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Issue 339
Think it’s not your department's problem? Surprise, it is! 😂
In this newsletter, you’ll find: 👇
📦 The psychological reason we’re willing to pay extra for guac (and how this impacts your email upsell strategy)
📦 Is your current agency leaving your hard-earned money on the table?
📦 Four examples of effective email upsells
Read till the end to access exclusive DTC swag. 😎
👉 If a pal forwarded this to you, subscribe, so you never miss out.
Upselling is the art of “selling up” by promoting higher-tier versions, upgrades, or add-ons.
👉 Free-range eggs are cool, but how about organic, pastured, AND grade AA eggs for $1.99 more?
👉 Don’t get stuck in the middle. Secure that airplane window seat in advance for an extra $20!
👉 Or how about the ~ultimate~ upsell: adding guac?
The question is, why do we so readily toss out cash for a bit of slightly spicy mashed avocado? 🥑 (Other than the fact that it’s delicious, obviously!)
It all comes down to psychology.
When we see a premium, more expensive version of something, we intrinsically believe it’s better and worth the extra cost.
Higher price = higher quality.
🧠 Upsells tap into this human wiring. They encourage a shopper to spend more on a purchase by offering more value – whether that’s higher-quality materials, extra features, complementary add-ons, extended warranties, etc.
Now, you’re probably already doing some form of upselling on your website. Heck, adding upsells to your checkout process is as easy as installing a Shopify app.
But are you using emails to upsell, too?
You should be. Here’s why.
💰 Why you need an upsell email strategy
1️⃣ Target existing customers, who are 65% more likely to buy from you than new customers.
2️⃣ Send uber-personalized product recommendations based on past purchases, interests, demographics, and any other customer data you can access.
In fact, you can and should personalize upsells, as 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that “remember” their preferences and provide them with relevant offers. 💡
💥 Is the absolute best team working for your brand?
If you feel that:
We should chat… 👇
Pilothouse (DTC’s sister company) has a few limited spaces to onboard new brands and accelerate their growth with maximum ROI. They’re ambitious problem-solvers, maximizers, and dedicated partners through thick and thin.
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Get in touch with someone on the team - no obligation. Keep in mind that they establish shared goals with their partners, ensuring their profits are intertwined with yours.
Pop Quiz: Should You Upsell After an Abandoned Cart?
🔎 Let’s see some examples…
Upselling in an email takes a bit of strategy and finesse since you won’t have the convenience of reaching the customer in the middle of a purchase like on-site apps can.
But if you can master the art and timing of an email with an upsell, you’ll be rollin’ in the guac in no time. 🥑
Here are a few examples of how to incorporate upsells into your email marketing!
🛒 Use upsells in your browse and cart abandonment flows
If a shopper left your site, the right upsell may be just the ticket to bring them back to buy. If your browse and cart abandonment flows don’t include upsells already, this is the perfect place to start.
Dollar Shave Club’s browse abandonment email delivers an upsell opportunity with three membership levels. Those bearded-blessed fellas looking for a premium shaving experience can upgrade to “The Executive.” 🧔
People love having options, so offering price choices can be an effective way to upsell!
⌛ Highlight upsells at the end of a free trial or when it’s time to renew
Customers are especially primed to upgrade at the end of a free trial or when it's time to renew a subscription or membership. Use your renewal reminder emails as an opportunity to upsell to a paid or premium service.
This email from Grammarly does two things well (other than having impeccable grammar, of course):
1) Clearly illustrates the additional value of upgrading to Premium, and 2) combines the upsell with a limited-time offer to make it even more attractive! 💸
🍎 Launch upgrades to existing products
Creating new-and-improved versions of existing products is another ripe upsell opportunity (heck, this is Apple’s entire business model 😂).
This is a great example of how to position a direct upsell to an existing product: not by downplaying the older version, but by highlighting all the ways the new product rocks.
🎁 Combine upsells with bonus offers
To make upsells extra enticing, combine them with additional value like free shipping or discounted add-ons. Send these emails as seasonal campaigns or as a re-engagement strategy.
Evernote makes their upsell to a Plus or Premium membership extra juicy with a free six-month add-on. They also briefly describe what you’re getting with the upgrade (more space, devices, and features). However, it would be nice to see more details on the additional value.
KiwiCo offers a free book when you upgrade to a Deluxe subscription. We love how they lead with the free add-on in the header and then move into the upsell.
💡 Remember: customers are willing to spend more to get more.💡
Just think about the guac.
✨TL;DR?
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♾️ Meta’s Twitter competitor, rumored to be Barcelona, is expected to launch next month. Current images suggest the app provides a simplified chat-based interface.
🎵 TikTok is testing a new AI chatbot named Tako. The chatbot is capable of answering basic questions about on screen content like videos or help discover of new content.
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight, Kelsey Hess, and Michael Venditti. Edited by Claire Beveridge and Eric Dyck.
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