In this age, where smartphones reign supreme, investing in email marketing is a no-brainer. In fact, according to Litmus, every $1 spent on email marketing provides an ROI of $36!
That’s because email marketing allows you to nurture leads in a very personalized way, increasing the likelihood that they’ll convert into customers.
And one of the most effective ways to do email marketing is through drip campaigns.
An email drip campaign is one example from email marketing strategies that sends, or “drips,” a pre-written set of messages to customers or prospects over time.
These messages often take the form of email campaigns, although other media can also be used.
A drip email campaign can be a powerful way to nurture your relationships with leads or customers and can help convert prospects into customers.
There are a number of different types of drip campaigns, but there are seven essential drip campaigns that every marketer should use.
In this article, we’ll discuss those seven campaigns and explore more about using drip campaigns in our marketing strategy.
What is Meant by Drip Marketing?
Drip marketing is part of lead nurturing campaigns where you provide valuable information to your target audience over time.
The goal of drip marketing is to nurture your leads or customers so that they eventually make a purchase from your company.
It’s called “drip” marketing because the content drips out slowly over time, similar to the way a drip irrigation system slowly waters plants.
Drip marketing can be used as part of your overall lead generation strategy, or it can be used as a standalone strategy.
When used as part of a lead gen strategy, drip campaigns are usually triggered when a prospect takes a specific action, such as subscribing to a newsletter, downloading a piece of content, or filling out a form.
This action then kicks off a series of automated emails that provide the prospect with more information about your product or service.
Drip emails can also be used to nurture existing customers and keep them engaged with your brand.
For example, you could send a series of emails with helpful tips and tricks for using your product, or you could send promotional offers to loyalty members.
Why Consider Using Drip Campaigns?
There are a number of reasons why you might want to consider using drip campaigns as part of your marketing strategy.
First, drip campaigns can help you save time by automating your email marketing.
Instead of having to send out individual emails to each lead or customer, you can set up a drip campaign and let the emails go out automatically.
This can free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business.
Second, drip campaigns can help you improve your conversion rates.
By providing leads and customers with valuable information over time, you can increase the likelihood that they’ll eventually do business with you.
Third, drip campaigns can help you build relationships with your leads and customers.
By sending helpful information or promotional offers on a regular basis, you can stay top-of-mind with your audience and foster a relationship of trust.
Finally, drip campaigns can be customized to fit the needs of your business.
You can control the frequency of the emails, the types of messages you send, and when the messages are sent.
This allows you to tailor your drip marketing campaigns to match your specific goals.
Most Common Drip Campaign Examples
A drip marketing campaign can take many different forms. And these campaigns can be used to nurture leads, convert prospects into customers, or engage and retain existing customers.
As a business owner or marketer, you have a lot of different options for setting up drip campaigns.
Here are some examples of the most common email drip campaigns:
Welcome Emails
These are sent to new subscribers or customers, and they help introduce the recipient to your brand.
For example, if someone subscribes to your newsletter, you can send them a welcome email thanking them for subscribing and offering a discount on their first purchase.
Abandoned Cart Emails
These are sent to customers who add items to their online shopping cart but don’t complete the purchase.
For example, if you’re running an e-commerce site selling electronics, you can send a nudge email a day or two after someone abandons their cart, reminding them of the items they left behind and offering a discount if they complete the purchase.
Lead Nurturing Emails
These are sent to prospects who have shown an interest in your product or service but haven’t made a purchase yet.
For example, if you’re a B2B company selling software, you could send a series of emails over the course of a few weeks providing more information about you.
Customer Onboarding Emails
These are sent to new customers after they make a purchase, and they help introduce the customer to your product or service.
For example, if a customer just purchased a new pair of shoes, you can send them a thank you email and offer a coupon for their next purchase. You can also include helpful information, such as how to care for the shoes.
Engagement Emails
These are sent to customers or prospects in an effort to keep them engaged with your brand.
For example, if a customer just purchased a blender, you can send them a downloadable e-manual. The manual can explain how to use the blender the best way with different recipes.
Educational Emails
These are sent to help prospects or customers learn more about your product or service.
For example, if you’re a software company, you can send educational emails to your customers, teaching them how to use your product. This can include tips, tricks, and tutorials.
Anniversary Emails
These are sent to customers or prospects on the anniversary of their first purchase.
For example, if a customer bought a pair of shoes from you one year ago, you can send them an email on the anniversary of their purchase offering a discount on their next purchase.
Winback Emails:
These are sent to customers or prospects who have stopped doing business with you.
For example, if a customer cancels their subscription, you can send them an email asking why they decided to cancel. You can also offer a discount to try and win them back.
How to Use Drip Campaigns for Your Business
Automated drip campaigns can be a powerful marketing tool for any business.
But how do you actually use drip campaigns?
Email drip campaigns can be used in a number of ways, as we covered in the previous section.
But there are seven essential drip campaigns that every marketer should use.
