Digital CRM case study: Tootega kayaks

Author: CIMCOM

undefined UK kayak manufacturer, Tootega, required a digital marketing strategy to turn one-time visitors into long-term customers. They worked with digital agency, Bigfork who developed a CRM strategy using automated marketing and personalisation to create a direct conversation with their customers.

The challenge

Tootega sell their kayaks exclusively through a chain of distributors - their dealer network. Bigfork had already worked with Tootega in developing their website and were then asked how they could improve the brand’s online marketing.

Customers were already encouraged to register online with Tootega to claim their product warranty. But Bigfork realised that Tootega was missing an opportunity to capture rich customer data at warranty registration stage. This rich data could then be used to build a strong relationship through ongoing marketing.

The strategy

undefined A Tootega kayak is a leisure purchase, so customers were likely to be happy to consent to ongoing direct marketing from Tootega. So Bigfork started by improving the user experience of registering warranties on the Tootega website. They made it quick and easy - an essential data capture tactic.

The agency then developed the website so that warranty registration form data is saved directly into Tootega’s internal CRM, saving them from having to manually enter customer details every time, as they had been doing.

Using Campaign Monitor (an email marketing system) Bigfork then designed a fully automated email campaign that sent a registration confirmation email followed up by emails encouraging customers to leave a review for their purchase as well as reminding them about how they can stay up to date with Tootega news.

Automated email marketing is great, but personalised, automated email marketing is even better. So Bigfork went one step further and personalised all emailers. By using dynamic content in the emails, each message not only displayed the customer’s name and the product they bought, but even the photography matched their kayak. The review link is also personalised specifically to their kayak, taking them directly to the relevant page for the product they purchased.

The results

The big benefit of email marketing is that it's highly measurable and simple to test. In this case, personalisation resulted in much higher than average open and clickthrough rates.

In the first sixty days from the launch of this campaign:

81% of customers opened post-registration emails
63% went on to click at least one link in the emails
25% opted into future updates and email newsletters

This solution enables Tootega to build a direct dialogue with its end customers, whilst also supporting its successful dealer network. Bigfork took an existing warranty mechanism, improved upon it and made it the starting point for an effective personalised CRM programme.

So what does the client think?

“The eloquent solution Bigfork created provides a customised confirmation email upon registration of a product – inclusive of imagery and text specific to the product registered. Open rates and customer interactions have jumped exponentially since implementing this system, we could not be happier.”

Steve Childs, Director, Tootega

There are lessons here for other businesses that operate through wholesalers, dealers or distributors – or indeed any business looking to review its customer communications post-purchase. Tootega used the natural contact point, in their case the warranty, for enhanced data capture and this became the starting point for a fully personalised email programme. Wherever possible the process was made simple – easy for the customer to complete the warranty and with automated communications for the company.