How to craft the perfect post-purchase follow up sequence

As soon as a customer buys something from your ecommerce store, you have the opportunity to stay top of mind. This is why post-purchase follow ups are so important.

Your builds confidence in your brand while boosting revenue potential from loyal customers.

By the end of this article you’ll have the steps to write your own perfect post-purchase follow up sequence. We promise that with the right tools it’s easier than it sounds.

Why the post-purchase experience matters

Delivering great post-purchase experiences are an opportunity to:

• Boost revenue.
• Increase brand recognition and loyalty.
• Get positive feedback and reviews.

And most importantly exceed your customers’ expectations.

There isn’t a one-size fits all email campaign, but a few things you should consider include:

• Recognisable branding.
• Frequent updates about their delivery.
• Information that is useful and personalized for the customer.
• Copy that encourages them to open the email.
• Clear CTAs if you want them to do something after they read it.

On average, 1 in 4 customers click on a product recommendation when they are checking their order. As well as that, 77% of customers have chosen, recommended, or paid more for a brand that provides a personalised customer experience.

are your chance to increase revenue without increasing hours.

A branded tracking page is a simple way to get customers updated while showcasing your business. This keeps customers satisfied with the parcel tracking and helps you capitalize on post-purchase marketing without doing any extra work!

Tips to craft a post-purchase follow up sequence

There are a few common factors in successful post-purchase email campaigns. It is all about when you send them, how you are targeting people directly, and what is in it for the customer.

Order confirmation ✅

Regardless of whether you have a post-purchase email campaign, order confirmation is non-negotiable. This builds trust with customers and reassures them that their parcel will be coming soon.

With the Starshipit shipping app, you can set up automatic emails with delivery details and branded content as soon as someone purchases.

Make sure you have a bit of fun with these messages and make them unique to your brand. Instead of just saying “Order Confirmed” you could play around with subject lines like “Great things coming! [Order Confirmation]” or “It’s a good mail day”.

Shipping confirmation ✅

Customers expect simple and efficient delivery. 24% of customers will abandon their order if you don’t have an estimated delivery date and 54% of online shoppers say that delivery times affect who they will shop with.

Keeping customers up to date on their order (received, out for delivery, delays, received), is the bare minimum for post-purchase emails.

Using a shipping app will make this streamless for you and your customers!

Customer service details ☎️

Somewhere in your post-purchase campaign you need to include customer service details. Whether this is in your order confirmation emails or branded tracking page, make it obvious how customers can get in contact.

Returns management, contact details, shipping updates and delays are all things that should be easy to find.

Product education 🍎

Adding product guides is a great way to help customers enjoy your product even more. These could be How To videos or guides on how to get the most out of their purchase

This isn’t just for tech gear or hard-to-use products either. You could add recipes, healthy lifestyle tips, style guides, your best blog posts- anything that adds to their experience with your product. Get creative!

Review request email ✉️

One to two weeks after delivery is a good time to ask for product reviews. Positive reviews, social proof and user generated content all contribute to more sales. Sending out a request for review will get you back on your customers’ radar. You will either get a great review, or get useful feedback on how to do better next time. Both are critical for improving your customer experience.

To get more people to respond, consider giving a discount code to anyone who leaves a review. Win-win!

Join loyalty program 🌟

If you want to increase the lifetime value (LTV) of each customer, you need to get them to repurchase. A loyalty program is a great way to keep your best customers in your space. Customers in effective loyalty programs are 80% more likely to choose you over competitors and twice as likely to recommend you to their friends and family. Use your post-purchase emails to invite active, converted customers into your inner circle.

What to include in a post-purchase email

If you are sending a branded, well-targeted order confirmation email, here are a few things to include:

• Eye-catching, branded visual assets or banners (you need to be high quality and recognizable)
• Simple CTAs (like follow or share on social media)
• Updates on their loyalty points in you run a program
• Personalised similar product recommendations
• A connection point with your brand story/why they are right in choosing you
• Special discount codes based on their purchase
• Order confirmation and order number
• How to track their order (this is automatic with a shipping integration)
• What to do if there is a problem with their order
• Ask for a review once the package arrives

As an example, take a look at how this example Starshipit customer Federal Street sets up their branded tracking page. This way customers can keep up to date in real time, see upcoming sales and request returns all in one place.

Take home message

Post-purchase marketing benefits both you and your customers. You can simultaneously improve their customer experience while setting up potential for loyal repeat customers.

Want to make your post-purchasing marketing as simple as possible? Starshipit is the shipping app built with ecommerce stores in mind. With branded tracking pages and automatic shipping updates you can effortlessly market your brand and stay in contact with customers about their order.

Start a Starshipit 30 free trial and see how easy post-purchase marketing can be.