No matter how much you promote your own brand, there will always be customers who aren’t willing to take it from you. In fact, HubSpot Research shows that 57% of U.S. consumers trust the opinion of their friends and family when it comes to a new product.  

Plus, with the widespread access of the Internet, customers can deep-dive into their research before they put up their hard-earned money. It’s easier than ever to compare products, seek recommendations and read reviews.  

That’s where earned media can help build your credibility.  

But what is earned media?  

In the eCommerce space, Mailchimp’s latest benchmarks showed that the average open rate for marketing emails is 15.68% and the average click-through rate is 2.01%.  

But when it comes to thank you emails... the numbers speak for themselves. According to Remarkety, thank you emails received (on average):   

• An open rate of 42.51%
• A click-through rate of 18.27%   
• A conversion rate of 10.34%   

So, if you don’t invest in a well-crafted “thank you” email... well, you’re missing out on a major opportunity. Saying “thank you” helps you build long-term relationships with your customers, humanize your brand and even re-engage customers. Here’s how you can turn a simple “thank you” into a powerful avenue for relationship-building.   

When it comes to eCommerce marketing, you need to take stock of your sales funnel from the top... through the middle... and last but not least, the bottom. If you’ve been following along with our blog series, you’ve made it to the final installment of our eCommerce Sales Funnel series. And if you missed it, head over to our posts on ToFu tactics and MoFu strategies to explore the rest. 

Here’s a New Year’s resolution for eCommerce marketers: ramp up your middle-of-the-funnel strategies. Sometimes referred to as “MoFu,” this strategy helps nudge people down through the funnel once they’re already familiar with your brand.  

And to see some top-of-the-funnel (or ToFu) strategies, take a look at this blog post. And since J&C knows these strategies top-to-bottom, stay tuned for our final post of this series: bottom of the funnel. 

Now let’s take a look at how you can make the most of the middle: 

Gift-giving season is here... But this year, with safety on everyone’s mind and technology readily available, eCommerce is more relevant than ever.  

The competition is fierce out there. And every level of the sales funnel is important to get right. 

But let’s take it from the top. The top of the funnel, that is.  

Here are three ToFu strategies to try for this season and the year ahead.  

Storytelling is a successful tool across all marketing channels. In fact, an emotional brand story is key to creating a message that resonates with consumers. And when it comes to email... storytelling can really set your campaign apart.

If you need a primer on how to craft an emotional brand story, check out this blog from last week. If you’re ready to see how to apply those tenets to email, read on.

Consumers make decisions emotionally.  

It’s true.  

According to Gerald Zaltman, emeritus professor at the Harvard Business School, 98% of buying decisions are made in the subconscious.  

That means these buying decisions come from the heart or the gut… rather than the brain. Emotion beats logic nearly every time.  

And that’s why it’s vital to have an emotional brand story.  

Facts appeal to the brain. Stories stir the heart. If you want to create a real connection between your brand and your customers, you need a brand story that sticks with your buyers. 

So how do you do it? How do you craft a brand story with emotional impact?  

A good direct marketing campaign does three things well: 1.) It promotes the right product/service, 2.) It conveys a strong benefit and 3.) It persuades consumers to action.

Direct marketing also gives you a chance to deliver your best offer directly to the people who most need them.

In times like these, it’s important to remember that direct marketing is a good way to:

• Build and re-establish relationships with customers
• A/B test different offers
• Reach the right people, with the right message at the right time
• Increase sales

But a good direct marketing campaign requires careful planning and a firm grasp of direct marketing tactics and techniques. Knowing how and when to use direct marketing can help you achieve your business goals. But before you get started, there are a few things to keep in mind:

The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer buying habits. Many people have gotten used to only venturing out to the grocery store or pharmacy. Online ordering is up. Curbside pickup is expected.

But as the country moves toward reopening, phase by phase, companies are looking for ways to recapture sales and reignite the interest of consumers in their brand.

Right now, many consumers need a nudge. And retargeting through direct mail could be the push they need to engage with your brand.

We can all agree that coronavirus will leave behind a series of long-term consequences for marketers. And even though it’s taking about all you have to just “get through” it and put out the dilemma du jour, it is equally important to plan for the future. As tough as this is, you need to be prepared for what’s to come.

To that end, here are 5 ideas to guide you through the fog and into the future.