Engaging and acquiring customers is an ongoing challenge for retailers today. Merchants must not only ensure they’re targeting the right consumers, but also must provide compelling offers and incentives that will help drive sales.
PalmBeach Jewelry, a fashion jewelry eTailer, has automated and improved lead generation, acquisition and optimization processes with the CertainSource 2.0 platform from eWay Direct, an email and customer acquisition service provider. With CertainSource, PalmBeach Jewelry also has automated the nurturing and conversion processes. Overall, the eTailer now can better identify and connect with the most profitable customers and retail partnerships, according to Daniel DeYoung Director of Marketing for the company.
To help drive sales, PalmBeach Jewelry relies on co-registration programs with other retail partners. “A consumer may be browsing or buying on a retail partner’s site and come across an offer from us to receive a $10 gift card,” DeYoung explained in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “Once consumers register for that offer, they are registered automatically to our program and entered into our email database.”
After emails are added to the eTailer’s database, PalmBeach Jewelry taps CertainSource to execute a cascade email program to motivate and qualify leads. A series of messages are sent automatically to registrants, allowing PalmBeach Jewelry to nurture prospective customers with a variety of offers and incentives.
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Consumers progress through the emails based on their interactions with specific messages. For instance, if a consumer opens an email and redeems an offer, they are removed from the campaign list. However, if consumers do not open or click through the emails, CertainSource automatically tailors and personalizes the subject lines to stimulate interest. Consumers who never interact with any email messages simply “fall out” at the end of the cascade email campaign, according to DeYoung.
“When a lead is generated from the cascade, I am alerted to that consumer’s activity,” DeYoung said, “to verify whether that customer is responsive and interacting with our content.”
CertainSource also has helped PalmBeach Jewelry improve email deliverability. Prior to implementing the email cascade and auto responder, PalmBeach Jewelry typically had email delivery drop below 90%, DeYoung shared. Now, delivery rests at more than 99%, which is saving the eTailer more than $20,000 a month.
Ensuring The Best Leads
Lead qualification and optimization is key to the success of the co-registration programs being utilized by PalmBeach Jewelry. First, CertainSource “scrubs leads to assure all the emails we purchase are correct,” DeYoung noted. “Since we’re only paying for the clean leads, we’re able to save a lot of money.”
CertainSource also helps PalmBeach Jewelry invest in the most profitable co-registration partnerships. By measuring a variety of key performance indicators ― such as conversation rate, open and click-throughs, as well as bounce and complaint rates ― the eTailer can determine which partner programs are most beneficial to the business.
“When we compare the negative and positive performance metrics, we’re able to identify which partnerships work best,” DeYoung said. “Then we can reallocate funds to the lead sources that are most effective. With CertainSource, we have the tools and information to spend our money where it makes the most impact.”
