In this post, we first explain what dynamic email components are and then give you tips on how to use the most prominent one (countdown) to really get your subscribers biting their nails
Finding ways to empower your customer’s inbox with high personalization and interaction levels is crucial to your CRM email marketing campaigns’ success.
Dynamic email marketing is a fantastic way to do just that. It offers dozens of ways for marketers to increase customer engagement and spend via email.
Moreover, Optimove’s DynamicMail add-on product allows marketers to embed dynamic, interactive, and personalized content into emails.
Let’s dive into how to make the most of these capabilities.
What are Dynamic Email Components, Exactly?
Dynamic components allow for the content in your emails to be updated in realtime and sent out as part of a mass message to your choice of segment across your customer database.
The moment that each recipient opens the email (via a server connection), each recipient receives the most relevant message every time. This technology currently powers hundreds of millions of emails per month.
For example, countdown timers are a fantastic tool to communicate offers and encourage customers to take action quickly as they call for a sense of urgency. When users see the clock ticking on a deal, they process this type of content much faster, and it helps them understand that time is money.
Retail Example
Gaming Example
When to Send Out Dynamic Emails?
The day and time to send such emails change according to the deal that you are trying to promote. The key with countdown timers is to visually offer useful information to customers – for example; a sale will end soon.
For a big sale, like Black Friday, “Soon” means in a few days, since you want to give the readers time to prepare for the big day. That’s why this kind of sale should be promoted a few days before.
On the other hand, a next-day delivery offer that is valid only for 24 hours should be communicated to customers just a few hours before it begins. If they want to receive items the next day, trigger that sense of urgency.
10 Tips On How to Use Countdown Timers To Drive Sales:
Make your countdown timer stand out in the email while making sure to stick to your brand colors. The clock can easily be overlooked when not appropriately designed.
Place the countdown timer at the beginning of the email, ensuring recipients see it even if they don’t scroll down. A well-placed countdown timer can increase conversion and retention rates dramatically.
Use a headline like “<Offer> Ends Tomorrow” to instantly communicate the purpose of the message and create excitement around a sale/promotion.
Keep the message short, simple, and straightforward.
Use a CTA button that directs the users to the sale page on your site and position the CTA near the timer. The easier the shopping experience is, the better.
A good “Early Bird” email with a countdown timer also gives the recipients time to prepare for the big day. When the sale is big (like Black Friday), send your email a few days before the sale, allowing customers to prepare themselves and tell their friends about it, too.
Use active verbs in your content to encourage readers to act. For example, use the words: hurry or order now.
Send a reminder email 4 hours before the end of the sale to create further urgency.
To provide a seamless experience, consider also showing categories and additional advantages such as free delivery and free collection.
When you want to upsell, make sure the products you offer are relevant to the main item you promote – but be careful when you include more than one offer in your email as it can be confusing and less relevant to your recipients.
The Bottom Line
The ultimate goal of using dynamic components in your emails should be to evoke the fear of missing out (FOMO) – associated with scarcity – and ultimately creating a sense of urgency. The customer must want to take action because they don’t want to miss out on any great opportunities.
As a Marketing Data Scientist, Daniel helps some of Optimove's most strategic clients drive thoughtful and well-informed decision making to optimize their marketing strategy. She holds a BSc in Engineering and Industrial Management from the Technion - The Israel Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Ben Gurion University. You won't find her showing off her wings.
