Whole Foods Market: Email Marketing Campaign

The following post will analyze Whole Foods Market email marketing campaign. 

Whole Foods Market email campaign is attempting to convert me into a customer using a conversion direct marketing strategy. The company skipped its acquisition strategy and directly transitioned to a conversion strategy. The reason for the transition is simple. The company already knows I am interested in its offerings. This is due to the fact that I signed up to receive the company's newsletter. The company no longer needs to acquire my interest, but instead turn me into a repeat customer. The emails I have received since subscribing to its newsletter all have one thing in common, an offer. The offer is essential in a conversion strategy. The company expects the offer to entice the user and incite and action. The company's most recent email successfully grabbed by attention, the offer is clearly visible and very interesting to me as a customer. The following image contains Whole Foods latest email campaign. 

Direct Marketing

In this particular email the recipient is enticed to visit the store. The email is clearly trying to convert the recipient into a repeat customer by extending a great deal. Whole Foods hopes that the deal will get the recipient through the door and create additional purchases or at least a more direct interaction. 

Email Design

• Subject line: "On Sale Now, Kitchen Staples to Stock On." The email subject line is concise and clearly states what the email is about.

• Online Link: Any part of the image automatically sends you to the online version of the deal, where more information and promotions can be found. 

• Call to action: 25 cent Oatmeal! Who wouldn't take advantage of a 25 cent oatmeal at Whole Foods?

• Time deadline: The email clearly states the recipient has until October 27th and must be before 10 AM. 

• CAN SPAM: The email campaign is compliant with the act. An unsubscribe link can be found at the bottom of the email, as well as their physical address. 

• Viral marketing/Social media: Social media integration is clearly available for the recipients to use. 

CAN SPAM compliance and social media integration, which are found at the bottom of the email, can be seen in the following image. 

Changes to Whole Foods Market email strategies

I have been thoroughly surprised with the email campaigns I have received. All emails either have useful content or enticing offers. Useful content received include recipes, health tips, and much more. Those type of email are very important building customer loyalty. 

One thing I would change, however, is the frequency of the emails. I have received an email everyday since subscribing to the newsletter. Having just signed up, I do not find it to be annoying. But incase the frequency of emails persist, I will most certainly unsubscribe. 

A/B testing

In case the email example provided above does not attain the results desired by the marketing team, I would change the offer made. It is a possibility that oatmeal is not desired by the recipient. Changing that offer to a smoothie might entice the recipient to a higher extent. 

Internet I's

Interactive: Out of the 3 companies I am currently following, Whole Foods, is the only company that allowed my to subscribe to any type of newsletter or information about the company. The company immediately got in touch via email. I have since received numerous useful recipes, health tips, and offers. 

Information-driven: Whole foods is able to track customer preferences trough the use of its own app, newsletter subscriptions, social media presence, and Instacart, the company's new grocery delivery service. The data collected these mediums is sure to be important when creating promotional activities. 

Immediate: The use of direct email marketing and social media presence (Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook) is essential. The company is not only able to directly reply, but also create a two way conversation with its customers. 

Involving: Whole Foods has been able to create a very involving culture trough the use of informative videos, recipes, health tips, social gatherings, and most importantly a connection to its food suppliers.



Source:

Whole Foods Market. (2015) Retrieved from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Zahay, D., & Roberts, M. (2008) Internet Marketing. Mason, OH: South-Western