In a previous post on making the customer lifecycle more human, we covered the theory. This post gets practical. Below is a breakdown of the emails you can send at each of the five lifecycle stages, with real South African brand examples at each step.
Knowing where your customers sit in the cycle is what makes the difference between a campaign that lands and one that gets ignored.
Stage 1: Awareness
At this stage, people have just found your brand and are starting to explore what you offer. Your job is to help them understand the value of what you sell.
The most effective awareness emails explain how your product solves a specific problem. Subscribers buy solutions, not just products, keep that in mind when writing your copy.
Boschendal Wines sent subscribers a harvest report covering their wines and making the case for why Boschendal should be on their list. It is educational, on-brand, and low-pressure.
Other things to try at the awareness stage:
- Link to relevant articles or guides that give subscribers more context about your product.
- Point potential customers to a testimonials page or review site so they can read what real buyers have said.
Stage 2: Purchase
By this point, your subscriber knows what you offer. Now you need to give them a reason to buy.
A discount or promotion is one of the most reliable purchase triggers you can include in an email campaign. Personalisation matters here too, use segmentation and dynamic content to show subscribers you know who they are and what they are interested in.
Boschendal Wines does this well. After a purchase, they send a thank-you email with a discount code for the next order. It is simple, it shows appreciation, and it gives customers a clear reason to come back.
Other things to try at the purchase stage:
- Offer free shipping. Research shows 80% of customers name free shipping as the most important incentive during the online purchase phase.
- Invite subscribers to a product launch or brand event.
Stage 3: Relationship Building
A first purchase is the start of something, not the finish line. Once someone buys, your focus should shift to building a relationship that keeps them coming back.
Regular newsletters are one of the most practical tools for this. They keep your brand front of mind and give you a natural way to share product updates, customer stories, and industry news.
Business Partners sends their subscribers a monthly newsletter with practical tips for running and growing a business. It is consistently useful, which is why it works.
Other things to try at the relationship building stage:
- Send a post-purchase follow-up. A transactional email with links to your support team or contact numbers tells customers you are there if they need help.
- Run a short survey. Ask for feedback on a specific product or recent experience while the purchase is still fresh.
Stage 4: Retention
Retention is about keeping customers engaged after the relationship has been established. The key thing to remember here is that it is not always about pushing a sale.
Brampton Wines, one of our account management clients, sends customers a curated Spotify playlist seven days after purchase via an automated email. No discount code, no upsell, just something extra for a loyal customer. That kind of touchpoint builds genuine goodwill.
Other things to try at the retention stage:
- Promote a loyalty programme to reward repeat buyers.
- Segment your list and offer specific groups exclusive incentives to purchase again.
- Share helpful content that teaches customers how to get more out of what they have already bought.
Stage 5: Advocacy
When you consistently look after your customers, some of them become advocates, people who recommend your brand without being asked. Your email strategy should encourage and reward that behaviour.
Nedbank IMC Conference sent a post-event email to attendees expressing gratitude from the CEO. No promotion, no hard sell, just a genuine thank you. That kind of message reminds subscribers they are valued, which is exactly what turns satisfied customers into vocal ones.
Other things to try at the advocacy stage:
- Send personal messages to your most loyal customers, those who have made repeat purchases over a long period. Ask them to share their experience on social media and offer early access to new products or sales in return.
If you need help putting any of these stages into practice, get in touch with the TouchBasePro team.
Email us at sales@touchbasepro.com.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of emails should I send during the awareness stage of the customer lifecycle?
- Focus on emails that explain how your product solves a specific problem. You can also link to helpful articles, or direct subscribers to a testimonials or review page so they can hear from real customers.
- How do I encourage a first purchase through email marketing?
- Discounts and promotions are the most reliable triggers. Pair them with personalisation and segmentation so the offer feels relevant to the individual subscriber. Free shipping is also a strong incentive, research puts it as the top purchase driver for online shoppers.
- What is the difference between relationship building and retention in the customer lifecycle?
- Relationship building starts right after a first purchase and focuses on creating trust, through regular newsletters, post-purchase follow-ups, and feedback surveys. Retention comes later, once that relationship exists, and is about keeping engaged customers active through loyalty programmes, exclusive offers, and genuinely useful content.
- How do I turn satisfied customers into brand advocates using email?
- Send personal, non-promotional messages that show appreciation. Ask long-term customers to share their experience on social media and reward them with early access to new products or exclusive offers. A simple thank-you email from a senior team member can also go a long way.