Harry’s Secret Sauce: Email Tactics that Work

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In one of our previous post we have discussed how Harry’s uses Facebook ads to acquire customers.

So what’s next ?

Now that they have acquired a user, Harry’s leverages a set of tried-and-tested emails to drive its sales strategy. The emails can be categorized into three distinct types, each serving a particular purpose : 

1. Cart Recovery (with a twist): These emails aim to recover abandoned carts, but with a unique approach tailored to Harry’s style and brand.

2. Product Praise: This type of email showcases customer testimonials and positive reviews to highlight the quality and satisfaction of Harry’s products.

3. Stealth Promotion: These emails subtly promote Harry’s products or offers while providing valuable content or information to the recipient.

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Cart Recovery

Much like other e-commerce businesses, Harry’s recognizes the significance of sending recovery emails to convert shoppers who abandon their carts. Let us break it down.

If a user proceeded to Harry’s checkout but left without making a purchase , a few days later they will receive the standard abandoned cart email:

However it has an attention grabbing aspect when the user scrolls down...

Harry’s offers a downsell option to hesitant buyers. Why? Because they understand that despite piquing the user's interest (as evidenced by reaching the checkout stage), something prevented them from completing the purchase.

Perhaps it was the pricing or more likely, an objection to committing upfront. The downsell addresses and overcomes their main objection, reassuring users that there are no upfront commitments.

But there’s a clever twist here...

The Truman Set, priced at $15, is presented as a downsell. Yet, during checkout, Harry’s seizes the opportunity to upsell customers to a higher-priced item:

Let's break down the numbers to compare these two offerings:

1. Shaving Plan Subscription:

• Front-end price: $3

• Upsell options during checkout: $15 or $21

• Potential total revenue per customer after 30 days: $18 or $24

   (Note: This is a simplified calculation and doesn't account for factors like delivery frequency, upgrades, downgrades, etc., which can influence customer lifetime value.)

2. Truman Set:

• One-time payment: $15

• Upsell options during checkout: $5 or $15

• Potential total revenue per customer: $20 or $30

(Additionally, there's the potential to convert these one-time purchasers into monthly subscription customers in the future.)

These numbers highlight the potential revenue streams for Harry’s based on different product offerings and upselling strategies.

Offering a downsell not only generates additional revenue for Harry’s to offset advertising expenses and customer acquisition costs but also enables them to initiate a relationship with potential subscription customers.

Action Item: While abandoned cart emails aim to recover revenue, consider going beyond by offering a downsell to those who need an extra push to make a purchase. A well-crafted downsell serves as more than a mere tripwire; it also presents a concealed opportunity to upsell either before or after the initial purchase.

Product Praise

Harry’s takes a unique approach in their email marketing by letting their customers do the selling for them.

For instance, take a look at this email promoting their Face Wash:

Notice the language used here. It's not just a standard testimonial saying, "I love Harry’s Face Wash"; instead, it's a humorous confession from a devoted advocate of the brand.

Expanding on this approach, Harry’s employs compelling copywriting to craft a vivid mental image of the product experience:

By using sensory adjectives and future-pacing, Harry’s guides the reader through the sensation of using their product, captivating their imagination before prompting them with a clear call to action to make a purchase.

If that isn’t effective advertising, I don’t know what is.

Action Item: While using compelling copy to drive sales is effective, leveraging customer testimonials to sell your products and services is even more impactful.

ProTip: Inject humor whenever possible. The more humorous and memorable the customer quote, the more likely it is to stick in the reader's mind and persuade them to buy from you.

Stealth Promotion Emails

Like many e-commerce retailers, Harry’s effectively capitalizes on various holiday periods to connect with readers and boost sales.

Consider this email promoting Father’s Day:

At first glance, it appears to be a standard content promotion email. However, upon clicking through to the content and scrolling down, a user will discover something intriguing

Halfway down the page, Harry subtly invites the users to purchase a box set—not for themselves, but for their dad.

This subtle approach works exceptionally well for two key reasons:

1. Anchoring Positive Emotions: By prompting readers to think about their fathers, Harry’s anchors positive emotions to their products, making purchases more likely.

2. Consistent Messaging: Harry’s created a dedicated sales page with father-centric copy and introduced a new color for the promotion, showing their commitment to the theme.

Action Item: Recognize that content serves not only to drive traffic and conversions but also as a powerful sales tool. However, keep in mind that not all prospects are ready to buy immediately. Nonetheless, for those who are, leveraging content effectively can be a highly effective strategy for selling without overtly selling.

ProTip: Align your content promotions with national holidays or celebrations, like Father’s Day, and structure your offer to appeal to buyers' familial sentiments rather than solely focusing on the individual buyer.

Conclusion

And there you have it—Harry’s secret recipe for email marketing success! By blending clever upselling tactics, emotional touchpoints, and humorous, memorable messaging, Harry’s has mastered the art of engaging customers and boosting sales.

Ready to supercharge your own email strategy? Take a leaf out of Harry’s playbook and watch your engagement—and revenue—skyrocket!

Stay tuned for more insider tips and tricks to elevate your eCommerce game. Until next time, keep those carts full and those emails irresistible!

Happy selling! 🚀