8 Ways to Engage Your New Customers

So, you have taken the plunge and set up your new business. Wahoo! You’ve got your first handful of customers and now your confidence is building. Before you know it, the word is spreading about your fabulous company and the custom is rolling in.

But how do you make sure every customer gets the same experience? How do you make sure you tell your new customers about all the wonderful things you do?

You enrol every new customer in an email campaign.

Note: you must ensure that you are GDPR compliant. Customers must be able to opt-out if they wish.

A series of well-written emails will drip-feed information to your new customers without overwhelming them.

Imagine you hand them a pile of information on day one. What are the chances they are going to read it all? None!

But what if you said to your customer on day one, “Over the next few days we’ll send you all the information you need to know via email. Be sure to check your inbox. There might even be a few treats in there!”

Now the customer is expecting them and is much more likely to read them.

But where do you start? How many emails do you need? What should the emails include? When should I send them? How do I send them?

Questions, questions, questions!

Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.

Where do you start?

Firstly you need to think about all the wonderful things you want to tell your customers about. What do they need to know practically and what would you like to tell them about to promote your business? Do you have an app they should download? What social media platforms can they find you on? You could introduce them to your team so they get to know your business on a much more personal level. Be sure to let them know at the end of each email that there is something worth reading coming in the next email. ‘You won’t believe what we have for you tomorrow!’

How many emails do you need?

Between 4 and 10 should be just fine. Any more than that and customers will lose interest and could miss some vital information.

What should the emails include?

I suggest the following:

Email 1- Welcome to COMPANY NAME

You want to start by setting the tone. Introduce yourself and the company. Tell them you will be sending a few emails over the next few days and tell them what’s to come. Keep it informal. Don’t bother with ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Yours Sincerely’. They are more likely to engage if you write as you speak.

Email 2- Meet the team

Here is where you can share photos and short bios of your team. Don’t overdo it and don’t be too serious. Let them know who is who, who does what within the company, when they might encounter them and their contact details if relevant. You can end with a personal fact to keep it nice and warm.

e.g. This is Sarah. She is the head of customer services here and you may speak to her if you call us with a query. She’s also pretty good at sorting out the photocopier when it gets jammed! When she’s not at work she likes to ride her horse, Nelly. You can reach her at sarahXcompanyname.com.

Email 3- What to expect

This email doesn’t need to be very long. Here is where you manage expectations from both parties. You can say something along the lines of ‘Our promise to you is that we will be honest and let you know if we have a product better suited to you’

You could also ask the customer to be honest with you and provide feedback.

Email 4- Get Social

This is where you get to create those long-term relationships. Getting your new customer to connect means you have a way of reaching them always. They’re unlikely to unfollow you once they have connected so it’s really important to encourage them to connect. Make it as easy as possible for them. Include links, and invite them to comment with your hashtag.

Email 5- I have something for you

Now it’s time to give them something valuable. Something that is useful to them and will make them curious to see what else your company has to offer. This could be a discount code or a useful resource like a guide or an ebook. It could even be a free gift.

Email 6- Testimonial/Case Study

It’s time to showcase your business. If you have a case study of how your products or services have positively impacted someone then shout it from the rooftops! If you don’t have a case study to share then you could share a couple of testimonials or some customer feedback you have received.

Email 7- Do you have any questions?

As the campaign nears the end, it is time to ask if they have any questions. You could invite them to book in for a quick chat or simply invite them to contact you with anything they need clarifying.

Email 8- The more the merrier!

This is the last email in the onboarding campaign. Now is the time to emphasise how they can contact you in the future, that you are always there for them and also, most importantly, who do they know who may benefit from your products or services? You could offer an incentive in return for an introduction like a discount code or a voucher.

When should you send them?

Ideally, the first email should go on day one. I would aim to have the campaign finished within 10-14 days.

How do I send them?

If you are a start-up, you may be sending your emails manually. There really is no need! There are plenty of wonderful platforms for you to automate your emails. Some of them are free too.

I personally use Mailchimp but others include HubSpot,  Active Campaign, SendGrid, Sendinblue and Drip.

The list goes on!

By simply starting a trigger (such as tagging a new contact as ‘new client’) the emails will go out in the correct order at the correct time.

Marvellous!

What next?

I hope you have found this guide useful and that you have enough inspiration to go away and write your own onboarding email campaign. If you don’t have the time or need some support, I do have a pre-written campaign available to buy. All you need to do is fill in the gaps to personalise it. You can download the content of this blog in a handy guide below.

Download my handy guide and get started on your own campaign today. (Click the image)

I also offer a range of remote administrative support services. I’d love to hear from you and hear how I may be able to help you and your business. Get in touch today.