5 Email Automations Food & Beverage Brands Need To Have
Posted By Peyton Fox | September 14th, 2023
When it comes to stay consistent with communicating to your subscriber list, there is no better way than with email automations! Email automations or flows are communications that deploy when a subscriber meets certain actions or conditions, like adding one of your items to cart.
Think of it like a super salesperson doing the work for you to nurture and convert your subscribers and for Food & Beverage brands this is essential!
If you aren’t sure where to start in your automation journey, we’ll be outlining our top five must-have email automations in your email marketing program.
1. Post Purchase Email Automation Sequence
The post purchase sequence is an automaton that triggers once your subscriber places an order. The biggest mistake food and beverage brands make in this sequence is ONLY sending out an order confirmation or order follow-up.
The journey does not stop there!
We recommend building out two paths in your post-purchase sequence, one for brand new first-time customers and the other path is for your returning customers.
Consider this, does a brand new customer need to be communicated with the same as a returning customer? Heck no!
They both need really specific copy and emails to nurture them after purchase! Not only does it help with engagement but drastically boosts customer LTV (Lifetime Value) when they get these targeted journey’s.
First Time Customer Path
For your first-time customers, you want to create a unique experience just for them. They just made their first purchase with your brand and still need specific communications to go with that.
This is your time to engage with the first-time purchasers by including educational content such as how-to content or a tutorial series about what to expect and how to use your particular product.
A typical First-Time customer path might look like:
- Thank You: An email welcoming to the community, thanking them for their order
- Order Education: What to expect with the product they bought. Could include how-to enjoy, recipes, community recommendations, etc.
- Share on Social: An opportunity to get them following your brand on Instagram or Facebook
- Check-in: Creating a customer support type message that is checking in on their feedback so far with your product and just letting them know your team is there for them!
Returning Customer Path
For your returning customers, this side of the automations is a tad more straight forward.
They don’t need as much education or information on your brand or product but it doesn’t hurt to take this opportunity to upsell/cross-sell other products. If your brand offers subscriptions, this is a great time to introduce that as well!
The likelihood of them already loving your product is high now that they are back! You can take this chance to invite them to post on social media and share the love.
Why are post purchase emails important?
In the food and beverage space, setting up an effective line of communication with your customers is not just essential; it’s the recipe for success. These emails help establish customer engagement, brand loyalty and of course- repeat orders!
Don’t let the communications go dark the moment they order with you. This is a key moment in the customer journey cycle that shouldn’t be overlooked.
2. Abandoned Cart Email Automation
Abandoned cart emails are essential for food and beverage brands because they can effectively remind your customers to complete their purchase, ultimately saving the sale. This is an opportunity to, once again, break down any hurdles they may have about moving forward with purchasing your product.
This email automation can include several messages to guide them back to the website. Unlike the welcome flow, these emails should convey a sense of urgency.
In abandoned cart emails, there are typically two different paths or sequences: the “never-purchased customer” path designed for customers who have never made a purchase from your brand before, and the “return customer” path for individuals who have previously made purchases from your brand.
Why do we suggest offering two paths in these abandoned cart emails? It’s like a win-win.
It covers more bases, boosts your earnings potential, adds a personal touch, engages customers, streamlines the entire shopping process, and addresses cart abandonment issues directly. It’s all about being adaptable and customer-journey-focused – a real game-changer for your food and beverage brand.
Never Purchase Before Customer Path
This is one of the most important paths in your abandoned cart automation! You have a brand new, never purchased-before subscriber who has made it all the way to adding items to their cart and has now left!
Something is getting in the way of their purchase and this automation is all about addressing those issues.
The emails in this sequence will have more nurturing and educational content inside to help reassure your subscriber that this is the right product for them.
This Never-purchased customer path of emails should be sent approximately an hour after the cart abandonment to remind them of the products left behind and encourage them to make a purchase. This is an opportunity to give an incentive and provide a first-time purchase discount code.
For first-time customers, building trust is crucial. They might be hesitant about ordering, especially online with a consumable product they have never tasted.
Including reviews and social media posts from satisfied customers who have previously purchased the exact product left behind in the cart can significantly boost confidence and nudge your new customer toward completing the purchase. Additionally, showcasing recipes can be a game-changer for brands, enabling them to connect with their audience on a deeper level and provide added value.
Take our client KuliKuli, for example, a company specializing in Moringa-based products. By sharing a range of innovative and healthy recipes featuring their moringa superfood, they are able to engage their audience and also demonstrate how their products are versatile.
