June 5, 2025
They are saying a thousand mile journey begins with a single step. The shopper journey typically begins with a single electronic mail.
Each interplay you may have with somebody is an opportunity to construct a relationship. Some folks will comply with you on social media. Some would possibly seize a enterprise card at an in-person occasion or attend a webinar. Others will make a purchase order, or 5. Are you aware what encourages them to go from “met somebody at a convention one time” to devoted buyer?
That’s the client journey. And no surprises right here: It’s electronic mail that is a vital advertising and marketing channel to maneuver clients alongside the trail to buy and past. As electronic mail entrepreneurs, it’s your job to search out stress factors, proactively reply objections, and nudge somebody towards making a purchase order. Right here’s methods to do it:
What’s a buyer journey?
The shopper journey is the contact factors a purchaser goes by means of as they be taught, interact, and buy out of your model. It’s all the customer experience from begin to end. Whereas “journey” makes it sound like a fast and linear course of, it may be something however. A prospect might spend years on the prime of the funnel, studying your publication or commenting on the occasional social media submit. Or they might go to your web site based mostly on a advice from a good friend and instantly request a demo.
What the client journey appears to be like like varies wildly based mostly in your merchandise, gross sales and advertising and marketing technique, and buyer demographic. We’ll speak extra about conventional buyer journey levels in a minute.
What’s buyer journey mapping?
Entrepreneurs visualize the client journey by means of a course of referred to as buyer journey mapping. There are multiple ways to illustrate a buyer journey map, from the standard advertising and marketing funnel to cyclical loops to advanced diagrams. No matter what it appears to be like like, it’s essential to herald dependable information and viewers analysis to inform a narrative in regards to the some ways clients and contacts work together along with your model.
Buyer journey map examples
It’s essential to remember that your clients are the heroes of this story. It’s their journey, not the model’s or the product’s. Journey mapping helps you get contained in the heads of your clients and prospects. This improves your understanding of what folks assume, how they really feel, and why they make sure selections.
What’s an electronic mail journey?
A buyer journey mapping train usually encompasses each touchpoint, although you are able to do a buyer journey map of simply the emails you ship for readability as nicely. When you perceive your total buyer journey, you possibly can create an electronic mail journey.
An electronic mail journey makes use of electronic mail, together with automations, to achieve focused prospects through the inbox at particular factors within the path to buy and past. That is the place you identify the place you’ll arrange a bit nudge to get somebody transferring in the proper path, remind them of what they’re lacking, or encourage them to get extra concerned with you, relying on their purchaser persona.
Who’re your purchaser personas?
Buyer personas give entrepreneurs an thought of the kind of folks that buy from them. This contains demographic information akin to age, gender, and marital standing, but in addition normal pursuits and hobbies, whether or not or not they should focus on the shopping for choice with another person, and what frustrations or ache factors they’ve of their on a regular basis life that your product solves.
You’ll have completely different journeys for various personas, or have to tweak your messaging in your emails at completely different factors based mostly on their wants. Both manner, a persona can information you towards stronger segmentation and personalization methods in your electronic mail advertising and marketing.
The ten electronic mail journey levels (plus electronic mail examples and methods for every one)
As electronic mail entrepreneurs, we speak quite a bit about “the proper message to the proper clients on the proper time.” That’s the place electronic mail advertising and marketing and buyer journeys type the right partnership to create the very best buyer expertise. E mail has a task to play in every stage of the client journey to enhance your conversion charges – right here’s how:
1. Model Consciousness
Typically, and for apparent causes, electronic mail normally isn’t thought of a “prime of funnel” tactic. You may’t precisely subscribe to a publication in case you’re unaware of a model. Nonetheless, electronic mail can play a task to start with levels of a buyer journey.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for model consciousness
Take into account partnering with the social media staff to work collectively to grow your newsletter subscribers. You may promote a branded trade publication to the proper viewers or determine a web-based writer in your trade that gives electronic mail publication sponsorship alternatives. When you concentrate on this stage within the funnel, it’s extra about getting your email brand on the market as value subscribing to.
