As the end of October arrives, I don't know about you, but I have to steel myself every year for the onslaught of emails that inevitably hit my inbox in November.
Yes it's the ramp-up to Black Friday and yes, of course I'm interested in discounts and offers - we're all starting to think about Christmas presents and grabbing a bargain (especially in these tough times). However, it does become overwhelming, and rarely do brands stand out for me as managing this peak promotion season well.
This is why I wanted to highlight how Richer Sounds decided to approach it - they offered their customer base the opportunity to opt-out!
Well, you might think so, however, I anticipate that they have done their customer research and know their audience well enough that this approach is relatively risk-free.
And after reading the email I hope you'll agree that their long-form copy (signed from founder Julian Richer) is a demonstration of very cleverly crafted copywriting that will only strengthen the relationship between brand and customer.
- Firstly, they acknowledge the craziness of Black Friday might not be for everyone.
- They quickly introduce the idea the reader can say 'Goodbye for now' until December and not receive a slew of promotional emails in that time.
- Highlight that massive offers may be missed but they keep the copy playful and engaging so the customer keeps reading.
- Tease about 'Inflation-busing mega deals' customers can find for themselves on the website - handing back control!
- Emphasis their transparent promotional and pricing policy - their honest approach.
While I'll admit that they lost me a little with the detail on pricing (I'm not great with T&Cs type copy), I definitely got the gist that when Richer Sounds say there is an offer you can 100% trust that you won't suddenly find out it is cheaper next week (after you purchased!).
Research by the likes of Which? has shown that not all 'deals' are what they appear to be, and Richer Sounds is addressing this head-on.
The moral of this blog post is that brands should always think about their marketing from their customers' point of view.
Don't get swept up in your sales and revenue targets and forget that consumers have relationships with lots of different brands, they are getting hundreds of emails, so don't assume they will automatically read yours as a priority.
Of course, be careful of using this type of long-form copy in too many emails or the messaging can become diluted and customers may switch off. However, I don't think there is any doubt this is a powerful email for the audience it is targeted at.
Some questions worth thinking about:
- How are your customers engaging with your comms? How are they behaving on your website?
- What are they thinking and feeling? Be wary of assumptions here - do some research.
- What concerns do your customers have about your marketing, and how can you allay those concerns? It's not just about what you want to tell them.
- And based on the above, how are you going to create the best customer experience possible for them?
Your goal should be to exceed customer expectations every time!
Head of Marketing
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