Your marketing strategy has worked like a charm to attract the customer, and you featured products that they wanted and chose, but then something went wrong that caused them to click elsewhere. Abandoned shopping carts are an ecommerce business owner’s worst nightmare, and they can happen to anyone. The good news is that email can help to lure your wayward buyers back, transforming abandonment into conversion.

Make the subject line pop.

Consumers get numerous emails a day, many of which they never open. Take steps to ensure that yours is not one of the unseen by coming up with a compelling subject line that will grab the reader’s interest, enticing them to stop what they are doing in favor of hearing what you have to say. The following are tried-and-true types of subject lines to use to make sure your potential customers open your marketing emails.

• Subject lines that offer promotions or discounts for completing the purchase in a specific time period.
• Subject lines that pique a customer’s curiosity.
• Subject lines that remind customers of their shopping carts, often using urgency or product scarcity.
• Subject lines that praise the virtues of products the customer left in their cart. 
• Subject lines that offer customer service assistance to answer questions or solve technical problems in order to complete the sale.

All of these approaches can be invaluable tools in jogging memories, reigniting buyer interest, and proactively resolving issues that would have otherwise stifled the sale once and for all.

Create compelling copy.

Even the best subject lines will wither and die if your email’s internal content is lackluster. Your goal should be to capture and keep your customer’s attention to move them toward completing the sale or, at the very least, working to remove any barriers that are preventing it. The following tips can help you to elevate the messaging of your marketing messaging. 

• Make them personal to each customer, addressing them by name if possible. 
• Use what you know about your audience to tailor your copy in meeting their needs or pain points.
• Play on customers’ fear of missing out on unique or time-sensitive deals.
• Focus on the high quality or unique nature of the products you offer.
• Include attractive product images.

By the time your customer is finished reading what you have to say, they should be highly motivated to click on the link you provide that reunites them with their shopping cart and ultimately to your payment gateway.

Call customers to action.

Now that you have attracted your buyer and convinced them that they need to pay attention to their cart, it’s time to tell them what to do next. This is a delicate proposition; you want to provide specific guidance without creating a feeling of excessive pressure. To that end, urge buyers to “resume” their order or “finish checking out” instead of going full tilt into phrases such as “buy your items now.”

Time your emails.

The wording is not the only important consideration when it comes to abandoned cart emails. You also need to carefully plan when your messages will be sent. In this arena, one piece of electronic correspondence is not enough. Instead, consider adopting a schedule similar to the following.

• Email 1: 60 minutes after the cart is abandoned.
• Email 2: 24 hours after the cart is abandoned.
• Email 3: Three days after the cart is abandoned.
• Email 4: Two weeks after the cart is abandoned. You might consider using this email to give alternative product suggestions.

If the products in your cart are of high value, you might want to send your first email sooner, perhaps 30 minutes after abandonment.

Focus on the most compelling product in a shopper’s cart.

Some customers choose several items, making composing a targeted abandon cart email challenging. Instead of trying to sing the praises of each and every piece of merchandise, focus on the most highly rated of the group. Highlight its unique features while subtly flattering the customer for their discernment. If possible, bolster your claims with links to objective customer reviews.

Pay special attention to your long-term customers.

Whether you offer subscription services with recurring billing or simply have a subset of patrons who return to buy from you again and again, your regular customers are like gold to your business. Even so, they too can leave items languishing in their cart from time to time. Because of their exalted status, however, they deserve some extra love and attention.

One of the most effective strategies you can put into practice is to send correspondences that emphasize how important your most loyal customers are to your store and its mission. Don’t be afraid to go the extra mile by offering personal assistance with any product questions, website concerns, or other issues. In other words, treat these customers like the precious commodity they are.

Sine final thoughts on shopping cart abandonment.

As we have stated, effective and compelling email campaigns are crucial if you want to convert abandoned carts into sales. At the same time, there are other very specific steps that you should also be taking. 

• Build the credibility of your store by including trust badges on your checkout site, linking to social media and online influencers, and having a transparent returns policy.
• Display all costs prominently up front.
• Offer free shipping if possible.
• Make your checkout fast, seamless, and secure.
• Provide the option to check out as a guest. (You can offer incentives later in the checkout process for customers who create accounts).
• Provide the payment options your particular customers want.
• Regularly upgrade your equipment to guard against technical glitches and maintain proper payment security.

As you no doubt already know, turning an innovative idea into a thriving business is dependent upon several different factors. When you offer compelling products, a mobile-friendly website that is easy to use, stellar customer service, and state-of-the-art follow-up, you have the building blocks for your business’ sustained success in place.