5 emails that every retailer needs to utilize

While it's easy for independent retailers to focus on in-store offerings, you also need to address your online presence. Whether you own a bike shop or photography store, email marketing is a great way to establish new business and stay relevant with established clients. 

RareCircles has discovered a few essential marketing emails that should be utilized by every independent retailer. By keeping these email ideas on the back burner, you can roll them out when the time is right to keep customers engaged and drive traffic through the door.

1. Welcome Email 

When you receive a new subscriber to your email list, you should always send them a welcome email. Since customers aren’t obligated to sign up for company newsletters, it’s a best practice to show your appreciation with a discount code or link. 

Sending a welcome email to a new subscriber also lets them know that you are detail-oriented and willing to follow up. In turn, people are more likely to do business with a retailer who makes customer service a priority.

2. Post-Purchase Email 

A common mistake among independent retailers is to stop connecting with customers after they make a purchase. Rather, you should consider a customer’s first purchase to be one of the initial steps steps in a long relationship. As such, sending a post-purchase email is the perfect way to promote customer engagement and satisfaction. 

Post-purchase emails serve as touchpoints that thank customers for their business, provide order confirmations, and offer assistance if needed. Beyond these obvious notions, post-purchase emails also present opportunities to gather feedback, cross-sell with other products, and reinforce brand loyalty.

3. Re-engagement Email 

Re-engagement emails are an effective way to get the attention of clients you haven’t heard from for a while. In fact, some independent retailers offer deals and specials to coax dormant customers back to their stores. 

Many times, retailers will develop “email sequences,” where software is used to keep track of customer activity and re-engage people after a certain amount of time. According to HubSpot, “An email sequence is a series of emails that is sent automatically to a prospect, user, or customer using automation software. The emails are sent based on predetermined criteria such as a time delay or action being met.” For independent retailers, a good sequence might be to automatically send a re-engagement email when a customer has been inactive for 90 days.

4. Seasonal Email 

Since seasonal emails capitalize on relevant messaging for specific times of the year, they are highly effective marketing tools for retailers. By aligning promotions and offers with seasonal trends like summertime, you can tap into people’s needs to purchase certain goods like clothing, decorations, and sports equipment. 

Especially during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, seasonal emails are a great means to showcase new arrivals and special discounts. In some instances, simply wishing customers happy holidays is a nice personal touch that builds brand loyalty.

5. Additional In-Store Offerings  

Since the goal of email marketing for retailers is getting people into your store, having a template for additional in-store offerings is always a smart move. Depending on your business model, there are endless creative offerings you can implement to get more people in the door. 

If you own a ski and snowboard shop, kicking off the winter season with a live band, barbeque, and raffle will help you get a big boost of business at the right time. What better way to spread the word about this new promotion than a marketing email sent to important customers in your contact list?