• Brands should incorporate a “follow up on customers later” marketing strategy in their working module. 
• It can bring multiple benefits, like brand awareness, engagement, and sales boosts. 

Data suggests that the majority of business comes from repeat customers, and “follow up on customers later” can be a great marketing strategy for this. This strategy is also known as customer follow-up or post-purchase communication. Experts assert that it could be a crucial element in any marketing campaign. It involves reaching out to customers after they’ve interacted with your business. 

The key here is establishing contact with customers, but the follow-up should happen later—only sometimes immediately after the initial contact. The brand must give ample time to the customer after the experience of making a significant purchase. For instance, if a customer recently bought an air conditioner, pushing them to buy something else next week could be too much. The timing of follow-up and the embedded message are crucial.  

How Amazon Perfected the “Follow Up Later” Marketing Strategy?

Amazon is synonymous with online shopping, and its various marketing strategies are a big part of its success. A central aspect is their mastery of a “follow up later” marketing strategy. Amazon knows that personalization facilitates multi-channel follow-up, and timing is everything. They made it easy to take action and work on building customer loyalty. 

Personalization is the Key

Nowadays, customers crave personalization, and by providing this to customers, brands can grow exponentially. Amazon tracks everything that you buy and browse. This data allows them to send you highly relevant recommendations via email and on-site suggestions. 

In your app, you can see items related to past purchases or a list of items frequently bought together. Plus, there’s a notification of products viewed but not purchased or notifications about items in your cart. All this enhances the sense of personalization. Amazon analyzes what you look for on-site and in the app, even if you think about a pair of workout shoes. 

This overview of users’ browsing behavior allows them to promote related items like tracksuits, headbands, gym bags, sipper bottles, etc. Now, users can have a complete gym package without looking for each item individually. Moreover, your searches on Amazon are used to suggest similar products or even show target ads on other websites and apps. 

For instance, if you are looking for workout gym shoes on Amazon, you will get a suggested items list and a frequently bought-together list on the site or app. Now, if you are browsing Instagram or Facebook, you will get similar suggestions there, too. This tricks the user into thinking of buying an item even while casually scrolling. 

A Multi-Channel Follow Up Mechanism

Customers can be followed up using multiple channels, such as targeted emails, on-site recommendations, and push notifications. The aim is to subtly reach every customer, educate them about current and upcoming offers, persuade them to buy something, or boost engagement. 

Amazon uses targeted emails in a variety of ways, including post-purchase emails, which thank you for your order while offering suggestions for related products and services. This could boost the sales of accessories. The abandoned cart reminder message acts as a gentle push to complete your purchases. Sometimes, it comes with the message of a proposed price hike or current offers. 

Amazon would also remind you of the products you looked for but didn’t buy. For instance, if you looked for workout shoes but postponed your purchase, you might get a mail citing discounts on that particular product. Sometimes, Amazon sends birthday greetings with special offers or recommendations based on past purchases. 

Many times, product suggestions appear throughout the website or apps based on your browsing and purchase history. They also send you push notifications via the Amazon app for deals, order updates, or personalized recommendations. This multi-channel follow-up procedure helps boost their sales.

Remember: Timing is Everything

Brands must remember that the timing of follow-up is critical. Amazon understands the buying cycles and carefully selects the timings for follow-up. Sometimes, they wait a few days after the initial purchase to recommend related items. 

For instance, you bought workout shoes worth ₹5,000 on Monday that arrived on Wednesday. If you receive the notification for a ₹3,000 gym bag on Thursday, you might be annoyed, but if you receive the same gym bag notification next Wednesday or the following Sunday, you might buy it. Also, Amazon emails are sent based on your typical browsing and shopping habits, personalizing the mail for its timing and preference. 

Making it Easy to Take Action

A follow-up mail, message, or push notification would be a good use of time and resources if it lacks the ease of the receiver taking necessary actions. Emails or notifications must have a clear Call to Action, with buttons like “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” encouraging users to take immediate Action. 

Amazon has successfully streamlined the checkout process through one-click ordering, making repurchasing or adding recommendations a breeze. For instance, after buying the Gym bag and workout shoes, users might be interested in purchasing items like sipper bottles, gloves, abdomen guards, sprays, etc. Including them in CTA buttons could be fruitful. 

Worked on Building Customer Loyalty

Amazon has a massive base of loyal customers, and to infuse this loyalty, its Prime Membership programs offer multiple benefits. Including free shipping, exclusive deals, early access to sales, etc., could further incentivize repeat customers and follow-up engagement.

Amazon Prime Membership not only provides benefits related to sales, but its contents, such as movies, shows, and music, are added benefits. Some customers avail of this membership for the shows and music titles. Also, by successfully incorporating customer reviews, Amazon builds trust and makes informed decisions based on real experiences. 

Amazon is working seamlessly like a well-oiled machine by using various aforementioned methodologies regarding its “follow up later” marketing strategy. It leverages data, personalization techniques, and multi-channel communication to keep customers engaged, increase sales, and foster brand loyalty. The core principle of this strategy can be used by every other brand to improve the outcomes of its marketing efforts. 

