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When outdoor retailer Orvis set out to launch a new line of adventure products for dog lovers, they faced a challenge familiar to every retailer. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n On one hand, they knew an<\/span> email campaign<\/a> that simply advertised the new canine products might generate a limited number of conversions. On the other hand, an upfront promotional discount would likely result in lost revenue, since many customers might\u2019ve been happy to pay full price for the very same items.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n How can a retailer maximize their campaign\u2019s conversion rate, without losing value by over-relying on promotional pricing?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Orvis solved the puzzle<\/a> by breaking free of the false assumption that \u201cconversion = sale.\u201d Instead of sending out a digital flyer for their new products, they created an interactive quiz that helped subscribers choose the ideal dog breed to join them on their next outdoor adventure.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n By putting customers\u2019 interests above their own internal sales goals, Orvis cultivated vastly stronger loyalty than they could\u2019ve obtained with a promotional email. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s what this approach will mean for your next campaign.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Conversion is not<\/i> a one-time event \u2014 it\u2019s an ongoing process. <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n According to the old school of salesmanship, a conversion is a sale, pure and simple. If you want to make sales, this thinking goes, then you\u2019ve got to keep repeating your pitches \u2014 until some of your customers finally \u201cgive in\u201d and buy the products you\u2019ve repeatedly presented to them. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n While some marketers continue to live by this outdated approach, it\u2019s not very useful for fostering long-term trust and repeat business. It treats customers as if they\u2019re enemies to be defeated, rather than allies in need of assistance. And that\u2019s a major mistake \u2014 because more than half of customers will<\/span> happily pay more<\/span><\/a> for the privilege of doing business with brands that treat them as personal friends.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What\u2019s more, conversion doesn\u2019t have to be a one-time event at all. Although some customers might \u201cconvert\u201d by making a single purchase via a promotional email, you\u2019re not likely to see much repeat business from them. They may have converted to a particular product or offer \u2014 but not to your brand<\/i>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Instead of focusing on those one-time conversions, you\u2019ll<\/span> cultivate much steadier revenue<\/a> \u2014 and more repeat purchases \u2014 by fostering relationships with customers who\u2019ll go out of their way to buy from you, even when you\u2019re not<\/i> offering a promotion. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Trust goes both ways \u2014 and your brand has to take the first step.<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Like every healthy partnership, a long-lasting customer relationship is built on trust \u2014 not only your customers\u2019 trust in you, but also your trust in them. The more you<\/span> demonstrate that you value your customers<\/a> even when they\u2019re not<\/i> making purchases, the more they\u2019ll come to accept you as part of their everyday life.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n For example, we\u2019ve all had the stressful experience of shopping for clothes at a store that pays employees on commission. Staff members follow us around the sales floor, urging us to try on more items \u2014 sometimes outright pressuring us to purchase accessories we don\u2019t want. Although the commission policy was put in place to drive sales, its actual effect is to drive customers like us away.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Contrast this with your favorite clothing retailer, whose employees leave you free to shop at your leisure \u2014 always ready with a helping hand, but never pushy or impatient to make a sale. By trusting you to make purchases in your own time, they cultivate your<\/i> trust in return \u2014 and as a result, they get far more of your business than their commission-based competitors ever will.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Take the first step in demonstrating trust to your customers, and many of them will reciprocate by extending that same trust to you in return.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Moments of connection drive repeat sales and loyalty over time.<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The most proven driver of repeat sales isn\u2019t repetitive pitching \u2014 it\u2019s moments of<\/span> emotional connection<\/a><\/i>. Those moments happen every time your customers join you in a meaningful, memorable experience.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n If this sounds too fluffy, consider the following hard numbers: 95 percent of purchase decisions are driven by <\/span>subconscious emotions<\/span><\/a>. Customers who feel \u201cconnected\u201d to a brand are more than<\/span> twice as likely<\/span><\/a> to make a purchase. A full 81 percent of customers who feel that connection will<\/span> recommend your products<\/span><\/a> to their friends and loved ones.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In short, customers who feel emotionally connected with your brand may not make a purchase today \u2014 but they\u2019re far more likely to make multiple purchases in the longer term, and to spread the word to the people who matter in their lives.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n With these facts in mind, try taking a step back from the sales-first mindset as you plan your next campaign. Instead of product pitches, think about how you can create shared moments that foster emotional connections with your customers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n They\u2019ll get the underlying message: You trust them to remember your brand. In return, they\u2019ll trust you<\/i> to become a part of their life.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n An emotional connection with your customers can make all the difference, but how do you establish one? Find out with <\/span>\u201cB2C Personalization Blog Series Part 1: Taking the First Step Toward One-to-One Marketing<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n