Drip marketing is a strategy used in digital marketing on the best marketing automation platforms in which you break down any or all sorts of marketing communication in the form of “drips.” These marketing communications may include brochures, leaflets, social media posts, phone calls, emails, etc., and are automatically spread over a certain period. You can choose the sequence and the rhythm of the drips.
Why is it Called Drip Marketing?
In simple words, drips are small chunks of information that are sent to customers at regular intervals. And the technique through which this is done is termed drip marketing.
It is interesting to note that the term “drip marketing” has its etymological background in agriculture. It originates from the word “drip irrigation,” a gardening technique in which plants are fed small amounts of water over time. So, if you think about it, “drip” in drip marketing is a small quantity of water that keeps the user hooked to your business in the digital world.
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Other Names for Drip Marketing
Many other names can also be known as drip marketing. Campaign management is important in drip marketing and the the most common terms are:
- Lifecycle Emails
- Autoresponders
- Drip Campaigns
- Marketing Automation
- Automated Email Campaigns
What are the Types of Drip Marketing Campaigns?
Drip marketing campaigns vary depending on the nature of your business. Five major drip campaigns are as follows.
Welcome Campaign
In the welcome campaign of drip marketing, the customer is instantly sent a welcome email as soon as they subscribe to the brand. This email is well-received and creates engagement between the customer and the business.
Retargeting Campaign
The lost subscriber is targeted through emails or SMS in the retargeting campaign. This is one of the essential techniques in drip marketing. It can either be in the form of follow-up about the posts the customer is missing out on or by offering free trials.
Abandoned Cart Campaign
The customer who left the site before making a purchase is targeted in the abandoned cart campaign. They are sent emails about the product they added to their cart. Images of the product are likely to regain the customer’s interest due to this drip marketing campaign. The role of a marketing campaign manager will be important in best managing approaches to win back abandoned carts and can be very beneficial to overall campaign management in CRM and marketing automation tool.
Post-Purchase Campaign
In the post-purchase campaign, the brand aims at staying loyal to the customers. The pre-existing customers are focused upon. New offers and discounts on “similar” products are sent to them via email or SMS. Some brands send guides in their drip marketing campaign on ways to use the effect the customer had recently purchased.
Unsubscribe Campaign
In the unsubscribe campaign, when the user unsubscribes, they are sent one last email showing concern about their leaving. An email saying, “We’re sorry to see you go!” is the latest attempt to regain the subscription. Even if that doesn’t happen, this drip marketing technique positively impacts the user.
What is Drip Marketing Example?
Netflix
In today’s world, almost all businesses use the drip marketing strategy. To understand how drip marketing works and know how to set up a marketing campaign that will be successful, let’s take the example of Netflix.
Netflix deals with the issue of the loss of a subscription very smartly. It utilizes the win-back drip campaign. In this type of drip marketing, the steaming service regains several subscribers in many ways.
- It focuses on winning customers by including a brightly colored call-to-action.
- It also emails them for the next three months about new TV shows and movies of their preference.
- It sends out a targeted email to the customer to show them the steps they need to follow to enjoy the benefits of Netflix.
Through these simple drip marketing strategies, Netflix wins back the lost subscriber. These emails are sent after regular intervals to keep reminding customers of the great time they had during their subscription. In this way, Netflix restores the lost revenue in most cases.
Amazon/ Ali Express
Another example can be online shopping stores like Amazon or Ali Express. They use the strategy of abandoned cart emails in drip marketing. Almost 60 to 70 % of customers leave their shopping carts before making a purchase. In that case, the customers are sent an email to remind them to continue with the purchase. They are nudged towards finalizing their order.
Mainly, these online shops send two emails to such customers. In the first email, the product shows what the customer intended it to be. The same effect is delivered in the second email with a bit of urgency that it might get sold out. Showing the product’s image is likely substantially impact the customer. This drip marketing strategy has proven to be successful in significant cases.
Why is Drip Marketing Important?
Drip marketing has a significant value in the digital world. Because every business must have a cheerful digital face, drip marketing ensures that the beginning continues to improve with time. It helps business owners to have a firm grip on their customers.
Some of the main benefits of drip marketing are:
- Increased engagement of a brand/ business.
- Increased loyalty of customers toward the brand.
- Improved brand awareness among the customers.
- More effective lead nurturing.
- Improved promotion of new offers, releases, and discounts.
- Increased sales volume.
- Re-engaged subscribers.
- Improved customer experience and satisfaction.
- Increased opportunities for up-selling and cross-selling of products.
The Best Marketing Automation Software for Drip Marketing
The things you need to look for in the best marketing automation software for drip marketing are:
- Email and Workflow Builder
- Reporting
- Pricing
Based on these three, the best marketing automation software for drip marketing are:
Digital marketing is a tricky art not many can excel in. The reason for that is the lack of knowledge on the subject. Among many techniques, drip marketing is an important marketing strategy that leads to general businesses.
There’s nothing too technical about it. All you need is good marketing automation software for drip marketing and an overall understanding of its strategies. Once you get the hang of it, your customer communication will flourish greatly. Comparing the best marketing automation software features, tools, and pricing can help ensure you choose the best marketing campaign tools for your business.
