Customer Loyalty Part 7: Post Purchase
“Consumers state that the post-purchase journey is the most emotional part of their customer experience, with 63% invested in the shipping, delivery and fulfillment process.”
YouGov customer survey
Get it Right, Drive the Next Order
So many businesses don’t do nearly enough to greet a customer warmly, and give them a brand hug at the all-important point of purchase.
Every business should carefully examine how all of your customers are being exposed to your brand.
Here are the key touchpoints that drive the next order, aka, The Loyalty Loop.
ORDER CONFIRMATION EMAIL: It’s a triggered email that most people think of as transactional, but often it’s the FIRST exposure to your brand as a buyer – and first impressions are important. In the best of times, you need to set expectations for processing and delivery times, provide contact info for customer support and reaffirm their decision to buy from you. All while using your differentiated brand voice.
The first email adds trust and confidence that their order has been secured. The key, as with all online transactions, is to tell the story quickly without getting in the way of what the buyer is there to do. Your images and headlines deserve careful consideration to send exactly the right impression in a millisecond – before you get on to the order details.
The feel-good image at the top of this email from SheFit does most of the work here, reminding me to “Get Your Game On.” It’s my first interaction as a buyer – not just a browser, and it hits exactly the right note.
This message from Burrow reminds me with a simple illustration and headline that my purchase has been handcrafted.
SHIPPING CONFIRMATION EMAIL: Give them a sense of excitement that the order is on its way, but also take the opportunity to tell another facet of the brand story, like your driving purpose, favorite cause or what you do to guarantee a great customer experience.
This shipping confirmation (below) from Home Depot uses a subtle ego stroke: tagline “How Doers Get More Done,” to reaffirm the decision to purchase, and the imagery evokes a gorgeous finished project. They also earn bonus points with personalization!
And SheFit hits all the right notes again. In each of this series of emails, they’re using a neuromarketing trick to trigger my mirror neurons, using the image and headline to reflect the emotion they want me, the buyer to feel. Check out the excitement in the headline and photo!
WELCOME SERIES: Send them a warm greeting to your brand, welcoming them to the community or lifestyle that your brand represents. Tell them in the clearest possible way your “WHY.” Reinforce the relationship and what they get out of it.
The below example from Kenny Flowers evokes an island lifestyle with aspirational images and promises of “The feeling of vacation every day.”
Hayneedle: Simple, to the point, with a great brand statement headline and an offer to move “thinkers” to action.
Pact sells simple basics, but their welcome message makes me believe buying is a statement of values.
THE BOX EXPERIENCE. The package has arrived at their doorstep. Make the most of this supercharged moment of peak engagement by giving them a brand hug and reinforcing all the reasons that they buy. At a minimum, there should be printed materials expounding on your brand story, and a chance to further browse your offerings. Personalized welcome messages go a long way here as do bounce back offers.
Check out this amazing box experience from Bright Cellars, which includes detailed information on my wine selections, other offers and a warm welcome.
I fell in love with the whole package. Forgive the camera work. While my new work-from-home assistant has the world’s best attitude, they haven’t had much behind-the-camera time. (They’re nine.)
POST PURCHASE TOUCHPOINT. Hopefully they’ve had a great first (or second, or third) order experience and are enjoying their new order. This is the perfect time to get in front of them with related or similar items. You can repeat this touch with increasingly compelling offers over a 90-day window. This is also a great place to get a customer satisfaction survey in the mix, with a bounce back offer to serve both as a thank you for the review, and to drive another order.
Let’s call a spade, a spade and call this post “My love letter to SheFit.” Shall we?
P.S. With the rush of receiving an anticipated delivery, this is also a great time to inspire feedback from your audience: find out who they are, what brought them to you and why they are buying from you. How do they differ from your “typical” buyer? There’s a super easy way to find out… ask them! E-surveys are easy and affordable with quick turnaround times.
We know you’re busy, so we’d love to take a look at these key touchpoints for you. If you’d like an assessment from folks who understand how to use words and images to move customers to action, just reach out to laurena@jschmid.com. We can help!
Tags: Burrow, Customer Experience, customer journey, digital marketing, digital strategy, SheFit