One of many nice issues about electronic mail is that it’s a particularly reasonably priced advertising and marketing channel. However generally, you need to spend a bit cash to earn consideration, entice guests to your web site or weblog, and get that preliminary consciousness. Then, the true journey can get began.
2. Lead Acquisition
A sound electronic mail tackle is the foot within the door you want to transfer prospects from the model consciousness stage into changing into advertising and marketing certified leads (MQLs). After that, your electronic mail nurture tracks do numerous the heavy lifting concerned with turning MQLs into gross sales certified leads (SQLs).
To seize leads, electronic mail technique wants to attach with content material advertising and marketing technique. What are you able to provide of worth to prospects that builds belief? How can your nurture tracks present the gross sales staff these MQLs are warming up?
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for lead acquisition
When you’ve bought high quality content material in place, concentrate on touchdown web page copy and optimizing your kinds. Whereas the e-mail tackle is the important thing to all of it, qualifying questions assist you section new contacts, placing folks with sure roles or pursuits into particular email nurture campaigns which might be related to their journey.
Then, check out your welcome email series for brand new subscribers.
Your strategy is dependent upon your viewers, after all. You could need to ship a reduction to new subscribers or welcome them with a extra private letter, like this one:
Both manner, ask your self: Are you offering a stability of value-added content material with details about your organization’s services? May you profit from separate welcome collection with electronic mail methods for various personas? Are you introducing the proper workers to prospects utilizing pleasant from names? That is the primary impression of your emails for these prospects, so make it depend.
3. Analysis
Nearly all of analysis takes place on engines like google and social media. Sadly, you possibly can’t optimize electronic mail campaigns to rank on Google. Nonetheless, when you’ve turned prospects into electronic mail subscribers, you possibly can ship useful content material on to their inboxes.
The time between researching and buying will fluctuate tremendously relying on the acquisition being made. Customers will spend much more time researching a brand new automotive buy than their choices for ordering dinner. A B2B prospect will possible conduct extra analysis for a cloud storage supplier than an workplace provide vendor. Generally, the extra threat there may be, the extra analysis is concerned.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for analysis
This can be a stage through which understanding the client journey is essential. You should know what questions individuals are asking as they conduct analysis for a possible buy.
Take into consideration what potential clients ask about essentially the most. If you happen to’re undecided, attain out to your gross sales or buyer help groups. This electronic mail exhibits off new synthetic intelligence options and explains them, which may very well be very helpful to a prospect researching AI.
Your leads may very well be attempting to beat fears and objections or chasing an aspiration. As you create electronic mail campaigns for purchasers within the analysis section of their journey, preserve this in thoughts: People use logical info and information to justify emotional selections. In the long run, all of us are inclined to go along with what feels proper.
So, ship alongside helpful info to assist in analysis. However don’t neglect to go for the feels, too!
4. Consideration and Comparability
As a possible buyer creeps nearer to creating that buy choice, she’ll begin weighing her choices. Which means your model is being in comparison with your opponents. This can be a pivotal stage within the buyer journey.
Positive, value goes to be on prime of the checklist of issues. However, in case you’re not the most affordable within the bunch, how else are you able to persuade prospects that what you provide is your best option?
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for consideration and comparability
This can be a important second of reality. Your electronic mail technique wants campaigns designed to push prospects throughout the end line and prove that you deserve their dollars. This may very well be together with success metrics on your clients or sending them a competitor comparability guidelines that places your model in a constructive gentle, like this one:
This may be the proper time to supply a reduction or a free trial with no bank card. Or, you should use social proof by means of case research and testimonials that present, moderately than inform, how wonderful you’re.
Don’t underestimate the potential of constructing an genuine private connection through electronic mail at this level. It may very well be the perfect time to show that your organization truly does have “world-class customer support.” Present prospects you’re prepared and keen to reply questions and go the additional mile.
5. Buy
Growth. You probably did it! You’ve simply netted a brand new buyer. Good to go, proper?
