Getting the sale is only the first step. What you say to the customer after their purchase is what could make a one-time buyer into a repeat customer. Most brands focus too much on acquisition and forget everything that needs to happen post purchase, which is the most important driver of customer retention and customer satisfaction.

In this blog we’ll show you the first three emails you should be sending after someone makes a purchase, and what to do to gain their trust, reduce refunds and increase repeated purchases.

Your first email should be the confirmation email, that comes in immediately after purchase. While its usually the customers receipt, it can also serve as a way to say thank you for your order.

You should be including a clear summary of what they ordered with the quantity and price, show the estimated delivery time, contact details in case something goes wrong, and a warm thank you in your brands voice. If you would like to go the extra mile, you can also add your mission in one line (Every purchase helps us fund children’s education in Kenya), or a short note from the founder or team. All this helps the buyer be reassured that everything is on track and their post purchase experience can start on a positive note.

The second email should be the shipping notification to fuel the excitement, this should be done right when the product is shipped. This should include the tracking link with the carrier info, and the estimated delivery date or a live tracking status. This is your chance to remind them of the product value (Clear skin is coming your way) or (Better sleep is on the way). You can also add a link to the FAQs here or a short how to guide, this email can also be a chance to link your socials for exposure. This email serves to remove anxiety and all the “Where is my order?” emails, while also keeping them excited and engaged while they wait.

The last email should be the post delivery follow up, where you can turn your buyers into advocates. This can be done 2 to 4 days after the delivery date, by now the customer has had a chance to open the package and make a first impression. This your chance to make your relationship even deeper. This is the part where you’re supposed to include a friendly check in where you ask if everything went as expected, and its also your chance to ask for feedback or a product review. You could also try to upsell by giving recommendations based on their last purchase or a discount code for their next purchase.

These three emails are here to serve as more than a formality, they are more of a growth engine. They set the stage to build a relationship with the client and earn their trust.

Ready to turn your post purchase flow into a customer retention machine? Contact us.