What are the Benefits of a “follow up later” Marketing Strategy?

By strategically using this strategy, brands can build long-lasting relationships with customers, gather valuable information and feedback, boost sales, and significantly reduce churn. Following up on customers shows that the brand cares about them, and the relationship goes beyond the initial sale. 

This scenario helps build customer loyalty by offering them more on their purchase, forcing them to return for future purchases. Gathering customer information and feedback lets you gain valuable insights on improving your products, services, and customer journey. 

Satisfied customers are more likely to buy more and are receptive to upsells and cross-sells. This follow-up strategy could also inform existing customers about complementary products or services they might be interested in. A proactive form of communication could address issues before they escalate. It also keeps customers happy and prevents them from switching to competitors. 

What are Different Types of Follow-ups? follow up on customers

Before incorporating a “follow up on customers later” marketing strategy, brands must understand different types of follow-ups. Some prime examples include post-purchase emails, customer satisfaction surveys, welcome series, target offers, and win-back campaigns. 

A simple thank you email after a purchase can be welcoming. It could also combine helpful information or a discount on their next purchase, leaving a positive impression on the customers. Gauging satisfaction through surveys helps brands identify areas of improvement and showcases your commitment to optimal customer experience. 

For new subscribers or potential customers, having an automated email series could introduce them to your brand, products, services, and values. This welcome series can be a magnet for future customers. Brands can send personalized recommendations regarding relevant products or services based on past purchases and browsing history. 

Some customers might become inactive after the initial purchase; targeting them with emails showcasing special offers or covering re-engagement campaigns could reignite their interest. For instance, if you only bought workout shoes and went inactive for months and got a notification about offers on gym bags, you might buy one. 

Some Effective Follow-up Strategy Explained

The effectiveness of this follow-up later marketing strategy depends on multiple factors, like personalization, timing, value proposition, channel preferences, and omnichannel approach. A strategic usage of customer data can help personalize your communications. 

Receivers would be intrigued if they were addressed by name, referenced past purchases, and offered relevant recommendations; this adds a sense of personalization. Follow-up timing is critical, as they want to avoid being bombarded with messages when they visit a site, browse a product, or purchase. 

A post-purchase email could be sent within a day, thanking the customer for the purchase, while a win-back campaign should reach the customer after a longer period of inactivity. Customers might feel forced if they get constant messages without being provided time to recover from past purchases. 

Ensure that the follow-up message provides value to the customer. It could be helpful content, exclusive discounts, or promotion of loyalty programs to incentivize customers. Respecting customer preferences is important. Brands should respect these preferences for phone calls, emails, etc., and stick to what customers want, not what is feasible for them. Using a variety of channels could boost customer reach on their preferred platforms. 

By implementing this “follow up on customers later” marketing strategy, brands can nurture customer loyalty and relationships, boost brand loyalty, and eventually drive sales growth. This strategy helps build trust and provide value to customers throughout their journey. 

Pros and Cons of “Follow up on Customers Later” Marketing Strategy follow up on customers

Similar to every other marketing strategy, this “follow up on customers later” strategy has pros and cons, as discussed below. 

Pros follow up on customers

This marketing strategy helps build relationships, increase sales, reduce churn, gain valuable feedback, facilitate targeted marketing, and ensure cost-effectiveness. Following up on customers shows that the brand cares for them and that they are not forgotten after the initial sales. This increases trust and loyalty and could lead to repeat business. 

A satisfied customer is likely to indulge in future purchases and is more receptive to upcoming offers. A well-timed follow-up could also introduce them to complementary products and services. Proactive marketing efforts and communications help address the issues beforehand, reducing churn. Data says that a happy customer is less likely to switch to competitors. 

Incorporating a follow-up marketing strategy can be a great way to gather valuable feedback on customer experience. This data can be used to improve products and services. By gaining an understanding of customer preferences and buying behaviours through past interactions, brands can personalize their recommendations. 

Cons follow up on customers

If done incorrectly, this follow-up strategy can be a nuisance for customers. Some might perceive it as spammy and intrusive. This could not only annoy customers but potentially damage their reputation. The timing is important, as following up too soon can be treated as pushy, and if you wait for too long, customers may have lost interest. 

Also, generic follow-ups without a hint of personalization or a value proposition could be ignored or deleted, making the whole exercise futile. Customers expect relevant offers and valuable communications. Managing personalized follow-ups for a large customer base requires resources and planning, which could be costly. 

Overly personalized follow-up based on extensive and in-depth customer data collection might spark privacy concerns. Receivers might be enraged by the overuse of personal data. Brands must ensure transparency and clear communication about data usage. Their audience should know when and how their data is used. 
In the end, the “follow up on customers later” marketing strategy can be a powerful tool with multiple benefits. But before incorporating this into your system, ensure you have carefully planned and executed the details. If used properly, this strategy can bring significant growth on multiple levels.