Many people around the world start their every day with a cup of coffee. That’s how wide and exciting the coffee industry is. It is one of the markets where DTC brands are trying to diversify the products offered and changing the way people purchase.
New Coffee brands are introducing new products, new flavors, new consumption mode - and, in a way, transforming the way people purchase and drink coffee. So, how do these brands adapt their digital marketing strategies to promote their unique offerings - and especially their newsletters communications and email marketing strategy: it’s one of the few channels you can fully own to engage and retain your audience, so we better cherish it!
Every day, we track thousands of marketing assets (emails, ads, SMS, landing pages) from coffee DTC brands, and from all other industries. You can too -- with Panoramata. As marketers, these assets are proven to inspire, challenge, and help you beat the competition.
Today, we'll cover marketing strategies used by some of the finest coffee companies. Here you go.
- Be transparent about your process
- Differentiate yourself from other players
- Introduce exciting innovation to your audience
- Create urgency using exclusive offers
- Highlight your subscription offer and its benefits
1. Be transparent about your process
Being transparent and educating customers about your manufacturing process is one way to show authenticity and build trust in your brand. As a daily beverage for many, customers value information related to their coffee because it is a product they intake regularly. Confidence in your product is the key for them to keep buying from you.
This email from Cometeer is a great example. They pertain to coffee production as “fine art”. They take their audience to the process of how a seed makes it to its final flavorsome form.
Best practice:We love that they made it a sequence of emails rather than one long email or a CTA that redirects to the entire information. Here, they managed to incorporate the element of continuity into the subject line — Part 1, a subtle way of exciting and engaging your audience to keep an eye on the next newsletter (i.e. Part 2, 3, and so on).
Subject Line: Part 1: from seed to cup
2. Differentiate yourself from other players
Many brands nowadays do find ways to make their product unique in order to thrive in a competitive landscape. Another challenge that comes with newness is how you market your product smartly. Take this example from Javy Coffee. They made a clever move to highlight how their coffee is different and more importantly, who it is created for.
Best practice:
We love that they asked a relatable question about going to a coffee shop or a drive-thru shop, fighting the idea of convenience versus a better health option. Then they supplied more information to prove their point right below. They also put an effective CTA text that reads “GET BETTER COFFEE” which further put an emphasis on their claim.
Subject Line: Coffee + Protein = Fitness Fuel 👟
While the previous email focused on the health benefits of Javy coffee, the next one focused more on another important aspect which is having a delightful taste.
Best practice:
They used quite an aggressive approach to the subject line to encourage clicks.
Subject Line: "The taste is unreal" 😋
3. Introduce exciting innovation to your audience
Innovation is one of the major factors that make a brand stay on top of the game. The more exciting a brand gets, the more it is loved and followed by subscribers.
As for coffee brands, it is crucial to periodically introduce new flavors, coffee-derived products, or creative presentations to your audience. Given the fact that they consume coffee every single day, innovation kills boredom. It also prevents them from looking for other options from some brands out there.
Check out these email examples from Angelino's Coffee and Death Wish Coffee
Best practice:
These product launches are an amazing way to grow their store, retain customers, and get back the lost ones. It makes them a dynamic brand that consistently offers exciting updates and innovations.
Subject Line: NEW FLAVOR: Pistachio Latte 🍵
Subject Line: NEW ✨ F*ING FLAVOR
4. Create urgency using exclusive offers
Peet’s Coffee introduces a unique approach by roasting beans from various renowned coffee regions worldwide throughout the year.
Best practice:
They used the element of urgency to encourage sales while putting emphasis on their subscription plan. They made their offer more irresistible by releasing one flavor at a time.
It’s also noticeable that their banner image is focused on the specific region it features rather than putting a usual image of coffee. In a way, it creates a mystery and excitement about the different tastes of coffee.
Subject line: Limited Time Only: Brazil Encantador
Subject line: Last Chance for Burundi Turashobora
Subject line: Last call for March—Peru Cajamarca Organic
5. Highlight your subscription offer and its benefits
Coffee-related products are consumed daily by caffeine enthusiasts. Many brands offer a subscription option alongside traditional one-time purchases for increased recurring sales. Promote your subscription and its benefits through newsletters following the example set by Stumptown Coffee Roasters.
Best practice:
They used a banner image that is catchy and that clearly supports the email content. They stated the complete benefits of opting into a subscription plan, all in one email. Plus, going the extra mile in offering a discount on top of the subscription is also a nice move.
Consistency is also a key element here, as they sent this content in multiple emails over time (including Welcome Flow).
Subject Line: Run out of coffee? No way.
Create your own unique approach or simply combine the above elements until you get what works best for you. Send your subscribers one email to brighten their day. Who knows, the next time around, they're reading your newsletter while having a cup of coffee from your good company.
