Gill Marine's technical gear is designed to offer complete freedom of movement, essential for navigating both water and land. Mirroring this flexibility, their marketing strategy is dynamic and unbound by traditional approaches, allowing the company to stay ahead of the curve. This proactive stance ensures that Gill Marine not only provides an exceptional user experience but also achieves positive outcomes in a competitive industry.
ROI
abandoned carts recovered
Over the years, Gill Marine had built a substantial SMS subscriber list, but engagement soon plateaued due to limited content options and the effectiveness of campaigns being heavily reliant on promotional offers.
Eager to innovate, Gill Marine had been considering the potential of WhatsApp as an alternative platform for some time. After careful deliberation, they partnered with Kiosk to test its capabilities.
The primary objective was to leverage this new platform to increase revenue through targeted campaigns and to create automations that would not only boost revenue but also expand the subscriber list more efficiently.
Given the size of their SMS list, which included several thousand contacts, a crucial step was converting these subscribers to WhatsApp opt-ins, ensuring a seamless transition to more interactive and engaging marketing strategies.
Surpass SMS campaign revenue.
Increase the number of opt-ins and expand the engaged audience.
Implement high-ROI automations.
The objective was to develop a robust automated system that efficiently engages and expands the contact list. This system is designed to enhance customer interaction and increase revenue for the brand, all while minimizing the time and resources required for management.
Guided by Kiosk's expert recommendations, Gill Marine quickly initiated their campaign strategy, launching initial tests within just a few days. The initial focus was a campaign aimed at converting SMS subscribers to WhatsApp, utilizing a mix of incentives to boost engagement and opt-in rates.
ROI
abandoned carts recovered
Earning Per Conversation
As part of the test, Gill Marine had high expectations for WhatsApp. It was important to be able to compare with previous SMS use cases and understand the incremental value of the channel. Gill Marine was astonished as the results were much higher than expected.
More than half—54%—of the SMS subscribers list converted to WhatsApp in a single campaign. In addition to this added value, it also generated a 12x ROI thanks to the coupon included in the second message—a strong example of how multi-step messages can create more value on a single touch-point.
When the SMS CTR ranges from 3 to 14% in campaigns, this one feature an astonishing 54% conversion rate
Kiosk & WhatsApp performance VS SMS Benchmark on the first campaign:
Recovering abandoned carts is tricky. You have to multiply touch-points, and attributing revenue can sometimes be subtle.
For this test, Gill Marine ran a very simple yet effective A/B test. Half of the audience entering the flow were going to receive SMS, and the other half WhatsApp.
After two weeks, WhatsApp had more than double the rate of SMS, with one-third of all carts recovered compared to 12% for SMS.
It is important to remember that these contacts had opted in for communications. These statistics cannot be observed across the full audience. However, it is a pretty good illustration of how timely and effective messages on WhatsApp can truly convert.
The welcome offer flow, designed to recover browsing abandonment and actively engage the audience, features a compelling 10% discount. It is crucial to assess how prominently the brand features in the audience’s awareness.
This WhatsApp flow demonstrated exceptional performance, with a staggering 77% Click-Through Rate and 100% Open Rate. These results underscore the substantial benefits of being a pioneer in adopting new communication channels. ☄️
Opt-ins are essential as they determine the size of your audience and directly influence the revenue generated from your campaigns and automations.
The website popup consistently achieves a 2% conversion rate of the website traffic, whereas the checkout process secures a 4% conversion rate. These figures may fluctuate based on the incentives offered. Keep an eye out for updates, as Kiosk is set to introduce new features that promise to dramatically expand your audience. 👀
Gill Marine initiated a campaign leveraging its extensive SMS subscriber list to offer a compelling new experience on WhatsApp. The primary goal of the campaign was to convert SMS opt-ins to WhatsApp opt-ins. Recognizing that incentives drive better engagement, Gill Marine included a coupon in the campaign, which led to an increase in orders in the subsequent days. The campaign had 3 steps:
On clicking the quick reply button, contacts were automatically registered in Kiosk, ensuring their inclusion in future communications and seamlessly transitioning them to the WhatsApp platform.
The final step involved rewarding the opt-in with a coupon, serving not only to incentivize the opt-in process but also to stimulate an immediate increase in orders, thereby boosting the overall ROI.
Following the initial success of the WhatsApp opt-in campaign, Gill Marine decided to integrate Kiosk's Entry Points to capitalize further on WhatsApp's potential. This integration involved updating their website with a strategically placed pop-up designed to facilitate seamless opt-ins.
Encouraged by high engagement rates, Gill Marine added a dedicated WhatsApp opt-in tab within the pop-up. This new feature proved effective, converting 2% of the website's traffic into opted-in contacts, thus significantly expanding their audience.
The pop-up is directly linked to Kiosk, which captures all new opt-ins. This setup allows Gill Marine to efficiently segment and retarget these contacts, optimizing their engagement strategies based on user behavior and preferences.
To further enhance opt-in rates, Gill Marine introduced an opt-in option at the checkout stage. This feature allows customers to sign up for future communications either after completing a purchase or right before a potential cart abandonment. This strategic placement ensures that customers are more likely to opt-in when they are already engaged in the buying process, boosting the likelihood of future interactions.
As part of Gill Marine's strategic objectives, implementing automated marketing flows was critical for generating incremental revenue efficiently, without the need for constant oversight. The focus was primarily on two key automations: the Abandoned Cart Flow and the Welcome Offer Flow.
With statistics showing that 75% of all shopping carts are abandoned, Gill Marine recognized the need for a robust solution to recapture this potential revenue. Leveraging multiple Entry Points established across their digital platforms, they targeted a broad segment of previously opted-in contacts.
This targeted approach allows them to re-engage customers who left items in their carts, using timely reminders and effectively minimizing revenue loss.
The Welcome Offer Flow was designed to instantly engage new subscribers who opted in via the website pop-up. New contacts received a welcome coupon almost immediately if they had not made a purchase yet. This strategy not only rewarded them for their engagement but also acted as a strong incentive to convert browsing into buying.
The perfect way to recover browsing abandonment 💫
The success of Kiosk’s trial was undeniable, leading Gill Marine to transition from trial to a full subscription. The focus now shifts towards expanding their audience and increasing engagement through innovative strategies and multiple new flows.
1. Innovative entry points
Having implemented the two most classic entry points, Gill Marine is set to explore more dynamic methods of engagement. The use of WhatsApp QR codes and direct links will allow for more timely and effective interaction, significantly boosting audience growth by tapping into moments when potential customers are most receptive.
2.More high ROI automations
Encouraged by the impressive outcomes of the initial automations, Gill Marine plans to further harness the power of automated workflows. The introduction of additional high-ROI flows, such as the repeat purchase flow and post-purchase opt-in flow, aims to replace all SMS interactions with more efficient WhatsApp communications managed through Kiosk. These next steps are designed not just to maintain engagement but to create a self-sustaining cycle of communication that drives continuous interaction and sales. ⚙️
