If You're Not in My Inbox, Chances Are I'll Forget About You

Yes, you read that correctly.

Now, I probably subscribe to more email lists than the average person. That's part of working in email marketing. But when I sign up for a brand's emails, I'm also a customer just like anyone else on the list.

Earlier this year, my husband and I moved to New York City. One of the things I love most is discovering new coffee shops, restaurants, and local businesses. There are so many places to try, so I started following UES Things (@uesthings)on Instagram for recommendations in our neighborhood.

I have to say, I’m impressed. She really has a pulse on the neighborhood, and her recommendations are very much in line with my style.

When I see a restaurant, coffee shop, or local business that looks interesting, I'll usually follow them on Instagram. And if I end up stopping by, I'll almost always sign up for their email list. Sometimes it's at checkout. Sometimes it's through an online reservation.

And then...nothing.

Here are two real-life examples of how a little more follow-up might have helped these businesses stay top of mind.

The Coffee Shop

As someone who works for herself, I'm always looking for coffee shops where I can sit with my laptop and work for an hour or two.

I found one that was perfect. It was close to Mocha's groomer, and I knew I had about two hours while she was there. The coffee was great, and I thought it would become my go-to place to work whenever I dropped her off.

When I checked out, they asked if I'd like to join their loyalty program, which meant providing my phone number and email address. Of course, I said yes.

Three weeks later, I was back in the neighborhood and wanted to go there again. There was just one problem. I couldn't remember the name or exactly where it was. And because they had never emailed me, they weren't in my inbox.

Had they emailed me even once during those three weeks, chances are I would have remembered their name.

Instead, I spent the next ten minutes scrolling through Instagram, hoping I'd recognize one of their posts.

The Restaurant

A few months earlier, my husband and I were out of town for the weekend and found an incredible restaurant. We booked through OpenTable, checked the box to receive emails, and had a great meal.

Four months later, we were back in the same town.

"What's the name of that restaurant?" my husband asked. I had no idea. I searched my inbox. Nothing.

So, there I was, asking ChatGPT to help me figure out the restaurant by describing the food, the neighborhood, and what I remembered about the dining room.

This was a missed opportunity because I had signed up for emails, had already eaten there, loved the food, and wanted to go back.

Sometimes You Just Need to Send the Email

Both businesses had already done the hard part. They got me through the door, gave me a great experience, and collected my email address.

But after that, I didn't hear from them.

This made me think about something Jon Taffer has said about customer loyalty: “The third time they come to your restaurant, the statistical likelihood of a fourth visit is over 70%. Restaurants should never market for one visit. You should market for three.”

The idea is that one good experience doesn't necessarily make someone a loyal customer. You have to get them to come back.

To me, that is one of the best parts about email marketing. You can engage with someone who raised their hand.

These businesses had already gotten the first visit. But months or even weeks later, there are a lot of other restaurants and coffee shops competing for my attention, and being in my inbox helps.

We spend so much time thinking about what we're going to send.

What's the promotion? What's the offer? Do we have anything important enough to say?

Sometimes you don't need a promotion or a big announcement. You just need to stay in touch.

I’ve seen this with clients, too. One restaurant client saw a significant increase in visits on days we sent emails, even when the open and click rates didn’t necessarily show the full impact. Sometimes simply being present in the inbox is enough to remind someone you’re there.

Think about how often you're in your inbox. Email doesn't always have to get someone to buy right now.

Sometimes its job is simply to help them remember you when they are ready to buy again.

Not sure what to send? I put together 10 Simple Ways to Build Stronger Customer Relationships with Email & SMS, with practical ideas you can start using to stay connected with your customers.

Because if you're not in their inbox, there's a good chance they'll forget about you.