Email marketing strategies promise to increase repeat purchases.

Repeat purchases depend on relationships. And, to create deeper relationships with customers, you need a way to communicate with them.

This post explores email marketing strategy, including examples from top brands such like HBO, Bank of America, and Kohl's.

If you'd like to skip straight to the email strategy examples, click here. Otherwise, let's begin!

Above is an excellent illustration by Intercom showing how your customers have different values, and segmentation allows you to create messaging tailored to each.

Customer segmentation is a key component of email marketing strateyg.

Customer segmentation allows you to create better customer experiences. And, as a consequence, emails that use segmentation techniques perform much better.. 

How do you implement segmentation in your email marketing strategy? While segmentation is a deep topic, we've written numerous guides and examples. You can find our segmentation resources below.

Above, Google uses triggered email marketing strategies to maximize value after purchases.

Triggered emails are a multi-faceted tool to increase conversions and multiply repeat sales. In fact, many of the email marketing strategy examples we outline below are based around various triggered emails.

We highlight the best practice here to underline how powerful it is respond to users actions. 

To create a triggered email, you need two things. First, you need to define a trigger. This is typically when a customer takes an action (such as completing a purchase), or fails to take an action (such as not completing the checkout process). 

Second, you need to create your message or template. This doesn't mean that your message has to be pre-written. In fact, as we will see, combining personalization techniques with triggered emails will significantly improve your email marketing strategy.

Below are resources about triggered emails.

In our own studies, we see personalized embedded widgets such as product recommendations significantly outperform non-personalized ones.  

Personalization goes beyond segmentation and triggered messages to further tailor email offers to each customer.

To maximize each campaign's effectiveness, incorporate personalized messaging. There are many tactics available, including dynamic content, live product badges, and of course, dynamic product recommendations.

Below are resources on a number of best practices around personalization. 

Many customers fail to redeem gift cards and loyalty program rewards. While some might think this is beneficial, it is actually a sign of a churned customer.


Bringing your loyalty members back and allowing them to benefit from the program is a much stronger way to retain customers. Below, Kohl's sends out notifications on expiring reward dollars - "Kohl's Cash". 

User generated content is an incredible asset.  Incorporating feedback and review requests in your post-purchase email flows is an important part of any developed email strategy.

Below, Bank of America leads with a subject line that first, validates their customer, and second, assures them that it will minimal effort.

We've covered in detail how important customer retention marketing is. Email can, and should, be used to engage customers on an ongoing basis.

One way to do this are simple product announcements. Below, HBO let's their subscriber base know of upcoming features only available on their platform.

Expanding communication channels should be a key email strategy. While email is effective, it is crowded. And, it isn't the best medium for many types of content.

Below, Buffalo Wings & Rings use email marketing to bring customers onto their new app.

Most customers don't make a purchase on their first visit visit. In fact, in our study on new vs returning customers, we found that new sessions only converted an average rate of 1.55%.

Email is excellent at re-engaging customers. Below we see Vidyard reaching out to users who downloaded their extension, but failed to upload a single video.

I love how they highlight what this email could have been - creating a picture of how the product can help  the potential customer.

Barilliance partners with hundreds of eCommerce stores to implement and execute better email marketing strategies. If you'd like to learn more, request a demo below.