Small and midsized ecommerce companies can profit from lifecycle advertising and marketing and a strategic method to partaking consumers.
What follows is a consumer lifecycle advertising and marketing framework for a web-based retailer promoting area of interest print-on-demand t-shirts. Every step contains the framework and implementation particulars.
- Attraction
- Buy
- Success
- Retention
- Reorder
Attraction
The “attraction” step goals to introduce the shop, merchandise, or distinctive worth proposition to consumers amid a crowded digital market.
An ecommerce marketer may use a number of channels and options to realize this finish, corresponding to:
- Content material advertising and marketing. Shoppable movies and fascinating weblog posts powered by SEO and structured information markup for wealthy snippets.
- Promoting. Programmatic adverts with AI-driven focusing on on Google Adverts, Meta Adverts, and comparable.
- Social media. Rising platforms, influencer partnerships (Shopify Colabs), and social commerce options on X, TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit.
- Market. Presence on Amazon and Etsy. Use social commerce on Fb Outlets, Instagram Procuring, and merchandise on X.
Listed here are the t-shirt store’s implementation steps:
- The store used Semrush to determine 4,200 goal keyword phrases. These key phrases are reworked into articles utilizing an automation constructed with Zapier, ChatGPT, and Midjourney. A marketer identifies key factors, AI drafts the weblog article, and a human edits it.
- The shop modified content material administration methods to enhance technical search engine optimization.
- Adverts on Meta, Google, X, and numerous electronic mail newsletters.
- The shop used Shopify Collabs to attach with influencers.
- The enterprise is launching on X and Pinterest. Utilizing one other Zapier automation, the store repurposes a single article into 15 social media posts and schedules them weeks upfront.
The location contains electronic mail seize on all its weblog pages, so subscriptions are the highest efficiency indicator, however web site site visitors and advert engagement are additionally measured.
An instance of one of many adverts the t-shirt store makes use of to draw consumers. Click on picture to enlarge.
Buy
The “buy” step goals to transform consumers into prospects by means of a seamless and safe buying expertise.
On this step, the enterprise collects a buyer’s electronic mail handle, bodily handle, and, if attainable, permission to ship textual content messages.
Ecommerce entrepreneurs sometimes excel at this step through the next ways.
- An optimized on-line retailer. Consumer-friendly product pages, streamlined checkout, and cell optimization.
- Market optimization. Utilizing Amazon or much like shut the deal.
- E-mail. Cart abandonment reminders, limited-time presents, and much like get each order.
- SMS. Supply textual content message order affirmation, supply monitoring, and particular presents.
At this step, the t-shirt store depends closely on Shopify, its ecommerce platform. The store can supply a wide range of cost and supply choices and electronic mail and SMS for all transactional messages. It makes use of an “opt-out” method to electronic mail advertising and marketing.
Success
It sounds easy, however it may be troublesome. An ecommerce marketer should concentrate on fulfilling orders and the general buy expertise. This sometimes entails communication.
- Arrange order confirmations and delivery updates through electronic mail or SMS.
- Supply buyer assist through AI-powered chatbots, electronic mail, and phone.
- Use social media to handle customer support inquiries.
The t-shirt store confronted challenges at this stage as a result of it makes use of print-on-demand companies to satisfy orders. The corporate took a couple of steps to assist.
- Set supply expectations on each product web page and the post-purchase electronic mail sequence.
- Ship incoming messages instantly to the shopper assist individual.
- Applied an AI chatbot in 2025.
The t-shirt store lets prospects know it would take 10 days to satisfy the order. Click on picture to enlarge.
Retention
The “retention” part on this shopper lifecycle advertising and marketing framework engages prospects post-purchase to encourage reorders and referrals. Ways embody:
- E-mail and SMS to supply loyalty program updates and unique presents.
- E-mail e-newsletter to maintain consumers within the retailer’s content material.
- Referral applications to incent consumers to share merchandise or content material with associates.
- Evaluation requests, encouraging testimonials and scores.
- Social media to develop neighborhood.
This retailer is launching a program the place prospects earn factors for purchases, evaluations, and social shares. Buyers can use the factors to make further purchases. The store additionally has a weekly electronic mail e-newsletter.
Reorder
When she returns for a repeat purchase, the objective ought to be to acknowledge the patron and make the order even higher. Nevertheless it takes work to get that subsequent buy.
With this in thoughts, ecommerce entrepreneurs may attempt:
- Retargeting adverts geared toward earlier prospects.
- Personalised product-focused electronic mail advertising and marketing.
- Focused product placement in an electronic mail e-newsletter.
- SMS offers and reductions.
- Bonus loyal factors for every order.
Right here, the t-shirt store makes use of its e-newsletter, advert retargeting, and electronic mail promotions to assist garner a second sale. When a consumer completes an extra buy, the store sends an electronic mail sequence to acknowledge the loyalty.
Lifecycle Benefit
An ecommerce lifecycle advertising and marketing framework gives a roadmap for shopper engagement, which ought to drive each preliminary and repeat gross sales.
