Corporate responsibility and social causes are becoming increasingly important to retailers. Companies like TOMS have built entire business models around them.
69 percent of Gen Z say they are more likely to buy from a company that supports such causes.
To influence purchase decisions, retailers must integrate social cause messaging into their promotional channels, including email marketing.
Here are 6 ways brands can use email marketing to promote causes:
Promotional Emails with a Cause
1. Use of Banner
Include a banner promoting your cause at the top of each email or in the recovery section. TOMS does this in the recovery section of each email. Using these banners will help customers understand your brand’s commitment to social change.
2. Social update emails
Companies with loyalty programs send out loyalty point update emails, and social cause brands should do the same. Try showing the company’s progress thanks to its customers. Purchases could result in a donation or the provision of products, items or services. These emails are ideal for social sharing, so include a “share now” CTA to maximize your email’s reach.
3. Make use of Cause campaigns
Cause-related campaigns can be a great way to drive sales. Another TOMS campaign featuring limited-edition shoes in partnership with Save the Children. While partnering with a charity isn’t required, consider how you can use specific giving campaigns to drive sales while making the buyer feel good.
Consider all the holidays you can use as tentpole giving campaigns. If you use national holidays, pick ones that fit your brand, like Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Use signature designated periods such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Adoption Day, or World Autism Awareness Day to promote your brand.
Cause Marketing in Lifecycle Emails
4. Welcome messages
If doing good is important to your brand, don’t be shy about it. Inspire new subscribers to join your mailing list by sharing this message and explaining why they should align with your brand. This can be a competitive differentiator for new subscribers considering a purchase.
5. Post-purchase
Keep the messaging going after the sale. This is your chance to reassure the customer about their purchase and your brand. Include messaging that shows how their purchase has helped others, and make sure to connect this to social media to turn the customer into a brand advocate. You could create a purchase-related hashtag and ask customers to share their purchases.
6. Cart abandonment
When a customer is close to making a purchase, you want to use every trick in the book to get them to finish. But for socially conscious consumers, it’s also social duty. Include social cause messaging in these messages, even if it’s in the recovery section.
In Conclusion
These aren’t the only options, but they’re good places to start. But don’t worry about writing the email content. Often, your website and social media pages will suffice. Brands that care about the community, like Bombas, have dedicated sections on their websites and social media accounts. Use this content in your emails easily.
Cause marketing can help you differentiate your brand, build emotional connections with customers, influence purchase decisions, and generate brand advocacy. After all, a brand is a reflection of the buyer. Creating a multichannel ecosystem of brand advocacy can help people feel good about their purchases.