So, you have some customers you haven’t talked to in ages. How do you keep them loyal and coming back to you for more IT services? It’s all in the nurturing.
In the age of social media scrolls and fleeting notifications, email might seem like a relic of the past. But don’t be fooled! Email marketing remains a powerful tool for nurturing customer relationships and driving brand loyalty.
Think about it: Email lands directly in your customer’s inbox, a personal space they generally check regularly. Unlike ads or social media posts, it offers a dedicated channel for targeted communication, building a stronger connection with your audience.
Want to know how to do it effectively? Read on!
Don’t Just Sell, Nurture: How Emails Build Relationships That Last
The key to building on initial customer relationships via email lies in nurturing – not bombarding. In today’s influx of constant information, it’s easy for people to forget or lose touch with businesses they’ve had relationships with.
For ongoing MSP customers, you want to stay top of mind in a way other than just their monthly or annual invoice. Email nurturing for both sporadic and ongoing customers helps you do that in a helpful way. You’re keeping customers apprised of new services, sales, news, and bite-sized tips about the technology they rely on.
Here are a few eye-opening statistics about nurturing existing customers:
- There is a 60%-70% chance of selling to an existing customer, and just 5%-20% for a new customer.
- Repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers.
- Nearly 90% of U.S. marketers use email for customer retention.
Here’s how to unlock the power of email and keep customers coming back for more.
Ditch the Spam, Embrace the Nurture
Many businesses fall into the trap of treating email as a one-way street for blasting promotions and discounts. This approach quickly backfires, landing your emails in the dreaded spam folder or worse, getting unsubscribed from entirely.
Nurturing flips the script. It’s about building a relationship, providing value, and keeping your brand top of mind. Here’s how to do it right.
Segment Your Audience
Don’t treat all customers the same. Segment your email list based on demographics, purchase history, and interests. This allows you to send targeted emails with content relevant to each segment, increasing engagement.
An easy place to start with segmenting is by looking at your services. If you serve residential and business customers, that’s an obvious way to categorize them so you can send emails to each that will be of interest. Then you can branch out from there.
Read more about segmenting your customer email list.
Focus on Value, Not Just Sales
If all your emails are focused on selling, your customers will quickly get turned off. They’ll feel like you’re just talking “at” them and not “to” them.
Offer educational content, industry insights, or helpful tips related to your products or services. This positions you as a thought leader and builds trust with your audience.
Personalize Your Emails
A generic “Dear Valued Customer” just doesn’t cut it. Use the customer’s name, reference past purchases, or recommend products based on their interests. Many email platforms enable you to enter a “first name” tag, making it easy to personalize communications without having to do them one by one.
Maintain a Consistent Schedule
Don’t bombard customers daily, but create a regular cadence for sending emails. This could be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on your content strategy. Watch your email stats to help you gauge a good cadence. If you see unsubscribes going up, that’s an indicator you’re emailing too often.
The Power of Quick, Pithy, and Informal
Let’s face it, people are busy. They’re not going to wade through a long-winded email. When most of us receive an email that looks like a book, we tend to leave it sitting unread (no time for that!).
Here’s how to keep your emails concise and engaging:
- Get to the point quickly: State your purpose up front. What value are you offering the customer?
- Keep it concise: Aim for emails under 200 words. People are more likely to read and retain shorter messages.
- Embrace a conversational tone: Use a friendly and informal writing style. Imagine you’re chatting with a friend, not writing a business report.
- Bullet points and visuals are your friends: Break up text with bullet points, images, or short videos to enhance readability and make your email visually appealing.
Dispelling the Myth: Emails Aren’t Annoyances
A common misconception is that email marketing is inherently annoying. Businesses shy away from sending regular email touchpoints because they’re afraid of irritating customers. However, the problem lies not with the medium itself, but with poorly executed campaigns.
I’ve spoken with customers who haven’t contacted the company in over six months, that finally called up to make another purchase, saying, “I really enjoy your emails! They keep me informed, and when I was ready to buy, your number was right there in my inbox.”
Here’s how to ensure your emails are welcome, not unwanted:
- Permission is key: Only email those who have opted-in to receive your communications.
- Provide value consistently: If your emails offer valuable content, people will look forward to seeing them in their inbox.
- Offer an unsubscribe option: Make it easy for people to unsubscribe if they’re no longer interested.
- Respect their time: Stick to your sending schedule and avoid bombarding customers with emails.
By focusing on building trust, offering value, and keeping your messages concise and engaging, you can transform email into a powerful tool for customer retention.
Beyond the Basics: Advanced Nurturing Techniques
Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, explore these advanced techniques to further enhance your email marketing strategy.
Automated Email Sequences
Trigger automated email sequences based on customer behavior, such as a welcome series for new subscribers or abandoned cart reminders. You can also use the time of last contact to trigger a specific drip campaign.
Personalization Beyond Names
Use dynamic content to personalize product recommendations, birthday offers, or special promotions based on customer data. Add an “area of interest” field to your customer satisfaction surveys to help you personalize based on what customers tell you they’re interested in.
A/B Testing
Test different subject lines, email formats, and call-to-action buttons to see what resonates best with your audience. If you never test different outputs, then how will you optimize and drill down into what’s working? A/B testing is incredibly helpful to better understand what your audience values.
The Takeaway: Building Lasting Customer Relationships
Email marketing, when done right, is a powerful tool for nurturing customer relationships and driving loyalty. By focusing on value, personalization, and a concise, conversational style, you can transform your email marketing from an afterthought to a strategic asset that keeps customers coming back for more.
Remember, email is a two-way street. Encourage interaction by soliciting feedback, responding to inquiries promptly, and offering exclusive content to your email subscribers.
As you build trust and provide value, you’ll cultivate a loyal customer base that sees your emails not as intrusions, but as welcome messages from a trusted brand partner.
Here are some additional thoughts to consider:
- Measure and Analyze: Track your email marketing performance metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. Analyze this data to understand what resonates with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Integrate with Other Channels: Don’t view email marketing as a siloed effort. Integrate it with your social media presence, MSP blog content, and other marketing initiatives to create a cohesive brand experience.
- Explore Marketing Help: Explore the potential of working with a marketing partner like Tech Marketing Engine, to write email content for you based on your audience and needs.
By embracing these tips and strategies, you can unlock the true power of email marketing and nurture customer relationships that drive long-term success for your business. Happy nurturing!
Need Help Keeping Fresh Content Churning?
Keeping your marketing engine humming along can be time-consuming. But not if you work with Tech Marketing Engine. We offer a variety of content written especially for you, including emails for nurturing campaigns.
If you need help, reach out to us today. We are a team of experienced MSP marketing experts who care about helping you grow your business with customized content.
How do you currently nurture your customers to build on the relationship? Share your experience in the comments.
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