Consumer purchasing decisions begin with awareness of a product or service. In his book Breakthrough Advertising, Eugene Schwartz introduces five stages of awareness from a marketing perspective. Through this process, marketers can efficiently strategize their messaging for potential customers at various levels.

For example, the most aware potential customers often already understand the value of a product and only need information on pricing or purchase terms to finalize a sale. However, customers who have not yet recognized their pain points or the need for the product are unlikely to make a purchase.

1. Adding email opt-in options and generating leads on your website

To engage with potential customers and generate leads, you need to add a signup form to your website to collect email addresses and marketing consent. Without this form, you risk missing out on potential customers and will have little opportunity to interact with them directly again. While there are many types of signup forms for lead generation, the following are the most effective methods for collecting email addresses.

a. Gamified pop-ups
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By using gamified pop-ups, potential customers get the chance to 'bet' for free on offers or discounts. In exchange for participating in the game, they must enter their email address. Recently, gamified pop-ups have become highly advanced and easy to configure, allowing companies to set the odds for the rewards customers receive. Another benefit of gamified pop-ups is that when customers win a prize, they feel positive, which increases the likelihood of a purchase. In a case study, we created a gamified pop-up where customers received the same prize regardless of their choice. Using this pop-up resulted in a nearly 300% increase in lead generation. The quality of the collected email contacts was also higher, as the email open rate increased by 15% and the click-through rate by 68%.
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2. Market Segmentation

Segmentation is one of the most important steps in email marketing. Emails contain messages customized for specific customers, allowing companies to strategically send emails with targeted content to specific customer groups. There are many ways to customize emails. One method is to categorize emails based on purchasing activity. For example, you can send information about a new acne product launch to customers who purchased acne-related products last year. In this case, we know the content sent to the recipient is relevant, increasing the likelihood that they will be interested and make a purchase.

Still not sure? Here is another example. You can send educational emails to customers who viewed a specific product but didn't purchase it, explaining how the product helps solve the problem that led them to view it in the first place. Another approach is to send product suggestion emails based on local climate and seasonal holidays. For example, if you send gift set suggestions to customers in Asian countries before the Lunar New Year, they are much more likely to make a purchase during this period.

3. Abandoned Cart Emails

On average, about 70% of items added to carts are abandoned. This means many visitors are already aware of your products and considering a purchase but didn't complete the transaction at the checkout stage. Therefore, if you can recover abandoned carts, you can capture a significant amount of revenue that would have otherwise been lost. When sending emails, it is crucial to ensure the message is engaging and relevant to the potential customer's concerns. One common strategy to convert customers who abandoned their carts is to offer a limited-time discount code in the email to encourage a quick decision. This method is effective because many customers who cancel their purchases do so after seeing the total cost of the items in their cart. A small discount can help alleviate the psychological pressure potential customers feel.

Recently, the rise of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment methods and increased installment purchase opportunities have reduced the financial burden on consumers. In 2021, approximately 56% of consumers used BNPL methods for shopping, and this figure continues to grow as Gen Z prefers convenient payment options. Therefore, if your online store offers BNPL, it is a good idea to promote it in your abandoned cart emails.

4. Email Automation

After carefully refining your email messages and building your list, it’s time to automate your emails and send them to each recipient at the right time with just a few simple clicks. From the customer's perspective, they arrive on your website, subscribe to your newsletter, and receive a welcome email. Once they make a purchase, they receive a thank-you email, followed by an email requesting a review a few days later. A few weeks pass, and they receive an email about product restocks. Can you believe all of this is possible with just a single click? Automated emails generate 320% more revenue than non-automated ones. By simply writing your emails, strategizing your content, and segmenting your lists, you can set up your email flows. What we’ve described here is a post-purchase email flow. There are other types of flows, such as upsell/cross-sell flows and win-back/reengagement flows. The goal of each of these email flows is to persuade different groups of customers with similar purchasing behaviors by sending them messages that assist in their buying decisions.The success of email marketing depends heavily on the strategy you use, and the right strategy for your brand often leads to an immediate increase in revenue. If you are curious about the best email marketing strategies we can tailor for your brand, contact Disrupt today!