How to Ease Buyer Anxieties
OCTOBER 2024
By Alexis Woerdehoff
When it comes to buying from a new brand or online in general, there is a sense of anxiety that can go with it from things like not knowing what the shipping process will be like or the cost, if they are a trusted, reputable brand, with a good return policy, sizing, etc. These reasons can prevent subscribers or potential customers from placing their first order. So, how can you ease those anxieties within your email program? Here are some ideas:
Establish Trust and Set Expectations
From the moment they sign up to receive your emails, the goal should be to set expectations about what they can expect from you and work to establish trust—this starts in your welcome series.
Your welcome emails are often the first ones a subscriber will receive from you. In this series, you want to offer a strong introduction of who you are as a brand and what you can offer them beyond just a discount code. Give them all the details needed to place their first order, like sizing information and FAQs.
Educational Content and Social Proof
If you're communicating with prospects, aka subscribers who have never purchased before, you want to do what you can to create a positive image of your brand. Provide guides or tips on how to use your product, talk about the benefits in a way that resonates with your subscriber’s needs, and address common FAQs upfront, such as product ingredients, manufacturing, sizing, or ethical practices. You want to give the subscriber the answers they didn't know they were looking for before they're looking for them.
Beyond educational content, give the people more of what they want most- social proof. Subscribers want to see your brand IRL and what actual people have to say. This is also why it is pertinent to gather reviews and UGC, so you have it when you need it.
Abandonment Series
When we look at why people abandon their cart, checkout, or browse, the top reasons are the shipping cost, not sure they've found the right size or exactly what they're looking for, or the return policy. Your abandonment series is a great place to answer these anxieties. These are questions that can easily be answered in any of these series and it helps subscribers get answers without having to search.
Your abandonment series should always remind you of the abandoned items, the benefits of the products in the cart, and what they stand to gain by completing the purchase, FAQs, or direct links to customer service to answer any lingering questions and cross-selling opportunities.
Post Purchase Series
Within your email program, you want to fill all the gaps and create a full journey for every step of the customer journey—from pre-purchase to post. This is also a great area to discuss any special cleaning/washing instructions, cross-sell, and encourage them to come purchase again.
These are some of the key areas where information to ease buyer anxieties is important to include. You want your subscribers to feel confident in purchasing and want to order again.
Want to chat more about easing buyer anxieties in your program? Reach out now.
