The Improving Retention Program Template lets you automate a number of emails aimed at getting first time visitors to return.
Before you start, you should be familiar with:
Why build an Improving Retention Program?
First-time bookers make up more than half of overall audiences and of all audience members who first bought tickets in 2022, 19.5% returned in 2023.
This shows that first time bookers represent a real opportunity to drive retention.
How does it work?
The Improving Retention Program works by identifying first time attendees and sending an email inviting them to return.
You can use the following metrics
- BOOKEDONCE: This calculated metric lets you find Customers that have only purchased Tickets for one Event.
- WEEKSSINCELASTVISIT This calculated metric can be used to target these Customers the week after they make their first visit.
You can then send one email to Customers who opened the first email, and one email to Customers who did not open the first email.
If the Customer purchases Tickets at any point, they will be removed from the Program.
Before you start
Before you start to build any Dotdigital Program Template, you’ll need:
- A synced address book. Contact Support if you need to set up a new synced address book.
- Calculated Metric Data Fields. To do this, follow the steps in the Calculated Metrics section of the Data Fields in Dotdigital article.
For the Improving Retention Program, you’ll need to prepare:
- One triggered email campaign aimed at customers who have attended once but have not yet purchased Tickets for an Event in the future. You may want to include an Offer as an incentive.
- One triggered email campaign aimed at Customers who have not opened the first email and have not yet purchased Tickets for an Event in the future.
- One triggered email campaign aimed at Customers who have opened the first email but have not yet purchased Tickets for an Event in the future.
TIP: Consider using Dynamic Content and Personalisation to make your emails more effective.
For example, you could try personalising the subject line based on the Event the customer previously attended. You could also consider sending a survey to collect data. This will allow you to gather valuable feedback and insights, and demonstrates a commitment to improving Customer experience.
How to set up an Improving Retention Program
In your Dotdigital account, navigate to Automation > Programs. Click on the folder named Spektrix Templates.
Find the Improving Retention Program template.
REMINDER: When building your Program don’t forget to regularly click Save to save your progress.
1. Set the Spektrix Sync Exit Condition
Follow the instructions in Dotdigital Program Templates to set the Spektrix Sync Exit Condition.
2. Add another Exit Condition
Additionally to the Spektrix Sync Exit Condition, create another Exit Condition. From the menu bar at the top, click EXIT CONDITIONS.
- Choose Add an Exit Condition.
- Click Create New
- Drag and drop Data fields into the Include contacts that match all the rules in this group section.
- Click on [click to select a datafield].
- Choose BOOKEDONCE and from the dropdown choose is no.
- Click OKAY and then Apply twice.
This will remove any customers who purchase tickets.
3. Create a Start Condition
Click on the blue start node.
Apply the following settings.
Enrolment Scheduling
- Click on Set Schedule.
- Choose daily.
- Set the time of day you want contacts to enrol.
- Click Apply.
Enrolment Rule
- Click Set Rule.
- Choose Segment, then click Create New.
- Drag and drop the Data fields metric into the Include contacts that match all the rules in this group section.
- Click [Click to select a datafield].
- Choose the BOOKEDONCE data field, choose Is yes from the dropdown and then click OKAY.
- Drag and drop another Data fields metric into the Include contacts that match all the rules in this group section.
- Click [Click to select a datafield].
- Choose the WEEKSSINCELASTVISIT data field, choose is equal to and 1 from the dropdown, and then click OKAY.
- Combine them using the And option.
- Click Apply twice.
Enrolment Limit
- Click Set Limit.
- Choose Enrol contacts only the first time they meet the start criteria.
- Click Apply twice.
4. Add an Email Campaign
- Click the green email campaign node.
- Select or create the triggered email campaign you want to send to Customers who have only visited once.
5. Set a delay
- Click the orange delay node.
- Set the delay node to a minimum of 7 days.
6. Create a Rule
Click on the purple decision node.
Apply the following settings:
Condition
- Click on Select Condition.
- Choose Contact has opened an email campaign.
TIP: Apple's iOS15 and MacOS12 Monterey software updates mean that open metrics are unreliable success measure.
If your emails contain links you might want to consider changing the decision node to Contact has clicked a link in an email campaign as these show an even greater level of engagement.
- Select the email campaign you added in step 4.
- Click Apply.
Maximum wait time
- Choose Immediately.
- Click Apply.
7. Add an Email Campaign
- Under the Yes branch, select the green email campaign node.
- Select or create the triggered email campaign you want to send as reminder to Customers who have opened the previous email but have not yet booked.
8. Set a delay
- Click the orange delay node.
- Set the delay node to a minimum of 7 days.
9. Add an Email Campaign
- Under the No branch, select the green email campaign node.
- Select or create the triggered email campaign you want to send as reminder to Customers who didn’t open the previous email and have not yet booked.
10. Set a delay
- Click the orange delay node.
- Set the delay node to a minimum of 7 days.
11. Activate the Program
To start your Program click the Activate button.
WARNING: You will not be able to start your Program if there are any validation issues.
Validation issues will be listed under the Validation menu.
You can't edit a program while it is active, but you can deactivate the Program at any time to make changes.
Reporting
We recommend that you test and refine your Program to see which settings are most effective. You can use the Dotdigital Program report to evaluate this Program.
You can also track Customers who have purchased Tickets for an Event by using the BOOKEDONCE Exit Condition.
-
To do this, follow the steps below:
- Once the program is Active, from the menu bar at the top, click EXIT CONDITIONS.
- You will then see a number of contacts that left the program by each Exit Condition.
- The number against the BOOKEDONCE will be customers who have now purchased tickets.
- You can click on the number to see a list of the contacts.
You may also want to consider the following:
- A/B testing different email content
- Offers
- Dynamic Content
- The send times of your campaigns
Further Reading
To continue learning about Dotdigital, take a look at the Communicate with your Customers category on the Support Centre.