Want to know the importance of After-Sales Content, the different types of After-Sales Content, and how to write them? You have come to the right place. So, if you are a business looking to expand and retain customers or a content marketer looking to specialize, please continue reading to find not only the types but also the key effective After-Sales communication.
Table of Contents
Introduction
So first things first, what is After-Sales Content?
Most people think that marketing content is all about generating leads through ads, warming up the leads to lead to purchase ultimately. To take a simple example, suppose you want to sell a lipstick, first, you will run ads then put in some discount to create urgency and ultimately manage to sell the lipstick.
After-sales content is what happens after the purchase is made. You have already converted a lead to a buying customer but now the challenge is to make him or her buy from you again and again.
What are the types of After-Sales Content?
After-sales content comes in all shapes and sizes.
Thank You messages
If you are chronically online, like me, and are a sucker for new brands and small businesses, you will see that all of them have something in common— a thank you message or personalized note to the buyer.
This can be sent in the form of an email, a push notification, or even a WhatsApp or SMS. It is simply building a bond with the customer and can be as simple as a line “ Thank you for buying from us, we hope to see you soon at our checkout counter.”
At a Glance
Tone: Chatty and engaging.
Language: Simple
Main purpose: To stay on top of the mind.
Onboarding content
This type of After-Sales content is used more when you sell a gadget, software, furniture, appliances, real estate, etc.
In short, products that need a lot of explaining to the consumer and have a higher price point than that of a pizza order or a new brand of shampoo. Through onboarding content, you hand-hold and reassure the consumers in making the final purchase.
Onboarding content can come in the form of manuals, explainer videos, user guides, etc.
The psychological impact of this type of content is immense. The consumer feels welcomed into a part of a friendly club through this kind of content. The more friendly and useful the onboarding experience, the better the chances of the customer favoring you again when he or she needs to make the purchase.
Here is an example of onboarding content a real estate brand might use:
Welcome to your dream home!
Dear [Client’s Name],
Congratulations on taking the first step toward finding your dream property! We’re thrilled to have you with us and can’t wait to help you make this exciting journey smooth, transparent, and stress-free.
Here’s how we’ll work together:
After you have chosen your personal dream home we will assign you a personal consultant who will guide you through every step of your home-buying journey. From customization to finally handing over the keys we are there for you, all the time.
You’ll be assigned a dedicated real estate consultant who will guide you every step of the way.
We’ll also guide you through the financing process, connect you with trusted loan providers, and ensure all paperwork is seamless and hassle-free.
What You Need to Do: Prepare basic documents such as ID proof, income proof, and any preferences for financing options.
Stay Connected
We’re here to support you even after the deal is done. Whether you need advice on renovations, property management, or future investments, our team is always a call away.
Contact Us: [Your Phone Number]
Email Us: [Your Email Address]
Visit Us: [Your Website Link]
Exclusive Resources for You
- Home-Buying Guide: Everything you need to know about purchasing your property. [Download Now]
- Market Insights: Stay updated with trends in the real estate market. [Subscribe to Our Newsletter]
Thank you for trusting [Your Real Estate Brand Name]. We’re excited to help you find a property that’s perfect for you!
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Designation]
[Your Real Estate Brand Name]
At a Glance
Tone: Professional and authoritative
Language: Simple
Main purpose: To generate confidence in the customer
Through this you are providing your consumers with valuable resources in the form of a brochure or a manual, keeping them informed about the latest trends while telling them what extra benefits they get by doing business with you.
Follow-up emails
This type of content is used to gauge the customer satisfaction level and provide additional resources. Generally, after you make a purchase you will get an email in your inbox telling you more about the purchase.
It makes the customer feel special and builds their faith in the brand
Will they buy again from you? Definitely! If you do it right.
Here’s a sample follow-up mail a cosmetic brand might send.
Subject Line: We’d Love to Hear About Your Experience!
