Overview
COVID-19’s level 5 lockdown caused many businesses to slow down dramatically and even close, NetFlorist included. Agriculture had come to a halt, with horticulture fitting into that. Without the supply of flowers, its business offerings were notably diminished. They were able to continue with fruit and nuts deliveries, but as this was a small percentage of their business, and not knowing how long lockdown was going to last, they had to be proactive and find a way to pivot.
With quick thinking and existing infrastructure, NetFlorist started delivering fresh fruit and vegetables with a one-day lead time, where most retailers could only guarantee delivery in two weeks. They needed to ensure that advertising this new focus was cost-effective, so they turned to email marketing using the Everlytic platform.
Objectives
- Keep business afloat during and after lockdown
- Attract customers to new offering in a cost-effective way
Execution
NetFlorist decided to put a hold on all advertising expenses, like social media and Google AdWords. With a strong, engaged email database of 1,6 million people, and email marketing being so cost-effective, it was a no-brainer which platform to turn to.
They sent out their first email on 2 April 2020 showcasing their fresh fruit and vegetable offerings. For the rest of the month, they sent emails almost every day, as they knew these were essential goods that people needed in their homes.
The Results
- When comparing April 2019 to April 2020, Google Analytics showed a 170% increase in mobile website traffic driven from email.
- NetFlorist had a 14% increase in revenue and averaged 622 sales per email sent out.
“While those numbers looked great, it was in the middle of a hard lockdown where there was great demand for the timeous delivery of groceries and fresh produce. It kept us on our toes.”
– Thalissa Pillay, Marketing Manager at NetFlorist
Success Factors
Email is one of the most cost-effective ways to communicate with customers. For NetFlorist, their email success factors in this case included:
- Catchy subject lines
- Segmented bases that ensure accurate targeting
- Screen optimisation for email, website, and landing pages
- Email personalisation
- Fun calls to action
- Optimal timing
- Exclusive email offers
- Reminder emails to those who purchased the week before, keeping NetFlorist top of mind
