Every interaction that your brand has with each customer leaves an impression. This is important for brands to remember because existing customers are 50% more likely to make another purchase, and retention costs are five times less than the cost of acquiring new customers. Brands must employ strategies to drive customer loyalty and increase customer LTV (lifetime value). Post-purchase messaging is a great tool to achieve this goal. 

Customer Retention is Optimized Through Post-Purchase Messaging

Brands understand the importance of removing customer obstacles during checkout, but the key to retention is in the post-purchase experience. While reducing frustration points and eliminating friction helps the customer make the purchase, what the brand does afterward determines whether the customer will return. 

Brands that want to drive loyalty and increase customer LTV need to build on the positive impression they have made. Post-purchase messaging is a great tool to maintain engagement and drive customer loyalty. 

How Can Post-Purchase Messaging Increase Brand Loyalty?

There are several ways that brands can use post-purchase messaging to increase loyalty, including the following:

• Invitations to join a rewards or loyalty program
• Product recommendations based on past purchases
• Information about relevant new arrivals
• Exclusive special offers or discounts
• Shipping and delivery information for orders

Post-messaging allows you to communicate with customers in their messaging apps, which is where they already spend their time. The average open rate for messages is 99%, while it is only 19% for emails. To keep customers engaged, the messages need only be relevant and engaging. 

Strategies to Consider in Post-Purchase Messaging

Post-purchase messaging can be a powerful tool for building relationships with your customers. It helps you increase brand loyalty and customer LTV. However, there are factors to consider. Customers have expectations, and brands need to meet them if they want to be successful. 

1. Timing Based on Type of Message

The timing of post-purchase messages varies depending on the content of the message. For example, if you are providing confirmation of the order or shipping information, it can be sent right after the order is complete. However, if you ask for feedback or a customer review, you need to wait until the customer has had time to receive and use the product. In addition, make sure that you include a clear call to action where the customer simply clicks a link to provide the feedback.

2. Keep It Short and to the Point

Customers see the first few words as a preview when they receive a text. It is essential to make sure that these are words that capture their attention and persuade them to open the text message. Use powerful words and concise sentences. Don’t ramble on in a text; get to the point using the most effective words. 

3. Target Times for Messages

Brands should also consider the time zones where their customers reside. Ensure messages arrive during waking hours rather than early in the morning or late at night. Customers are more likely to respond if they see the message as it comes through.
 

4. Make It Personal

Any post-purchase messages that you send should be relevant and personalized. Customers are far less responsive to generic text blasts and want to know that your message is directed at them. Use your customer data such as customer clicks, preferences, purchases, and more to ensure that what you send them is relevant. 

5. Evaluate Regularly

You can optimize your post-purchase messaging by evaluating how your messages perform. Make sure you measure click-through and conversion rates and use different CTAs, images, and words. This will help you improve your messages so that they are more effective. 

How Post-Purchase Messaging Can Increase Customer LTV

Using post-purchase messaging to increase brand loyalty will increase customer LTV. Customer LTV is the lifetime value of each customer, or how profitable that customer is to the brand. This measure is critical for brands because it predicts your future relationship with the customer and your future earnings. You can use post-purchase messaging to increase the customer LTV.

1. Order Updates

When brands send order updates, it improves the customer experience. Customers don’t have to worry about whether you got the order, when you are shipping it, or when it will arrive. You can send these updates because it is information customers want to receive. This type of simple experience leads customers to return to your brand in the future. 

2. Requests or Reviews

93% of people say that online reviews influence them. You can use post-purchase messaging to add reviews for your brand. Wait until the customer has received the product, then send a message requesting a review. Ensure you include a link for them, and you can incentivize them by offering a limited offer once they complete the review. 

3. Send Relevant Offers

Once a customer has made a purchase, you have won half the battle. The next step is to keep them engaged. User post-purchase messaging to send relevant offers or notify them of upcoming events that fit with their past shopping behavior. 

Customers who sign up as text message subscribers are already interested in your brand. You can increase customer LTV by upselling or cross-selling. Make sure that you send products that complement those the customer has already purchased. They can respond with questions or visit your site to find something else. 

Make sure that you include a link in these offers to make it as easy as possible for them to make a purchase. If you send a product card and tell them to reply with “Buy” to complete the purchase, it can be as simple as two clicks for the customer. Make sure that these messages are simple, clear, and relevant, and they will help increase your customer LTV. 

Final Words

Post-purchase messaging offers brands an opportunity to increase both brand loyalty and customer LTV. The initial messages should be about the order, including order confirmation, shipping details, and shipping notifications. Customers welcome these types of messages, and it shows them that your brand engages in a relevant way. Once they receive their products, you can request feedback through a review or offer them other products relevant to their past purchases. This type of messaging is effective as long as it is relevant and timed well.