Segmentation: Making an email relevant through group attributes

Often marketers focus on activities, but inactivities are important too. Examples: not identified as opened, not clicked, not converted, etc.

Here’s a good example I received from Firebox. I really like Firebox’s products, and have made several purchases over the last year and a half from them. I do feel inclined to open and read their emails. But, I haven’t purchased anything from them in about four months. (Last thing I bought: the coolest little USB turntable that turns your vinyl into MP3 tracks.)

The email appears to have been sent only to customers who have not purchased recently (two attributes). It uses very little personalisation – a voucher code, which I’m assuming is tagged to my identity, but it might be tagged to the mailing, or possibly just to make it look personal. Interesting to note – it is a text email. I usually receive HTML newsletters from them.**

In this particular mailing the subject line was “Firebox misses you – have five pounds off”. In the body of the email Firebox acknowledges that I have made purchases in the past, but not recently. They entice me to visit the website to see ‘tons’ of new items they’ve added. And as an incentive to purchase, they’ve given me a code to use to get £5 off. Clever too – they say it’s “okay” to share it with a friend.

Do you keep track of these types of attributes on your subscribers?
Could you use this idea in your own segmentation and mailings?

** [Adding in this observation from Mark Brownlow: "Wonder if the switch to text is to make the “come on back” message seem more personal and genuine than a slick HTML coupon and appeal." Yes, I agree with you on that Mark.]

Posted on February 10th, 2009 under HTML email newsletters .
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