying again? Well, that's why I created this tactical checklist for you.
💬 Here are some key areas of strategies that I've seen work effectively (to varying degrees) on winning back customers - some of them are fairly quick to test, whilst others are fruitful longer-term tactics, which can also impact positively other important metrics.
A key factor of doing winback campaigns more effectively (especially with tracking and performance) and that can have optimal impact, is ensuring to split customer segments into clear buckets to run personalised messaging/CTAs and content - for example, attributes like new vs existing customers, cart value, product items, and more.
Then as the next layer, it's integrating these audience segments to sync seamlessly through key marketing channel tools (which is fairly easy to do these days with the likes of Shopify and their integration network).
In terms of this initiative, look at the various performance of your winback campaigns by segments, and look at breakdowns that resulted in both purchases (items and AOV), as well as those who unsubscribed and are still inactive.
Write down specific offers that could help drive more uptake that makes sense to that segment.
Note - as an example reference, how you create an offer for past customers who have purchased 2 times over a month period with an AOV of $100, is different to customer buckets who haven't spent anything in over 1 year and ordered a small product.
In conjunction with the above, if you've got their mobile/phone numbers, share special tailored offers from time to time.
The same can go with remarketing ads on Meta - you can easily setup ads based on these audience segments to communicate the offer/messaging.
Aim to do offers which aren't part of your customer/site-wide messaging.
In many ways 'business as usual' initiative that you should be doing outside of 'winback' campaigns, is posting lots of social proof content - UGC videos, customer images, reviews, and lots more.
Quick tip: add these elements and content into the personalised winback email flows.
Related to the above, people love to learn from short-form video content - and this is where encouraging customers/subscribers to follow on socials becomes important, particularly when a percentage will fall into the bucket of having not purchased within a period of time (however you define).
Great brands are built with great content as a key lever, so combing both video and UGC content (like the above checklist point), will result in winning customers back/over other competitors.
A great way to remind customers as part of 're-engagement' is prompting past customers (or even the likes of those on subscription programs), to re-order a past item they purchased.
Key consideration - based on behaviours of customer segments, tailor messaging, CTAs, and even potentially special offers if segments have become inactive (i.e. not purchased for a while).
A way to try and get inactive segments attention is by "surprising" them with a 'free gift' or some sort of offer which isn't seen across the site/socials.
The reason why I say an offer/gift not seen before is to ensure it feels personalised to the customer.
For example, you can provide a tailored offer based on a past product they've purchased, and make it a BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) and possibly add free shipping when they transact for a certain cart value.
Or, surprise them with a complementary lower-valued item on your store (like a free upsell).
This is a tactic I've seen SaaS startups/companies have done before, and which I think can work really well when building a relationship with customers/audiences.
Why not do a video or note which is directly from the founder? I like this format and test as it's less polished, and straight to the point - and it feels a bit more personalised (outside of the typical branded marketing email comms).
The goal here is simply just creating a conversation and asking for honest product feedback or reasons why they are not repurchasing.
This is a good one I think for inactive customers who are simply not up-taking new offers.
Somewhat related to the above - why not create/share videos of products and new brand updates to customer segments who have become inactive?
The key thing here is personalising the video/note as much as possible to encourage a response/action.
Up to your discretion of course, and a tactic to increase the chances that inactive/low engaged customers will reply and provide feedback, it's worth considering and offering a small incentive/token of appreciation.
A great way to reactivate inactive segments (and applicable for all customer segments) is just by focusing on providing awesome value primarily through content - and one strategy is by hosting 'exclusive' events.
For example, inviting segments to attend (whether online or offline) to watch an AMA with a top-tier influencer/thought-leader.
In terms of this checklist point, there's your 'normal' key campaign periods, and then there are periods which are lower sales/revenue.
A key point here on why I included this point is to strategise/brainstorm various campaigns that are not just drive on 'flash sales' or just pure sales-focused objectives (although, sales/revenue is always the goal).
Think about campaigns you could do - such as charitable campaigns (where your brand supports a special cause), sustainability, community-building, etc.
This can be a great way to attract the attention of those who have become less active (and a bit fatigued from continuous sales-focused comms from all types of brands they've subscribed to).
Now this is more applicable for those who run communities (and if you don't, you should seriously consider) - optimise efforts as part of your winback strategies (through content and email comms/flows) that you have an awesome community that they can be apart of (if they aren't already).
Communities are an awesome differentiator for brands, and it can help ensure your brand keeps top of mind and remind them of the value your product serves to the market.