They’ve signed on the dotted line or hit that “Place Your Order” button. They’ve made it to your “thank you” landing page. Now, let’s present your new clients they made the proper choice after they clicked in your call-to-action. Every thing that occurs after the acquisition is the time when electronic mail has its true alternative to shine alongside the client journey.
We’ve all had that anxious, barely queasy feeling after making a purchase order. They name it “buyer’s remorse.” E mail is a wonderful manner to supply some welcomed reassurance.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique post-purchase
The acquisition stage is essentially the most important, since that is the place your patrons lastly make the choice to purchase. That stated, they might want one closing push, like with an abandoned cart email.
As soon as the acquisition goes by means of, your transactional emails needs to be a precedence. Customers need to promptly obtain a notification that their order was obtained. Then, they need to know the place their cargo is and after they can count on it.
Savvy electronic mail entrepreneurs are utilizing package tracking emails with live updates, which present real-time information when a buyer opens an electronic mail. It additionally updates in the event that they return to it later. This kind of electronic mail is shortly changing into an expectation moderately than an innovation.
Even in case you’re not delivery a bodily product, clients need to hear from you at this weak step. Subscription and service-based companies, SaaS firms, and people promoting digital merchandise can even ship affirmation emails even when there isn’t a bodily order being shipped.
There’s quite a bit to be stated about utilizing electronic mail to say, “Thank You!” after anybody turns into a brand new buyer.
6. Onboarding and Training
Did you assume the client journey was over after that preliminary buy? Nope. Your clients are beginning a brand new journey along with your model at their aspect.
Now could be the time to point out your clients methods to get essentially the most out of their buy with onboarding assist and informative content material.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for onboarding and training
Your organization might have glorious help sources and a full content material library. However electronic mail entrepreneurs can add much more worth by delivering this content material to new clients on the proper time in an onboarding email sequence, particularly if utilizing your product comes with a studying curve.
This electronic mail is a step-by-step information to getting began:
You can even can use this step within the buyer journey to point out a wide range of options somebody may be serious about, or exhibit how different individuals are utilizing the identical product.
Work with buyer help to grasp when and the place folks run into roadblocks. Develop a welcome electronic mail collection that guides folks by means of all the pieces they should know to get began and achieve success.
7. Upsells and Crosssells
There’s a 60% to 70% chance of closing a sale to an present buyer. That’s in comparison with a 5% to twenty% probability of promoting one thing to a prospect. I do know which one I’d select.
If you happen to’re doing it nicely, your emails might even be welcomed and anticipated. However no matter you do … don’t destroy your belief and repute by overdoing it. Your clients received’t go for an upsell or crossell instantly. Give it a bit time earlier than you encourage clients to discover new merchandise, go to a higher-tiered plan, or provide supplementary companies that complement their ongoing buyer journey.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for upsells and crosssells
Now you’re an everyday fixture within the inbox and you may have tons of knowledge about what they work together with, what options they use, and their total buyer sentiment. That is your probability to make use of segmentation to your advantage by sending extra customized, relationship-building emails that encourage them to go deeper with you.
The higher your segmentation and personalization, the extra highly effective and efficient your electronic mail technique for upselling and cross-selling can be. Likewise, the extra you perceive the client journey up up to now, the better it will likely be to craft these campaigns. The extra you realize about your buyer, the extra you possibly can ship customized emails.
Others may very well be based mostly on seasonality, life occasions, or the period of time somebody has used your product, like this electronic mail from Warby Parker promoting check-ups on their one-year anniversary.
8. Retention and Loyalty
To maintain clients on a steady journey, you’ll want to spice up retention and cut back churn.
All these electronic mail touchpoints assist create loyal clients as your relationships with clients enhance. Don’t neglect to proceed to supply worth with each electronic mail ship by means of extra info, reductions, or customer support.
E mail advertising and marketing retains clients engaged and knowledgeable at this stage, although you don’t have to be in touch all the time. Let your clients determine how and after they need to hear from you with an unsubscribe link or something similar.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for retention and loyalty
Eventually, clients will rethink the selection to buy from you. Or a brand new drawback that prompts a purchase order choice will come up, they usually’ll begin a brand new journey. Good electronic mail entrepreneurs have a method that anticipates these moments in a buyer journey.