Hi [Customer’s Name],
Thank you for choosing [Your Brand Name]! We hope you’re loving your [Product Name(s)] as much as we loved creating it for you.
We’d love to hear how it’s working for you! Share your experience with us and help us make our products even better.
Quick Links for You
Leave a Review: [Insert Link to Review Page]
How-To Guide: [Insert Link to Product Guide or Blog Post]
Need Help?: Reply to this email, and our beauty experts will assist you.
Pro Tip of the Day!
Did you know applying a lip balm before your matte lipstick can make it last longer without drying out? Discover more tips on our blog: [Insert Blog Link].
Note: Here we add value
As a token of appreciation, here’s a special treat for you:
Get 10% off your next order with code THANKYOU10.
This offer is valid for the next 7 days, so don’t miss out!
Note: Here we provide a small reward to ensure repeat sales.
Stay Connected
Follow us on Instagram for more beauty tips, tricks, and exclusive launches!
[Insert Instagram Link]
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
Reach out to us and stay connected with us.
Notice that the follow-up mail and thank you after-sales content merge here together. You can also throw in a testimonial here to build authenticity.
Tone: Engaging
Language: Simple and trendy
Main purpose: To touch base with the customer.
Upselling or cross-selling content
This is where you show the customer what else they can buy from you, is there a foundation that matches the lipstick they bought? Is there a special beauty box that they might find useful? If they are happy with their first purchase they might want to buy a complimentary or upgraded version of the product they purchased.
Pro hack: Be subtle. The tone used should feel like you are offering them help instead of pushing selling to increase your profits.
Here’s a template a cosmetic brand might use:
Hey (Customer Name),
We are glad that our lipstick shade is helping you smash your fashionista game. Do you know what can make it even better? Our new exclusive range of matte foundations. Check them out and grab eyeballs at every do!
Click the link below to explore our range.
Tone: Trendy and energetic
Language: Simple and engaging
Purpose: To cross-sell
Feedback and Reviews requests
This type of content has two purposes: 1) to understand which area of your service or product needs improvement and 2) to make the customer feel really special by making them feel heard.
This generally comes in the form of a physical or online form.
Pro Tip: Make the feedback form as simple as possible, no one likes writing essays on feedback forms. The best feedback forms are the ones where you can simply tick a box or give ratings as stars.
Here is a sample feedback form a restaurant can use:
Feedback Form
We value your feedback! Please take a moment to rate your experience.
1. Food Quality
How would you rate the taste and quality of our food?
☐ Excellent
☐ Good
☐ Average
☐ Poor
2. Service Quality
How would you rate the attentiveness and friendliness of our staff?
☐ Excellent
☐ Good
☐ Average
☐ Poor
3. Cleanliness and Ambience
How would you rate the cleanliness and overall ambience of the restaurant?
☐ Excellent
☐ Good
☐ Average
☐ Poor
4. Value for Money
How satisfied are you with the price-to-value ratio?
☐ Excellent
☐ Good
☐ Average
☐ Poor
5. Overall Experience
How was your overall experience with us?
☐ Excellent
☐ Good
☐ Average
☐ Poor
6. Additional Comments
We’d love to hear any suggestions or specific feedback:
Would You Recommend Us?
☐ Yes
☐ No
Similar feedback forms with different service areas can be used for spas, shopping malls, etc.
At a Glance
Tone: Serious
Language: Direct and easy
Purpose: To gather detail information about all aspects of business
Loyalty or Rewards programs
These are the types of content where you reward the customers for their loyalty and ensure repeat sales. The customer is happy because of the reward, you are happy you made repeat sales. A complete win-win situation.
Simply drop a message telling them “ Here are your loyalty points, redeem them on your next purchase”.
If you are selling something like a banking service or insurance or automobiles your messages might be lengthier, the language, more ornate and the rewards higher but the basic purpose remains the same – to reward and ensure repeat sales.
