In the dynamic landscape of B2B relationships, maximizing customer lifetime value is a key driver of sustained success. One powerful strategy to achieve this is using email marketing to upsell. Upselling involves encouraging existing clients to upgrade their current services or purchase additional features, thereby increasing their overall time spent as your client.

What upsell emails can lead to:

• Revenue Boosts: You increase profit margins without the need for extensive acquisition efforts. The existing relationship you have built with your clients is all you need to increase your sales.
• Enhanced client satisfaction: By offering complementary products or advanced features, you enhance the value your clients derive from your services, leading to increased loyalty.
• Lower Customer Churn Rates: New deals and offers ensure that happy, loyal customers remain engaged and interested.

‍

What You Could Offer in Your Upsell Emails

‍

Remember that when you’re upselling features, it is okay to get a little salesy. That is not to say that focus on the feature rather than the utility. But you are allowed to sell a little more brazenly because these are people who already see the benefit in investing in your product. So, they are more likely to subscribe to additional features as well.

‍

1. Feature Expansion:

   - Subject: Special Offer for You

   - Communicate the benefits of premium features and how they align with the client's current usage patterns.

‍

2. Tiered Subscription Upsell:

   - Subject: Save [Value] and get 3x from [Subscription Upgrade]

   - Introduce a new subscription tier, highlighting additional services or heightened support, tailored to the client's business size or needs.

‍

3. Bundle Offer:

   - Subject: Save More as You Grow

   - Combine related products or services into a cost-effective bundle, emphasizing the cost savings and convenience of an all-in-one solution.

‍

How to Write an Impactful Email:

‍

There are different ways of writing effective upsell emails, depending on your goal, audience and timing. Here are some general tips and examples to get you started:

‍

Use a compelling subject line that captures the attention and curiosity of your recipients:

You need to entice your email list to open the email you sent them. Ask them a question, or propose a challenge!

• “Are you missing out on these features?”
• “Can you handle this growth?”

Or, you could offer some benefits right off the bat:

• “How to get more out of your subscription”
• “You’ve earned a special offer”

‍

Personalize your email content and keep it conversational

You want your client’s loyalty, and your client wants to know they are a valued customer who is appreciated for their continued support. Use a friendly tone in your emails and address your clients by their name to show that you are directly addressing them. For example: 

• “Hey John, we noticed you’ve been using our basic plan. As a thank you for being a loyal customer, we have prepared a special offer just for you.”
• “Hi Sarah, congratulations on reaching your sales goal this month. Here’s a gift from our team to yours.”
• “Hello ABC Inc., are you ready for an exciting offer?”

‍

Say more using less words

Most veteran email marketers tell you to keep your emails to a hundred words. While there may be exceptions to this, like the monthly newsletter, but mostly, it holds water. Highlight the benefits and outcomes that your client will get from the upgrade, allowing the features/price to be secondary information. Use bullet points and bold text to quickly get the necessary information across before delving into details.

By upgrading to our premium plan, you’ll get: 

• Unlimited users and projects
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Priority support and training
• And more

‍

Include a clear CTA so your client knows where to go next

Create a sense of urgency, and combine it with the use of action words. For example: 

• “Upgrade now and save 20%”
• “Claim your free trial today”
• “Add this item to your cart before it’s gone”
• “Yes, I want this offer”

Additional tip: Make sure there’s only one CTA in the email. You don’t want your users to get distracted from the goal of the email.

‍

Schedule your upsell emails and send them at the right time

The right time varies from industry to industry, but a general guideline would be:

• Immediately after a purchase when they reach a milestone or limit
• When they show interest in a related product or service
• When they renew their subscription or contract
• When they give positive feedback or refer someone else

You can use email automation softwares to trigger your upsell emails based on specified events.

‍

Test and optimize your upsell emails to see what works best for your audience and goal. 

You can use A/B testing tools to compare different versions of your subject lines, content, images, CTAs and timing. You can also use analytics tools to measure the open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates and revenue generated by your upsell emails.

‍

FAQs:

‍

Q1. How often should I send upsell emails?

   - The frequency of upsell emails depends on your industry and the nature of your products/services. However, a general guideline is to space them strategically (twice a week is a good start)  avoiding excessive communication that may overwhelm the client.

‍

Q2. How do I determine the right upsell for a specific client?

   - Analyze the client's usage patterns, feedback, and any recent interactions with your products/services. Tailor your upsell offers based on their unique needs and pain points.

‍

Q3. What if a client rejects the upsell offer?

   - Respect their decision and use it as an opportunity to gather feedback. Understand their reasons for refusal, and use this information to refine future upsell strategies.

‍

Q4. How can I personalize upsell emails effectively?

   - Understand your clients and use behavior analytics to craft personalized messages. Reference their current subscription/usage of your service/product, express appreciation for their loyalty, and align upsell suggestions with their business objectives.

‍