There can be no doubt about the efficiency of e-mail marketing in 2022. For every $ 1 spent on email marketing, companies can achieve an ROI of up to $ 42. Despite these and other impressive statistics, marketers continue to look for ways to improve email marketing results. Marketing automation – which allows marketers to automatically send emails based on predefined rules – is one such solution. By merging marketing automation and email marketing, companies have been able to create a strategy that simultaneously solves issues of timing, relevance, and low KPIs. That strategy is known as drip marketing campaigns.
WHAT ARE DRIP MARKETING CAMPAIGNS?
Drip marketing campaigns are a marketing strategy in which a pre-written and limited series of emails are sent to customers and prospects who do or do not take certain actions. The term 'drip' refers to emails that are sent slowly and steadily on a preset schedule. A drip campaign adds more relevance to email marketing. The proof of this is that triggered emails have a 70.5% higher open rate than generic ones. This is because the trigger for the emails is the recipient's action, which increases interest in the content. Similarly, triggered emails have a click-through rate of 152% higher than regular messages.
The possible triggers for drip campaigns are numerous. The emails focus on behavioral data rather than socio-demographic or location-based data. Common examples include signing up for newsletters, abandoning shopping carts, or completing a purchase. Therefore, companies should outline their goals to decide on what triggers to design their campaigns. The company also has to decide on the number of emails and the space required for each campaign. It is often a challenge to arrive at a decision that will drive conversion without overwhelming the recipient. Usually, however, three to ten emails spread over a few weeks are sufficient.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DRIP CAMPAIGNS?
Does your company need to invest in DRIP marketing campaigns? The answer is undoubtedly a resounding yes. Here are five good reasons why a drip campaign can benefit your business:
HIGHER ENGAGEMENT AND CONVERSIONS
As mentioned earlier, drip campaigns have higher open and click-through rates. When content is highly relevant to the customer or prospect's needs, they are more engaged and more likely to convert. For example, sending three abandoned cart emails can result in a 69% increase in orders.
SAVES TIME
Typically for automation, drip marketing campaigns save time and energy. This strategy automates lead nurturing, guiding prospects through the sales funnel with little oversight. This allows team members to spend time and effort on other activities.
MORE INCOME
Successful drip campaigns generate 80% more sales at a lower cost for the company. The revenue and ROI a company builds depend on how it uses this strategy. For example, post-purchase emails are excellent opportunities for cross-selling and upselling products. Also lead nurturing emails are another potential income generating opportunity.
HIGHER CUSTOMER RETENTION
When used correctly, drip marketing campaigns help build and restore relationships with leads and customers. Consequently, it can lead to better customer retention metrics. For example, re-engagement drip emails can inspire churned customers to reactivate their subscriptions.
RAISES BRAND AWARENESS
Even if customers don't convert or make purchases the moment they receive the drip emails, a strong campaign leaves an impression. Customers become more aware of your brand and what it has to offer. Therefore, they can return to purchase goods and services when prepared.
HOW TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF DRIP CAMPAIGNS?
Drip marketing campaigns are very effective. However, not all brands will get the same results from using this strategy. Use these four tactics to increase your chances of generating more sales and conversions:
PERSONALIZE WITH CUSTOMERS JOURNEY
The success of drip campaigns is linked to the relevance of the emails. Therefore, companies should strive to keep the content personalize. A good way to do this is to segment individuals based on where they are in their customer journey. Using a customer journey map to guide the selection of triggers for the drip emails helps reach the right customers with the right content.
BE CREATIVE WITH THE CONTENT
Many brands make excellent subject lines but get lazy with the content. To improve the KPIs, especially the click-through rate, the email content must be of high quality. Remember to keep it short and clear and provide valuable information. If funny and light-hearted content matches your brand voice, feel free to add some humor. Also, be sure to add a call to action to reinforce the action you want the customer to take.
REACHED ON IMPORTANT DATES
Drip marketing campaigns are largely action-oriented, but there's nothing wrong with using important dates as triggers. Birthdays and anniversaries are good examples of drip email prompts and they can strengthen the relationship between customer and brand. Also use campaigns to remind customers of subscriptions due for renewal. Using date-based automation, your business can drive actions instead of waiting for them.
ANALYZE AND RESTARTETY OFTEN
It is unlikely that your drip campaigns will work out perfectly on your first trial. Therefore, make sure to monitor all KPIs to observe performance on a regular basis. Then adjust the content, timing and number of emails until you see a satisfactory improvement in statistics.
In short, drip marketing campaigns are a useful addition to any marketing strategy. The results are promising, especially if you optimize your campaigns using the methods mentioned above.