- Prospecting Drip Campaigns
- Engagement Drip Campaigns
- Reactivation Drip Campaigns
- Customer Retention Drip Campaigns
- Customer Referral Drip Campaigns
- Upselling and Cross-Selling Drip Campaigns
- Event-Triggered Drip Campaigns
Prospecting Drip Campaign
Prospecting drip campaigns are designed to generate new leads for your business.
They typically consist of a series of educational emails that introduce your product or service and explain how it can benefit the recipient.
Prospecting drip campaigns should be set up so that they’re triggered when a prospect takes a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter or downloading a piece of content.
Engagement Drip Campaign
Engagement drip campaigns are designed to keep your leads engaged with your brand.
They typically consist of a series of emails that provide the recipient with helpful information about your product or service, such as tips and tricks for using it.
Engagement drip campaigns can be triggered when a lead takes a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter or downloading a piece of content.
Reactivation Drip Campaign
Reactivation drip campaigns are designed to re-engage leads that have gone cold.
They typically consist of a series of emails that offer the recipient a discount or other incentive for doing business with you.
Reactivation drip campaigns can be triggered when a lead hasn’t interacted with your brand for a specific period of time.
For example, if you have a customer who hasn’t made a purchase in 6 months, you can send them an email asking if they’re still interested in your product. You can also offer a discount to encourage them to make a purchase.
Customer Retention Drip Campaign
Customer retention drip campaigns are designed to keep your customers coming back for more.
They typically consist of a series of emails that offer the recipient a discount or other incentive for doing business with you.
Customer retention drip campaigns can be triggered when a customer makes a purchase or takes a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter.
Customer Referral Drip Campaigns
Customer referral drip campaigns are designed to generate new leads through word-of-mouth marketing.
They typically consist of a series of drip campaign emails that offer the recipient a discount or other incentive for referring your brand to a friend.
Customer referral drip campaigns can be triggered when a customer makes a purchase or takes a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter.
Upselling and Cross-Selling Drip Campaigns
Upselling and cross-selling drip campaigns are designed to sell additional products or services to your customers.
They typically consist of a series of emails that introduce the recipient to a new product or service and explain how it can benefit them.
Upselling and cross-selling drip campaigns can be triggered when a customer makes a purchase or takes a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter.
Upsell Emails
These are sent to customers who have already made a purchase from you, and they offer the customer an opportunity to buy a related product or upgrade their existing purchase.
For example, if a customer buys a pair of sneakers from you, you can send them an email offering a discount on a new pair of running shoes.
Cross-Sell Emails
These are sent to customers who have already made a purchase from you, and they offer the customer an opportunity to buy a different product that complements their existing purchase.
For example, if a customer buys a blender from you, you can send them an email offering a discount on a new set of knives.
Event-Triggered Drip Campaigns
Event-triggered drip campaigns are designed to promote a specific event, such as a webinar or trade show.
They typically consist of a series of emails that provide the recipient with information about the event and how to register for it.
Event-triggered drip campaigns can be triggered when a lead takes a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter or downloading a piece of content.
Choosing the Right Drip Campaign for Your Business
With all of the different types of drip campaigns available, it can be difficult to choose the right one for your business. But don’t worry; we’re here to help!
Here are some things to consider when choosing a drip campaign:
- What is your goal?
Do you want to increase sales, reactivate lapsed customers, or nurture leads?
- Who is your target audience?
Do you want to reach new prospects, current customers, or lapsed customers?
- What type of content will resonate with your target audience?
Will your target audience respond well to educational content, promotional offers, or a mix of both?
- What is your budget?
Do you have the resources to create and maintain a drip campaign?
Once you’ve considered all of these things, you’ll be well on your way to choosing the right drip campaign for your business!
How to Create a Successful Drip Campaign?
Now that you know the different types of drip campaigns, it’s time to learn how to create a successful one.
Here are a few tips:
1. Set realistic goals for your drip campaign. Decide what you want to achieve with your campaign and make sure your goals are measurable.
2. Keep your drip campaign messages focused. Don’t try to sell too many things in one campaign.
3. Personalize your drip campaign messages. Use the recipient’s name and other information you have about them to make your messages more personal.
4. Make sure your drip campaign messages are timely. Send your messages when they’re most likely to be read and acted upon.
5. Test, test, test. Try different versions of your drip campaign messages to see what works best.
6. Monitor your results. Keep an eye on your metrics to see how your drip campaign is performing.
7. Adjust as needed. If your drip campaign isn’t achieving the results you want, make changes and try again.
Consider Email Drip Campaigns in Your Next Marketing Strategy
Email drip campaigns can be a valuable addition to your marketing strategy.
They can help you generate leads, nurture leads, close sales, and keep customers coming back for more.
When used correctly, email drip campaigns can help you achieve your marketing goals. Plus, email marketing automation with tools like Mailchimp makes it easy to set up and manage your drip campaigns.
So, if you’re looking for a way to improve your marketing results, consider using email drip campaigns.