A few of these emails can be automations, which get triggered by actions your clients take or milestones they attain. If you happen to’re in a position to accumulate birthday information, a birthday-themed electronic mail or present for ecommerce clients goes a great distance.
One other technique to construct model loyalty is to create exclusivity and urgency by giving your clients entry to gross sales or particular occasions early. You need your emails to bolster the connection between clients and your model and remind them why they like working with you or buying from you within the first place.
9. Advocacy
If you flip prospects into clients, and dependable clients into model advocates, you create a virtuous cycle. It always brings new folks right into a journey pointing to a shortcut that leads straight to your organization. Folks belief recommendation and referrals from their friends, colleagues, household, and pals.
Social media and assessment websites are the channels that always come to thoughts for encouraging model advocacy. They’re digital phrase of mouth. Nonetheless, electronic mail can take part on this a part of the journey too.
The e-mail technique for advocacy
Listed here are a number of methods to encourage clients to turn into model advocates utilizing electronic mail:
You can even use electronic mail on this stage to encourage extra touchpoints between you and your buyer, like adding social media info, becoming a member of a web-based group or signing up for texts.
Develop an electronic mail marketing campaign that pushes participation in a referral program, or use a typical ecommerce tactic of together with buyer critiques, with a CTA to ask your clients to offer them.
You can even ask your subscribers to ahead your electronic mail to a good friend – extending your word-of-mouth. That’s the place a forward to a friend tool is useful. In accordance with E mail Uplers, this technique can even assist electronic mail entrepreneurs keep away from rendering points when emails are forwarded from Outlook or Thunderbird.
10. Re-engagement
Typically buyer engagement disappears. They cease utilizing your product, cease re-ordering, and cease opening your emails. It occurs. Perhaps they’re dissatisfied, or possibly they only forgot about you. Use electronic mail to re-engage them… But when you want to allow them to go, that’s okay, too.
The e-mail advertising and marketing technique for re-engagement
You could need to stretch your creativity past the usual “We’ve Missed You!” topic line on your engagement electronic mail. However optimizing inbox display goes to be essential if you need disengaged clients to begin opening your emails once more.
After they do open your subsequent electronic mail advertising and marketing marketing campaign, don’t be afraid to ask what’s happening:
You could want a reduction to deliver them again into the fold. Typically, they might have been interrupted, or one thing else bought in the best way. Deliver them again with a delicate nudge.
If it’s time to let a subscriber go, don’t be afraid to unsubscribe them out of your electronic mail checklist. It’s a lot better to have a barely smaller checklist of extremely engaged people than a big checklist of people that hardly ever work together along with your emails. Your deliverability will thanks (and hopefully, you will get a bit buyer suggestions on the best way out so you possibly can enhance sooner or later.)
The e-mail buyer journey and automation
If this all sounds prefer it’s quite a bit, it’s. That’s why mapping out all the buyer expertise forward of time, together with the entire electronic mail advertising and marketing campaigns you ship and when, is so essential. As soon as you realize precisely which emails you need to ship, you possibly can arrange a series of marketing automations so you possibly can information clients by means of the trail to buy with out being on 24/7.
Keep away from electronic mail buyer journey roadblocks
Out of your welcome collection to your re-engagement marketing campaign, Sinch Mailjet and Mailgun have your again, serving to you ship electronic mail perfection each time. Examine your content material for errors, optimize for deliverability and accessibility, and preview your campaigns on dozens of purchasers and units. Plus, our free electronic mail testing templates make it simple to ship the proper emails, on the proper time, to the proper particular person – gently nudging them in the proper path, too.
If you wish to nerd out on all the small print about buyer journeys, we’ve written a stellar ebook on omnichannel marketing. Obtain it at no cost to learn how to make your clients the hero of their very own journey when you keep in contact by means of the inbox and different communication channels.
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