Are you a retailer about to leap into the world of digital marketing? Then you’ve probably already heard about the many benefits of marketing automation. Now, with the help of your favorite automation platform, you’re ready to start implementing campaigns and reaching new audiences.
But what kind of marketing tactics should you even be using? When it comes to retail and e-commerce, there are tricks both old and new that can help you raise sales and keep your customers engaged. To help you begin, here are four marketing automation strategies sure to support retail success.
1. Product Highlights
Whether you’re reminding existing customers about your offering or trying to attract new buyers to your brand, product highlights are a cornerstone of any marketing campaign. In digital marketing, these highlights are especially effective when leveraged through channels such as email and social media.
By pairing glossy imagery with persuasive captions, you can inspire potential shoppers to click through to your website to find out more. If a product is available in multiple colors or variations, be sure to point this out in the messaging — curiosity is a great traffic driver, and customers may be intrigued to see what other types you have in stock.
When working product highlights into your marketing strategy, though, it’s important to employ the 80/20 rule. Similar in spirit to “All good things in moderation,” the 80/20 rule simply states that only 20% of your posts should directly promote your business and products, while 80% focus on value-adding content that informs, educates, or entertains your audience.
2. Abandoned Cart Emails
In regard to e-commerce, another tried-but-true method to increase your conversion rate is to institute automated abandoned cart emails. It may seem basic, but these simple reminders can be enough to make or break a sale. After all, in the current day and age, consumers are not only busy in their day-to-day lives but are also constantly bombarded with distracting media. It’s all too easy to get sidetracked from online shopping and never go back to complete a purchase.
To remind customers why they clicked “Add to Cart” in the first place, send a friendly message that includes an overview of the products still waiting for them at checkout. These automated emails are easy and effective — about 48% of all abandoned cart emails get opened, 21% result in site click-throughs, and half of those click-throughs result in completed purchases.
3. Sales and Coupons
In digital marketing, just as in print marketing, you cannot ignore the power of sales and coupons. These classic strategies encourage regular customers to stock up and lure cold leads back for a second look at your products.
So if there are any special deals going on at your retail business, let your audience know! Send out staggered sales announcements with email automation, share codes and discounts in your social media captions, and even consider blasting a quick SMS message to let your customers know that now is the time to shop.
4. Launch Teasers
Everyone loves something new. So when you have an exciting new arrival or product release on the horizon, work that into your digital marketing! Depending on your demographic, you can hype your launch with all sorts of fun strategies, such as keeping a countdown to launch day, sharing mysterious, silhouetted product images, or encouraging your followers to guess what the product will be. By leaning into this anticipation factor, you’ll build excitement and get sales off to a good start when the product finally becomes available for purchase.
Master Automation with Factoreal
Now you have a good foundation to start building your marketing strategy. But if you’re still searching for the perfect automation solution to streamline your retail marketing, Factoreal has you covered!
We created an easy, omnichannel marketing platform that empowers you to manage all of your business’ digital accounts in one convenient place. Meet your customers wherever they like to receive content, whether that means scheduling social posts or automating emails. Factoreal even helps you monitor the success of your marketing campaigns with clear insights and analytics.
So if you’re ready to reap the rewards of online marketing for your retail business, don’t wait — contact our team today!
