When Is Big Brother Helpful?
Be the Big Brother, not who spies on them, but who looks out for their best interests. One example of a helpful approach to being a Big Brother is Web site re-engagement: sending e-mails to opt-in customers who visit your site but leave without making a purchase.
The proof is in the numbers:
- Typical Web site re-engagement campaigns generate open rates greater than 50 percent, clickthrough rates greater than 35 percent and sales per e-mail four to 10-plus times higher than those generated by standard e-mail programs — including targeted campaigns going to carefully segmented lists. (See the table at the end of this article for an example.)
- Unsubscribe rates, complaint rates through feedback loops and direct-to-company complaint rates aren't significantly different for re-engagement e-mails than for regularly scheduled monthly e-mail campaigns.
Having a way of engaging, and re-engaging, customers with the sole purpose of letting them know ways in which you can meet their needs is essential. Seeing what opt-in customers do while visiting your site, and following up with them via e-mail after they leave, is a powerful tool that, when used respectfully, provides customers with the highest level of service and, ultimately, satisfaction.
Neil M. Rosen is President and CEO of Fairfield, Conn.-based CertainSource, a B-to-C funnel acquisition management and email retargeting solution provider.