Tone: Friendly
Language: Direct and easy
Purpose: To encourage repeat sells
Reminder emails
Use this type of content to remind your customer that they may be running low on the product they bought from you. For example, you can drop a message saying “ Your lipstick is on its last legs??? Reorder now to save x %”
Here’s a more elaborate template telling you the same thing.
Here’s a template for a reminder email to nudge the customer to reorder their lipstick:
Subject Line: Is Your Favorite Lipstick Running Low?
Header: Don’t Let Your Perfect Shade Run Out
Body:
Hi [Customer Name],
We know how much you love your [Lipstick Shade/Name]! If you’re anything like us, it’s your go-to for every occasion. But here’s the thing—lipsticks have a habit of running out just when you need them most!
Why not stay ahead of the game? Reorder your favorite [Lipstick Shade/Name] now and keep rocking your flawless look without a pause.
Plus, here’s a little treat for you: Reorder today and get 10% off with the code: LIPLOVE10 (valid for the next 48 hours).
[Reorder Now]
Hurry before your perfect pout runs out!
Stay fabulous,
[Brand Name]
P.S. Love experimenting? Check out our new collection of shades while restocking your favorite!
Notice how we are building an extremely personal connection while making offers of repeat sales.
At a Glance
Tone: Intimate
Language: Direct and easy
Purpose: To encourage repeat sales and remind the consumer of the product they purchased from you.
Customer support content
This is possibly the most important form of After-sales content. Provide possible answers to any question the customer might have about their purchase and never forget to provide them with a customer care number or email ID.
You might include this kind of content in the website or send a separate mail or provide them with the manual.
We have been talking about lipsticks quite a lot. Let’s stick to that colorful theme.
Here is what a FAQ for a brand selling lipsticks might look like:
FAQs – [Your Lipstick Brand Name]
1. Are your lipsticks cruelty-free and vegan?
Yes, all our lipsticks are 100% cruelty-free, and select ranges are vegan. Look for the “vegan-friendly” label on the product page.
2. How long do your lipsticks last once applied?
Our lipsticks are designed for long-lasting wear. They typically last 8-10 hours.
3. Do your lipsticks contain harmful chemicals?
Our lipsticks are free from parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.
6. Do you offer mini versions of your lipsticks?
Yes! We have mini lipstick sets for you to try multiple shades.
7. How should I store my lipsticks?
To maintain quality, store your lipsticks in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
8. Can I return a lipstick if I don’t like the shade?
Yes, we offer a 30-day return policy for unused products in their original packaging.
9. Do you test on animals?
Never! We are proud to be a cruelty-free brand.
10. How can I make my lipstick last longer?
For best results, exfoliate your lips, apply a lip primer, and layer the lipstick with a matching lip liner. Blot with a tissue and reapply for extra staying power.
11. What’s the shelf life of your lipsticks?
Our lipsticks have a shelf life of 24 months from the date of manufacture.
12. Do you offer international shipping?
Yes, we ship to select countries. Check our shipping policy for more details.
13. How can I contact customer support?
You can reach us at support@[yourbrand].com or call us at [your phone number]. We’re happy to assist!
This is just a basic format, you can make your answers detailed, think of more questions, etc. But please remember to keep your FAQ’s to the point and snappy. Also equally obviously, you would write a completely different FAQ if you were selling an electric blender but the purpose would remain the same. To provide clarity and value to the customer.
At a Glance
Tone: Professional
Language: Direct and detail-oriented
Purpose: To provide clarity to the consumer.
Why is After-Sales Content necessary?
Here are a few reasons why excellent After-Sales content is valuable for every business.
Customer retention
To successfully run a business, you need to shift your focus from acquisition to retention.
Think of it in terms of dating parlance.
You open the door for them, you split the bill, and they will probably think of seeing you again. But once they go home, and you do not follow up with a conversation, some information about your character, etc., the chances of them asking for a second date are very low.
