Customer loyalty shapes how a business messages, markets and thrives. Your local advertisers may prioritize this in response to increased competition and price sensitivity. One option to present to them is post-purchase ads.

These campaigns can boost customer loyalty, engagement and retention. Let’s review the basics of these ads, some data points and ways to incorporate them into your proposals.

What Are Post-Purchase Ads?

A post-purchase ad can take many forms. It could be part of retargeting when a consumer completes a transaction, triggered by being on a completion page. Companies can also set up these campaigns with programmatic or social ads targeting previous purchasers, showing them ads for items that complement what they’ve already ordered.

The goal of these ads is often to reward customers for their loyalty by giving them a special discount. Another angle is promoting loyalty programs or upgrades to items they currently own.

How Do Consumers Feel About Ads After the Purchase?

A survey of U.S. adults revealed these opinions:

  • 63% of people said these ads enhanced their shopping experience.
  • 62% of survey takers agreed that useful discounts would motivate them to buy more.
  • 88% of consumers reported they’d be more likely to act on post-purchase ads if they were personalized.

These stats revolve around buying actions, which is the goal of every business. When businesses serve up meaningful and relevant advertising, they will take advantage of them. It may seem a bit complicated for your customers, but you can help them with the logistics around retargeting and campaign setup to ensure they reach the right people.

These ads can also lift engagement.

After the Purchase Ads and Engagement

Revenue is priority number one with these ads, but it isn’t the only one. Consider how your client’s business can connect with customers outside the transaction to strengthen loyalty.

As mentioned, these ads would be a great vehicle for getting more loyalty club sign-ups. When consumers join, they’ll consistently and constantly receive updates from the brand. They may be able to get special deals or earn points for rewards.

These ads can also work for services, not just physical products. In the category of experiences, a repeat purchase is just one type of ad. Others provide value to brands in terms of engagement.

Some examples include:

  • Ads after a spa or salon service to rebook, try something new at a discount or leave a review
  • Post-dining ads to join their loyalty club or follow them on social
  • A “thank you” ad from field service companies (e.g., HVAC, landscaping) that request a rating, survey completions or highlight a referral program

Thinking broader about the impact of post-purchase ads means they can fit the sales cycle of almost any local business.

Post-Purchasing Ads and Media Plans

When strategizing with customers about their full media plans, be sure post-purchase advertising has a place. These businesses realize the impact of losing loyal customers and should be as concerned about retention as they are about acquisition.

Providing them with some of these examples will allow them to visualize how they fit into their bigger marketing plans. You can divide their advertising into three categories:

The third group often doesn’t receive the attention it should. Now, you can deliver these recommendations and tactics to ensure it has a place.

Wondering how to slide this into budget talks? Read our post on allocating budget to multi-tactic campaigns.