Now that you’re offering subscriptions on your store, it’s time to double down on your subscription marketing strategies. We created the subscription success checklist to help you convert more one-time buyers into subscribers, build lasting relationships, and increase your recurring revenue.
Let’s take a look at five different ways to engage your subscribers during their customer lifecycle.
1.) Promote subscriptions across your communication channels
Have you heard of The Rule of 7? The Rule of 7 is based on the marketing principle that shoppers need to see a brand at least seven times before they commit to a purchase.
Building out the right message to hit your shoppers at the right time is critical for converting customers to subscribers. Take it one step further when you use your version of The Rule of 7 to create multiple touchpoints promoting your subscription offering and greatly increasing subscription awareness and adoption.
Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.
- Email: Set up a brief email flow for your returning shoppers. The first email should just inform shoppers that you offer some of their favorite products on subscription. The second email should cover the benefits of continued use of your product and why a subscription makes sense for them. Finally, round out the flow with an email that talks about the cost-saving benefits shoppers get when they subscribe.
- Email/SMS combo: Kick things off by sending a beautifully branded email that informs your shoppers about the subscription(s) you offer to a list of repeat shoppers. Follow up a few days later with a text that reminds them they can get their favorite products on subscription and include a link directly to the product shoppers can subscribe to.
2.) Provide added value for subscribers
It’s time to move beyond discounts and free shipping as a means of incentivizing your shoppers to subscribe. We’re not saying to stop offering those things, but we are saying it’s time to level up to stand out from the crowd.
Integrate your loyalty program with your subscriptions. Allow subscribers to earn points on each subscription delivery, and in addition, give your subscribers the ability to redeem their points on upcoming subscription deliveries. This incentivizes them to stick around longer.
In a similar vein, weave your referral program into your subscription offering by discounting/comping upcoming deliveries when shoppers refer their friends. It’s a win, win, win for everyone.
3.) Add more products to your subscription plans
A really quick way to grow your subscription business is to add as many of your products (that make sense) as you can and offer them on subscription. The world we live in is quickly becoming “subscribable” and shoppers are cashing in when and where they can, literally.
Similarly, add more ways to subscribe. For example, offer prepaid subscriptions. A prepaid subscription is a type of subscription model where customers pay upfront for a predetermined number of deliveries. This is different from a traditional subscription model where customers are charged on a recurring basis, typically monthly. Prepaid models can improve your cash flow, reduce customer acquisition costs, and allow you to offer your customers an even better deal.
4.) Leverage existing subscribers
Increasing average order value can be a little tricky when it comes to your subscribers. Double down and use sms and email delivery reminders to boost quick upsells. Remember, no one loves you like your subscribers do. That makes them the perfect audience to upsell or offer add-ons to.
As a bonus, create this layer of exclusivity when you give your subscribers first or early access to new products they can subscribe to. Then turn that bonus into an incentive to acquire new subscribers.
5.) Enable frictionless experiences to increase retention
No shopper is going to stick around if they have to work for their subscription. Enable the customer portal to allow subscribers to skip upcoming orders, adjust their delivery date, or change the order frequency instead of canceling.
With that being said, don’t remove the ability to cancel. If a shopper can see how easy it is to cancel, they’re more likely to stick around just knowing if they wanted to end their subscription in the future they can.
Lastly, as we mentioned earlier, reward subscribers with loyalty points for every subscription delivery, then double down and let them redeem those points directly from the customer portal in just one click.
In a perfect world, your subscribers would stay forever, but it’s important to plan for the worst case, re: unsubscribing. Having specific levers in place that you can pull to continue engaging with them throughout their customer journey will increase the likelihood of them sticking around for longer.
