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Back in August, I bought a pair of dress shoes online.
I had never heard of the company before seeing the social ad. A company named Beckett Simonon.
But man, did they look good at a decent price. Beauties.
So I bought them. Done. A few weeks later, I got an email the shoes would be ready in 2 months. 2 months…what the? What did I buy?
This precise moment – a moment of surprise and remorse – is where the effectiveness of Beckett’s email strategy took hold.
The emails told a story. Beckett’s craftsmanship. What Beckett is all about. And this messaging strategy completely flipped my view.
3 Ways Beckett Simonon, a Shoe Retailer, Uses Email to Keep Buyers Happy and Informed for 2 months Between Purchase and Delivery
1. It feels human
Send emails from this: “Nicolas at Beckett”
Not this: “Beckett Simonon”
Nick’s emails are automated, but they create more of a personal connection than faceless system notifications would.
We’ve always followed a similar process here at Widewail - our emails come from an identifiable team member.
There is an arbitrary cutoff point for this type of personalization. Somewhere around “big” or
“enterprise.” Nimble small/medium brands take note: personality can be a differentiator.
2. Order status bar
During production, Beckett sent out 3 order update emails. Each had this visual at the top of the email.
It quickly communicates two key points:
3. Meet the makers
Each email introduces buyers to a member of the shoemaking team, educates buyers on the basics of shoemaking, and updates order status.
Beckett uses 3 subject lines:
[Your Beckett Simonon ORDER UPDATE] Jake, meet our shoemakers!
[Your Beckett Simonon ORDER UPDATE], meet Nancy, crafting your upper!
[Your Beckett Simonon ORDER UPDATE] Henry and Ivan Daio - Long may they last!
Don’t assume your buyer knows your company in the beginning
Especially if social media ads are your customer’s entry point, copy Beckett’s strategy–build affinity and encourage future purchases with email. Don’t assume buyers are familiar with the unique details of your company.
Beckett’s process communicates critical information with added charm. It builds trust and communicates the premium nature of its shoes, a key value prop.
2 months later...
Their maiden voyage will be next week. To the dance floor!
See you in 2 weeks - Jake, Marketing @Widewail