So, if you ace that after-date conversation content well — and in our case, the after-sales content, you have not only ensured one sale but repeat sales and referrals.
The key is to be able to figure out what to write. And, because you will need to write one-size-fits-all content, it is even more crucial that you get the tone, setting, and context correct.
Cost effectiveness
It is much more cost-effective to retain customers than to acquire new leads. Conversion of new leads is an expensive business, it can cost anywhere from 5 to 25 times more than retaining existing buyers. However, investing just 5 percent in customer retention can boost profits by a minimum of 25 percent.
Goodwill
It spreads word of mouth, in other words, creates goodwill about the brand leading to referral sales. This is why so many e-commerce websites use user reviews.
Identifying customer needs post-purchase
It is very important to understand who your customer is to write any form of marketing content. The benefit of After Sales Content is that you already know the consumer somewhat, you need to know him/her better.
How do you do that?
By gathering feedback through surveys.
We have discussed this but once you gather the feedback it’s time to look for common patterns.
This will help you in:
Analyzing common customer pain points
For example, if you are a restaurant owner and you are getting feedback form after feedback where your food is appreciated but the service falls below par, you need to improve your services.
Understanding different customer personas
According to Epsilon research, 80% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that offers personalized experiences and recommendations.
Similarly, 63% of users will only respond to customized marketing messages.
These personalized experiences and customized messages depend heavily on the understanding of Customer Personas.
You need to know three things to create a workable customer persona, the who, the why, and the what.
Demographics (the who)
Demographics refer to basic information like gender, age, income, location, education etc.
Psychographics (the why)
Psychographics focus on the emotional aspects like the customers’ interests, passions, pain points, challenges, motivations, and values.
Behavior (the what)
This describes a summation of customer behavior, ranging from which of your products/services they are more interested in and how they came across your solution to the mode of payment they used.
When you have a more or less complete customer persona you know exactly how to ace your after-sales content game.
The key to crafting effective After-Sales Communication
No matter what form of After-Sales Content you are writing always remember these points: Make sure the tone is pleasant and warm and the content personalized whenever possible
- Keep the messaging direct and clear
- Provide content that has value i.e. which helps the customer in a certain way. Maybe solving a problem, providing relevant information or making an offer whenever possible.
- Don’t use complex sentences or make the content laborious to read. Rather. keep it engaging, simple, and conversational
Leveraging multiple channels for engagement
Multiple channels for engagement help like maybe a combination of daily push notifications and monthly Newsletters. The benefits of these are
- Lesser chances of your consumer overlooking the content
- More chances of increasing top-of-the-mind recall
After-Sales activity: Creating community through user forums and social media
By building a community on WhatsApp or Reddit you let your consumers not only feel more attached to you but to feel attached. It’s like a help group. Creating a community keeps your brand alive for longer in the mind of the user and reduces marketing costs.
Here are the key points about building an active community.
- The group needs to be active with regular sharing of content.
- The group needs to be regularly moderated.
- The user list needs to be screened regularly and irrelevant leads culled out.
Conclusion
After- Sales Content is never an added service or an afterthought. Instead, it is a crucial part of building a thriving business and encouraging repeat sales.
The key is to understand the tone and purpose behind each piece of content you write and we assure you, that your consumer would be coming back for more.
FAQs
Q.1. What types of After-Sales Content are most effective?
This depends on the brand and the product. Generally, a mix of different content types across different channels works the best.
Q.2. What tools can help automate After-Sales communication?
There are CRM (Customer Retention Marketing Tools) like Hubspot which gives a reminder that it’s time for the next follow-up content to go out, or Keap which helps in personalization of the content, and Mailchimp which ensures the automated content reaches on time.
Q.3. How do I measure the success of After-Sales content?
The best and most effective way is to put a CTA in all of your after-sales content such as —did you find this useful?
Also, track other metrics like repeat purchases and referrals that you can use.
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