In this article from our case study series, we profile a young, fast-growing business, Espace Houblon, which is building customer loyalty and generating 10 times more visits to its website using Cyberimpact.
A visit to Espace Houblon
Sharp-eyed Sébastien Lalande isn’t just a beer specialist; he’s also an entrepreneur with a real head for business. With his partners, he runs 3 specialty shops where beer takes centre stage (Saint-Eustache, Mascouche and Laval).
They carry about 450 beers from some fifty Quebec microbreweries, along with an impressive selection of nearly 150 hot sauces and a variety of fine charcuterie and cheeses.
The Club Houblon
At Espace Houblon, human contact is at the heart of the customer approach, and the newsletter is part of the company’s loyalty program, the Club Houblon. In addition to collecting reward dollars that can be exchanged for products, club members are added to the mailing list. Email marketing enhances the special relationship the business has with its customers.
“We don’t want to send sales emails. Every month, we send an email aimed at building customer loyalty.”
Sébastien Lalande, Espace Houblon
Planning and content of the mailings
Initially skeptical about the potential results when he subscribed to our service in May 2015, Mr. Lalande quickly understood the full power of email. By adding customers who made an in-store purchase to the mailing list, Espace Houblon built a community of receptive, engaged shoppers. “Every month, we put more and more thought into the content we send, and we work hard on the subject line,” says Mr. Lalande.
The content of the monthly email varies: it features new products, recipe ideas, an educational article or a preview of upcoming tasting events. A promotion is also added to appeal to beer lovers. Whether it’s an exclusive offer, a flash discount or a freebie, “the monthly promotion is always meant to bring people into the store.”
Raising a glass to the results
The results speak for themselves. Last November’s newsletter offered a free glass with a minimum purchase. The following weekend, hundreds of people rushed to the shops to take advantage of it, with a direct impact on sales.
After the holidays, the January newsletter offered $2 off per bottle on selected beers. The email was designed to bring customers into the shop, and once there, they were offered tastings to excite their taste buds and boost sales. “Beer was going out by the case instead of by the bottle!” Sébastien tells us.
A few weeks later, the newsletter announced a range of mixology products for making cocktails at home. While the customer base was thought to be largely male, Espace Houblon struck a chord with female customers. The 50% open rate translated into record sales. “In the week after the mailing, all 3 shops were cleaned out.” Sales in that department rose by 800% during that period. Now that’s what we call a return on investment!
The most recent newsletter sent to Club Houblon members, on April 8, had the subject line “Trade your points for beer!” The email invited subscribers to visit the web page with the details of the offer. In the three days that followed, Google statistics showed 10 times more visits to the website than usual.
Well-deserved success
With results like these, the team at Espace Houblon clearly understands the importance of email in its efforts to build customer loyalty. Needless to say, they’re already busy brewing up a new promotion and planning the next mailing. Drop by one of their shops; you’ll feel like a kid in a candy store.
What about you? Do you use email marketing in your customer loyalty strategy? Think about it: you could be the next to benefit from your customers’ loyalty. More visits, more sales… you have to admit it’s tempting. Go pick up a good beer at Espace Houblon and savour it while you think about your strategy. While you’re there, join the Club Houblon; it’ll give you ideas. And if your advisor is wearing a T-shirt that says “L’ivrogne” (“The Drunkard”), you can trust them twice as much. Cheers, and enjoy!
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