Email marketing is a marketing strategy that involves sending emails to customers to achieve specific marketing goals. Through email marketing, companies can increase sales and revenue, promote products and services, boost brand awareness, and enhance their overall relationship with customers.
Email marketing involves creating campaigns using a variety of templates and formats, depending on the campaign’s purpose. An email campaign is considered successful when the email encourages subscribers to act in the intended way.
If you want to learn more about increasing the effectiveness of your email marketing, look no further than these eight companies and their highly popular campaigns:
Airbnb
Email Campaign Type: Welcome series
Airbnb is an online marketplace for short-term homestays. On the website, travelers can book homes from property owners and rent different types of rooms and accommodations. The effective email campaign they have is a welcome series.
A welcome series is a series of automated emails sent to new subscribers. They introduce the company, provide valuable information, and set expectations for future communications. If the company has a lot they need to say to a new subscriber, then it’s customary to send a series of emails instead of overloading a single email with information the subscriber might miss.
Airbnb’s welcome emails give new subscribers a tour of their website, as well as a how-to guide on booking a stay or becoming a host. The welcome email also provides tips and suggestions for completing your profile and getting the most out of the platform.
Why It Works
Airbnb’s welcome emails work because they give subscribers more information about the services the platform provides. It encourages further engagement by suggesting the completion of the profile, which enhances the general experience of all Airbnb users overall.
By providing a guide on how to become a host or how to book a stay, it also relieves the customer from having to do the research themselves. This makes the customer’s interaction with the platform more seamless, which, in turn, paints a positive picture of the brand in the customer’s mind.
Etsy
Email Campaign Type: Abandoned cart emails
Etsy is an international online marketplace with a focus on handmade and vintage items. The effective email campaign they have is an abandoned cart email.
Abandoned cart emails are sent to customers who have added items to their shopping cart, but have yet to complete the purchase. These emails are sent to remind the customer of the items in their cart and encourage them to complete the purchase.
Etsy’s abandoned cart emails do just that. They mention the unpurchased items that are still in the cart and also provide suggestions for similar items that might interest the customer. The emails are incredibly effective because they sometimes include discount codes, so the customer is further incentivized to complete the purchase.
Why It Works
Etsy’s abandoned cart campaign works because it’s personalized. Instead of sending a generic reminder, the campaign mentions the specific items the subscriber left in the cart. This effectively reminds them of why they need or want these items – otherwise, why would they add them to the cart? Suggesting related items also increases the potential for a purchase. Offering a discount code is a great incentive, as it helps the customer justify the purchase, since it costs less.
Away
Email Campaign Type: Newsletter
Away is a retailer that sells luggage and other travel accessories. Their effective email campaign is their newsletter.
A newsletter is a scheduled series of emails that provide subscribers with updates on company activity, new products or services, and other relevant information.
Away’s newsletters are a mix of product updates, travel tips, and company news. The newsletter focuses on helping customers enjoy a better time traveling.
Why It Works
Away’s email newsletter works because they know their audience very well. If someone buys products from Away and is interested enough to remain subscribed to the newsletter, they most often travel a great deal. Providing them with traveling tips and resources is incredibly valuable to customers, which makes them more likely to engage with the emails.
Spotify
Email Campaign Type: Re-engagement emails
Spotify is a digital audio streaming service. Their successful email campaign is of the re-engagement variety.
Re-engagement emails are campaigns sent to subscribers who have not engaged with the platform in a while. The goal is to get the subscriber to re-engage with the service and rebuild interest in the brand.
Spotify’s re-engagement emails encourage inactive users to use the service. The emails feature personalized recommendations for playlists and artists, as well as information on new features.
Why It Works
Spotify’s re-engagement email works because it doesn’t just ask the subscriber to go back to using the service. It incentivizes re-engagement by recommending artists the subscriber might love. It also informs the subscriber of changes to the platform, which may help re-engage the subscriber if problems with the platform were the reason they turned away in the first place.
Uber
Email Campaign Type: Win-back emails
Uber is a transportation app that allows users to hail and pay for nearby rides from independent contractors. They have a very effective win-back email campaign.
Win-back emails are sent to former customers who have stopped making purchases, with the goal of getting them to make a purchase again.
Uber’s win-back campaigns encourage inactive users to take another ride. The emails feature personalized ride recommendations and promotions. The emails may also include exclusive discounts or bonus rewards points.
Why It Works
Win-back campaigns may sound similar to re-engagement campaigns, but they are actually a little harder to get right. That’s because they require the subscriber to make a purchase. This is more difficult to realize than incentivizing someone to simply check the platform out again.
However, Uber’s win-back campaign is highly effective because they offer personalized recommendations. They actively remind subscribers that going to an interesting destination is just one Uber ride away. Pair that with the occasional discount code, and you’ve got yourself a very interested customer.
Booking.com
Email Campaign Type: Cross-selling and upselling email
Booking.com is an online travel agency where users can book flights, car rentals, and hotels. They have a very successful cross-selling and upselling email campaign.
Cross-selling and upselling emails are sent to existing customers to promote additional products or services, usually at a higher price.
Booking.com’s cross-selling and upselling emails often feature personalized travel recommendations and deals, as well as information on new destinations and promotions. The emails then include information on upgrades and add-ons to help enhance the customer’s travel experience. For example, if you booked a flight on Booking.com, they may send you an email asking if you want to upgrade your seat for an additional fee.
Why It Works
Booking.com’s cross-selling and upselling emails work because they offer relevant services directly to the subscriber. These services may not have been on a customer’s radar until offered by Booking.com via email. By informing the customer of these additional services and products, the customer is incentivized to spend more money.
Zoom
Email Campaign Type: Event invitations
Zoom is a communications platform that allows users to connect via video and audio calls. They have a successful event invitation campaign.
Event invitations promote upcoming events, such as webinars, product launches, or online courses.
Zoom’s email invitations invite subscribers to upcoming online events and encourage them to attend. The emails feature information about the events, including the speakers and topics.
Why It Works
Zoom’s event invitations work because they promote events on the platform that the subscriber may not know about. They offer personalized recommendations for events and include relevant information about said events, so the subscriber makes informed decisions about whether or not they should attend.
Warby Parker
Email Campaign Type: Post-purchase follow-up email
Warby Parker is an online retailer that sells prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses. They are one of the many retailers that have successful post-purchase follow-up email campaigns.
Post-purchase follow-up emails are sent after a purchase has been made. The email usually thanks the customer for their purchase and encourages them to leave a review or provide feedback. Warby Parker’s post-purchase follow-up emails do just that.
Why It Works
Warby Parker’s post-purchase follow-up email works because it encourages the customer to engage with the brand, even after they have purchased a product. This email is sent some time after the order has arrived, giving the customer time to formulate their thoughts on the experience they had with the company. If the experience was positive and they follow through with the review or feedback, the engagement boosts the brand’s reputation.
Finding Email Marketing Success
Those were just a few examples of the many types of email marketing campaigns that can be effective in reaching and engaging subscribers. Some companies will have multiple types of email campaigns, while others may only have one. Regardless of the kind of campaign you use, the most important thing is to tailor your message to meet the needs and interest of your subscribers.