From moringa smoothie bowls to savory moringa-infused dishes, KuliKuli’s recipe showcase not only inspires their customers to experiment in the kitchen but also positions their brand as an authority in the health and wellness space.
Returning Customer Path
For your returning customers, the ultimate goal of this path is to reignite their interest, gently remind them of the remarkable products and services your brand offers, and provide enticing incentives and personalized product recommendations.
By tapping into the positive experiences your customers have had with your brand, you’re not just on a journey to recover abandoned carts; you’re also nurturing long-lasting, mutually rewarding customer relationships.
3. Win-Back Automation
In the world of win-back emails for food and beverage companies, the secret lies in finding the perfect blend of nurture and urgency, a recipe that entices customers to return to your brand.
Once a customer has gone 30 to 60 days without making a purchase (the specific timeframe can vary based on your product), it’s time to engage them with a targeted email automation.
The goal here is to reignite their interest and make them feel like valued members of your community.
However, it’s equally crucial to infuse a sense of urgency into your win-back emails. This can be achieved by presenting an irresistible offer, with a focus on items or categories they’ve previously shown interest in.
You can get hyper-targeted with this automation by putting in condition splits, like ‘Has Purchased Product A Ever’ – then your follow-up emails can be targeted them re-stocking up on that specific product or showcasing items that they’ll love to pair with it.
4. Welcome Email Automation
A welcome flow is the #1 priority to get installed for your food and beverage brand.
Without it, any lead generation efforts you launch are missing out on a key component that helps to close their first purchase with you!
A welcome flow serves the dual purpose of educating your new leads and addressing any potential obstacles that might stop a potential customer from making a purchase.
A typical welcome flow often comprises up to four to seven emails, generally spread out over a timeframe of two weeks or so.
Inside of your welcome emails, it’s important to provide incentives that entice customers to revisit your website, such as offering a coupon code or free shipping to sweeten the deal.
Your welcome automations #1 goal is to educate!
Why is your product the best for them? Does it do everything you promise it will? Will it work for them? You are addressing every possible hurdle this new lead could have about your brand!
If you are looking for guidance on what to include, check out our YouTube video where we breakdown a potential welcome series for a Supplement brand.
At the end of the day, something is keeping them from making a first purchase with you, so this sequence is all about building that trust through non-salesy, inspirational content!
5. Loyalty & Reward Automations
This sequence is our secret weapon for food and beverage brands. If you don’t already have a loyalty program installed for your site and integrated into your email marketing, you are missing out!
A few to consider:
- Yotpo – Centered around customer reviews and ratings, their platform enables businesses to solicit reviews and feedback from customers, whether through email requests, on-site widgets, or other channels. Once collected, these reviews can be displayed on the business’s website, providing valuable social proof and helping potential customers make informed purchasing decisions.
- LoyaltyLion – A comprehensive loyalty and rewards platform designed to help businesses create, manage, and optimize customer loyalty programs. This platform empowers brands to foster customer loyalty by offering personalized experiences, rewards, loyalty points, exclusive offers, and discounts, all aimed at keeping customers coming back for more and boosting repeat purchases.
- Smile.io – This platform allows brands to engage with their customers, build loyalty, and encourage repeat business by offering rewards, points, discounts, and other incentives. Smile.io offers various tools and features to tailor loyalty programs to specific business needs and integrate them seamlessly into existing e-commerce platforms.
You can craft several sequences for your loyalty program, ranging from a welcoming series to redemption reminders that ensure customers make the most of their points.
The biggest is the point reminder sequence! A reminder email sequence will let them know they have enough points to come back to the site and make a purchase. Loyalty rewards can be explained within the post-purchase automation, informing them of how many points they have and how close they are to their next reward.
Food and beverage companies should use these emails for several reasons:
- Personalization: By tailoring loyalty emails based on customer preferences, purchase history, and behaviors, food and beverage companies can create a personalized and engaging experience that resonates with each individual.
- Incentive: These emails offer opportunities to provide exclusive discounts, special promotions, or early access to new products. Incentives make customers feel appreciated and encourage repeat purchases.
- Customer Retention: Loyalty emails remind customers of the value they receive by consistently choosing your brand. They keep your business top-of-mind, making customers more likely to return for their next dining or shopping experience.
Now these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to email automations. Your customer’s journey should be completely covered in email communication every step of the way. If you start with just these five, you’ll be well on your way to getting great results for your food or beverage brand.
If you still need some email inspiration, make sure to check out these five email examples for Food & Beverage brands!
Happy emailing!
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In our meeting together, we will run through your current email marketing setup, the hurdles you are facing, and more. At the end of our call, I’ll be able to detail how my team and I could help.
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