Before the first snowflake from Winter Storm Stella hit my front windows, I knew that a lot of email would start to pile up in my inbox.
In four hours on Monday night, there they were … 11 emails mentioning the developing weather. Like any good snowstorm, it was just the beginning.
In her Tuesday article on storm marketing, my colleague Heather Fletcher asked: “Do You Know Where Your Customers Are Going?” She had a couple of tips on how e-commerce marketers could benefit from stormy weather.
Well, I stayed home and wrote. And after I shoveled the ice away from my car, I also took some notes on what I saw from marketers as the storm raced northward.
First up was this subject line from a Verizon email at 4:40 pm ET on Monday: “Prep for snowstorm Stella with blockbuster movies tonight.” This was the first snow-related offer for renting or buying movies on demand on Fios.
I liked the big image that was used; it’s all about coziness. It’s a good bet that many people had already bought their milk, bread, and orange juice from their local supermarkets, and were ready to settle in.
GEICO at 7:47 pm tells me: “Your safety is our top priority.” No image here, but it doesn’t need one, just a quick calm note with some vital information.
Verizon at 10:45 am Tuesday warns: “Be prepared for possible power outages.” There are instructions here on how to restart my Fios services after a blackout. And it reminds me that I can also use the app for further assistance.
At 4:51 pm, Verizon’s back with the same offer as the night before: “Snow outside is perfect for a Double Feature inside”. And then, at 7:18 pm, the subject line is simplified: “Snow outside, Movies inside.”
It’s understandable. They’re tired, I’m tired. So, I bit on the deal.
Finally, here’s the opening sentence from an email letter by supplement marketer Health Sciences Institute: “Regretting getting out there to shovel today?” I wasn’t, but I appreciate an appeal to a customer’s pain points when I see one.
Thanks to some simple segmentation, I felt reassured that these companies were looking out for me as their customer. I got some valuable information that fortunately for me, I didn’t need to use. At least this time.
And finally, I experienced some good old customer delight once I got around to looking through the on demand movie listings. If you really want to increase customer loyalty, a few simple things can really make a big difference.