For many companies, email marketing is a useful way to create and sustain relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. It gives your brand and your company something customers can connect with throughout their sales journey. As a result, you can look forward to a successful, long-term customer relationship based on genuine and mutual trust.

However, sending the same content to all your customers regardless of their place in the sales funnel can backfire badly. No matter what stage they’re in, no customers want to receive generic email messages. And customers in the beginning, middle, and end stages of the lifecycle prefer receiving content specific to their relationship with your company.

• Prospects want to learn more about your brand and what it stands for.
• New customers would love to hear about your latest news and new products.
• Long-time customers want their loyalty rewarded with reasons to stay.

Let’s examine each stage of the customer lifecycle and see how effective email marketing can move clients from interested prospects to loyal customers. After all, the perfect email marketing strategy means delivering the right message to the right customer at the right time.

Breaking the Ice: Building Brand Awareness Through Email Marketing

Building brand awareness should be your primary goal when communicating with customers in the early stages of the customer lifecycle. If you look at a typical sales funnel, you can easily identify the non-customers from the customers by their actions. The most important consideration is whether they’ve shown initial interest and shared their contact information.

At this point, prospects are exploring your channels to get more information. They’re more inclined to visit the “About Us” section of a website. And when visiting online stores, they browse products without putting anything in the cart. In the rare instance that they do add something to their cart, they’ll ultimately abandon it.

So, how do you encourage these customers and nudge them in the right direction? By giving them the information they need to make an informed decision.

• Send your latest online catalog that highlights the products they placed in their abandoned cart.
• Offer alternative options for the products they want that either cost less or have more functions so they have more choices.
• Send an email offer that rewards new customers with free shipping or a substantial discount.
• Send links to your blog and video spaces that discuss product reviews, tutorials, and testimonials on the products they’re interested in.

Nurturing the Relationship: Cultivating Brand Connections That Last

If you played your marketing strategy cards right during the initial get-to-know-you stage of the customer lifecycle, you’ll find many prospects converting into paying customers. Now, your primary marketing objective is to convince them that your brand is the best solution for their needs.

You may wonder, “If they already made the purchase, what’s the point of still trying to engage them?” Actually, a customer’s first purchase is easy. The bigger challenge lies in making them repeat customers.

It costs six times more to acquire a new customer than retain a current one. So, to sustain your customers, you must pivot your email marketing into something relevant to them. This includes creating campaigns designed to nurture loyalty.

One of the most effective email marketing strategies involves a trigger-based response. This utilizes an automated approach when certain events (or triggers) occur. Common examples include a thank-you letter after the first purchase or milestone greetings such as a customer’s birthday or membership anniversary. In both cases, the campaigns work better with an enclosed promotional gift or exclusive offer.

When considering loyalty programs, companies often target clients in this particular stage of the customer lifecycle. When people feel welcomed, they develop a sense of belonging, which fosters loyalty and encourages further sales.

Engaging With Customers: Making the Most of the Customer Lifecycle

Keeping customers engaged means sharing the company’s latest achievements with them. So, your email marketing strategy should strive to involve them when new products are in development.

• Provide customers with sneak peeks and invite them to share their early impressions.
• Offer them early-bird access a few days before the official launch, with matching discounts or free exclusive items/content.
• Ask them to participate in surveys and share their feedback on something with a behind-the-scenes feel, such as a marketing campaign.

In this stage of the customer lifecycle, your email marketing should sustain their excitement over the brand. They’ve already proven themselves as repeat buyers. Now’s their chance to take the next step and be part of the front liners—the ones who nudge others to make similar purchases.

To sustain this renewed interest in the brand, companies should exert every effort to provide personalized content that appeals to the customer’s interests.

Driving Conversions: The Secret To Converting Leads Into Loyal Customers

The opportunity to nurture customers can only happen if you successfully convert them in the first place. This is the crucial stage of the customer lifecycle, where leads and prospects finally pull the trigger in the conversion process.

In this phase, your email marketing strategy should focus on making it easier for the lead to give in. For instance, calls to action should be clear and concise, while the subject line, headline, and overall copy should be compelling and create a sense of urgency. This is also the ideal stage to offer incentives such as discounts or free trials.

Your offer should be enticing enough for them to say yes but not so good that they become completely satisfied. Also, make sure they know when the trial will end. The thought of losing the solution might finally convince them to convert.

Once a prospect commits, pull out all the stops and show them everything they’ve gained. Onboard them with the full benefits customers enjoy and share tips and tricks for making the most of their purchase. In short, affirm that they made the right decision.

Cover All Stages of the Customer Lifecycle With Daily.ai

No matter where a buyer is in your customer lifecycle, Daily.ai can provide you with email marketing content to keep them engaged. We help brands publish artificial intelligence (AI)-powered email newsletters that resonate with recipients. In fact, our automated content generates 40-60% open rates without your team ever having to write a word.

Learn more about how Daily.ai can engage your entire customer base with high-quality, content that’s relevant, timely, and highly engaging. Book a free demo today!