I read with interest James Bunting’s recent blog post covering the effectiveness and how to use automated email campaigns. I want to use this article to show you an example I recently received of how effective and engaging this type of campaign can be. 

I recently went online to make a headphone purchase and found advancedmp3players.co.uk had exactly what I was after.  I duly signed up and created an account so that I could complete my purchase.  Before I had completed the transaction, there was already a ‘welcome’ email sitting in my inbox. As welcome messages go, I was very impressed; it was not just a ‘thanks for signing up’, but was packed with relevant and interesting content. It started with some new product ads at the top, then reassured me that I was dealing with a reputable site by providing details and a link explaining awards they’ve been nominated for. It then went on to explain some of the features such as Permanent Cart, Address book, Order history, Product review, etc.  It also provided a link to drive me to sign up to their newsletter, which I did.

With the order placed, I reviewd the expected order acknowledgement summarising my order details, and a link to a detailed invoice along with some cross-sell messages. Happy with my order and impressed with the service thus far, I eagerly awaited the arrival of my exciting little package.

A day or two later, a message arrived confirming that my product was in stock and that the order was with the warehouse for picking. Again, non-intrusive cross sell ads were included. Later the same day, a similar message confirmed that my order had shipped. A day later, a further email arrived providing me with a Royal Mail tracking link should I wish to track delivery.

Ten days or so after I’d received my order, I received a prize incentivised email ‘What do you think of your purchase?’ with a survey link asking for feedback. Frankly, I was hugely impressed.

Rupert Harrison
Data Planner
News International