Upsell emails are one of the most economical and effective ways in which a business can maximize profits and revenue, even in the highly competitive 21st Century ecommerce landscape.
Upselling is a tried and tested sales technique to encourage customers to purchase additional products or extra services that either complement or enhance their original order/purchase.
This tactic can help boost revenue and improve customer satisfaction at the same time, and with the right upsell email examples and tips, you’ll capture the power of upselling through the channel of digital email.
What is an upsell email campaign?
An upsell email is a marketing strategy that comprises of targeted emails sent to already existing customers. The objective of the email is to encourage them to buy an additional product or service to better increase their enjoyment of the original purchase.
An upsell email is best sent after the purchase has been made but before the checkout process can be completed in its entirety. The customer remains at the point of sale but has already been ‘converted’ into a committed purchaser.
Giving the customer more options to further enhance their purchase/experience will both improve your bottom line and better their entire experience with your company.
Why an upsell email campaign is beneficial
- It provides an opportunity to capitalize on your customers’ goodwill.
- It’s an effective way of driving more sales.
- It offers a genuine opportunity for your customer to improve their own experience.
- It enhances your relationship with loyal customers.
- It’s highly cost effective as a marketing tool.
- It can be automated and thus requires minimal ongoing effort/resources
Top Strategies for Ecommerce Upsell Emails
Here at SmartMail, we’ve been providing complete marketing email services to businesses of all sizes for years. Over that time, we’ve curated some of the industry’s top tips and tactics for putting together upsell email templates that really convert.
1. Make it personal
Customers love personalized communication. It’s appealing and captivating. With today’s technology, you can analyze and use customer data including demographics, interests, purchase history and even browsing behaviour to make sure you’re offering an add-on that will actually add to their experience.
Tailoring your upselling recommendations for the customer in question will increase the likelihood that you’ll be offering a quality suggestion and improve the likelihood that they’ll actually purchase the suggested extra item.
2. Offer a Bundle Deal
Customers love a deal and loyal customers appreciate being offered a unique bargain. Bundle deals, once the original sale has been made, encourages customers to purchase more by saving more.
A truly high quality bundle will more effectively entice your customer to buy the add-on or upsold product/service. Instead of waiting and having to pay the full price of both items or services, the bundle deal offers the best of both worlds!
3. Concentrate on the Benefits
While an ecommerce upsell email will help drive sales and profit, when it comes to your customer the email should focus on the benefits to them. Highlight why the add-on product/service will only better enhance their original purchase.
Appeal to their sense of value-for-money by centering your content on how the product being upsold to them will help them get every cent’s worth out of their original purchase.
4. Make it Urgent!
Creating a sense of urgency and scarcity will help convince the customer to actually take action and up their purchase. Think about limited time discounts or special promotional offers for returning customers. The more you can create a sense of missing out if they don’t buy, the more likely it is that they will.
5. Use Social Proof
Nothing sells like word of mouth! Past satisfied customers are your best marketers so finding ways in which you can provide social proof is essential. Use customer reviews, testimonials and ratings to help boost confidence and ensure trust in your new customers.
The more social proof you have and the more genuine that proof is, the more likely it is that you will stick the upsell email landing.
6. Be Frictionless
The last thing you want in an ecommerce email is for the customer to be convinced and ready to pay only to fall off the cart at the checkout because the process was cumbersome, slow or too difficult.
The more seamless and easy you can make completion of the upsell, the more sales you’ll drive. One-click upsell options are ideal. In fact, if you can pre-fill the order forms or checkout lines with the information they have already provided you during the initial sale all the better!
Customers value experience, and the more you can enhance their experience the more your customers will buy, again, again and again.
7. Follow Up
For customers who do not complete the upsell or don’t respond to your email in the optimal way, a follow up email is critical.
Don’t give up on these ‘lost’ customers. After all, they proved to already value your offering prior to the upsell email. A soft, friendly and captivating reminder email might just be the push they need to reconsider. Sometimes a second purchase off the bat can be a bit daunting, but with some subtle reminders and a bit of decompression time, you’ll find them more amenable to the upsell.
You might want to throw in a free trial, a special discount or a particular bundle at this point as well to further sweeten the deal on offer.
8. Use Strong Upsell Email Subject Lines
The subject line is the unsung hero of marketing emails. The right subject line that’s captivating, punchy and attention grabbing will entice customers and non-customers alike to click on and read your email.
Without the right subject line, the customer may not even open and view your beautifully designed and expertly written upsell email. If you’re offering a discount or time-sensitive option, make sure to reference that in your subject line so that every recipient will see it upfront and first.
Check out these great email subject line examples:
- Order Before They’re Gone: Limited Time Offer
- You Deserve Something Special: Enjoy Our Latest Offer
- Last Chance to Get 30% Off Your Purchase
- Don’t Miss Out: Our Biggest Sale of the Year Ends Tonight
- You’re Invited: Join Our VIP List for Exclusive Discounts
- Your Favorites are Back in Stock: Shop Now
- Limited Stock Alert: Shop Now Before It’s Too Late
- Don’t Miss These Deals: Shop Now and Save Big
- One Day Only: Extra Savings for Our VIP Customers
- Just for You: Free Shipping on Your Next Order
- The Holidays are Coming: Get a Head Start on Your Shopping
All-in-one Upsell Email Service
Putting together your own upsell email template can be a bit daunting for people. That’s why we offer an all-in-one and end-to-end email campaign service that businesses around Australia rely on every week.
If you’re ready to explore how we can drive more customers back to your website and drive your sales up, speak to us today about a free audit!
