Almost every offline store has a loyalty card. If you’re not so sure, just ask a lady’s wallet. The prestigious “Le Bon Marché” in Paris also offers one. Entirely offline. But with the first welcome email they’re already working on getting their customers active online as well.
Because that’s a clear strategy. Getting your customers that you meet IRL to join you online as well. And that inevitably leads you to email marketing. They offer a new customer a loyalty card once he makes a purchase at the shop’s registry. They also give him the message that he isn’t required to bring the card to the store, on the condition that they are logged into the customer area on the website. At the same time, they also let you know that this card is extremely handy to make online purchases.
Because there are a number of benefits. In this specific case, it’s a conscious decision. A lot of Le Bon Marché customers only visit Paris once in a while. When they go back home, the welcome message is waiting in the inbox.
1 Recognition is an essential element. We start off nicely with the logo of the store. We just visited, so an ‘aha’- erlebnis is readily available. Because the store also has a separate division for groceries, that also highlight that second logo.
2 From now on, we no longer talk about the store. No, we talk about a privileged space with the number 24 in its name. The transition from the store, to the world of 24sèvres – the 24-hour economy – is made perfectly. Of course we immediately start with personalizing the message. The name of the customer along with points earned are coughed up as a label. A label that will recur in every message.
3 Since it’s a welcome message, we place the advantages in a row again. The use of the word “exclusive” is beyond excessive. That obviously has to do with the prestige the store strives to uphold. Standing that obviously should be present in the content and language of the email messages. The advantages are presented both in text and listed in the picture. Due to the visual block structure the reader has the impression he’s surfing on the web instead of reading an email message.
4 What can you do with a point? Good question. The answer is schematically represented here. Not that this information is new to the reader. It is only a stepping stone for the next block in the email.
5 This is the first time the special digital space is being mentioned. There, the customer can consult his points balance. A logical step after the explanation in section four. But there’s more. There is a mountain of information available. A magazine – exclusive again – for the reader. They are not suggesting to buy something here. It is now important to help the new member get to his personal digital space as soon as possible.
6 Now we land on the offers. Again entirely based on the language register and exclusively tailored to the new customer. Exclusive events – make sure you always consult our messages – with customized offers. And to make it even more interesting, readers get a bonus of 50 points. Anyone who has read the previous part well, will realize only too well what the value of those points is. Therefore this message is also prepared with care so that the sequence is completely correct.
7 And of course there are new benefits, exclusively online. And so they’ve accomplished the task. If you buy online, you have a number of additional benefits to ensure that digital buying is as enjoyable, if not more pleasant than to go to the physical store. And that was exactly what Le Bon Marché wants to achieve this welcome message. It is obvious that a combination of the man or woman at the cash register, the presence of a proper website and a well-constructed email are at play here. The success of email marketing is not a mere coincidence, but the result of a thought-out strategy.
8 Finally, there is the classic conclusion. A contact address, social media and the fine print about privacy. The closing of any professional email message.
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