The global food and beverage industry is forecasted to expand further and with it, the demand for non-alcoholic drinks. But how can one stand out in this increasingly saturated market where every impression and click is hard-won?
The best performing brands in this space use a multitude of techniques to hook their target audience. Out of these techniques, this playbook will focus on how they handle their email newsletters, ads, and landing pages. Trends include integrating user-generated content, leveraging community stories, and promoting product bundles.
If you want to supercharge your marketing and keep up with the beverage industry giants, you’ve come to the right place. We hope this playbook gives you new ideas that will breathe life into your strategy.
Email Marketing Best Practices
Email marketing, a highly effective acquisition channel, provides ownership, direct communication, cost-effectiveness, and personalization. The competitive landscape, though, poses challenges in capturing audience’s attention.
Be clear about your value proposition
Understanding the core intention behind creating your brand is important for establishing a genuine connection with your audience. By sharing insights into your brand's mission, values, and story, you provide transparency and authenticity. For non-alcoholic brands, sharing valuable tips, insights, and benefits related to products can further enhance audience trust.
Brands like Recess, Surely, and Three Spirit take this strategy further by providing educational content about the benefits of choosing non-alcoholic options, such as improved hydration, reduced calorie intake, better mental health and better sleep quality. They also emphasize the quality and transparency of ingredients used.
Take your audience behind the scenes
Audiences are naturally curious about how products are created, especially products whose manufacturing process is not as well-known. Giving insights into ingredient sourcing and the production of the drinks helps to demystify the products and build trust with the audience. Three Spirit and Surely employ this strategy effectively, offering transparency and education to deepen the audience's understanding and appreciation of their unique offerings.
Share your team stories
Highlighting the people behind the creation of your product humanizes your brand and adds a personal touch that resonates with audiences. Recess effectively executes this strategy by sharing the inspiring stories of the people involved in the development of their products. By showcasing the passion, dedication, and creativity of their team members, Recess not only adds authenticity to their brand but also fosters a deeper connection with their audience.
Help them find the right drink
Always going the extra mile to assist your audience in choosing the right product is crucial for enhancing their experience. Athletic Brew and Recess excel in this aspect by categorizing their products based on the needs and moods of their audience, making it easier for customers to find the perfect fit for their preferences. By providing clear guidance and personalized recommendations, they empower their audience to make informed choices that align with their individual tastes and needs.
Ghia, on the other hand, employs the guide strategy differently by incorporating entertaining content like mazes to lead the audience to their perfect match.
Offer early access to your subscribers
Offering early access to subscribers is a strategic way to prioritize and reward customer loyalty. Three Spirit, for instance, values its customers by providing them with exclusive access to new products before they are available to the general public. By offering a discount code along with early access, Three Spirit not only makes its subscribers feel special but also incentivizes them to make a purchase, driving sales and engagement.
Bundle your products
Offering bundles is an effective way to drive sales and increase the value of each transaction. Three Spirit leverages this approach by promoting bundles of their bestselling products, super collections, etc. By bundling complementary items together, Three Spirit encourages customers to purchase multiple items at once and also enhances the overall value proposition by offering a convenient and cost-effective solution.
Expand drinking possibilities
Teaching your audience how to experience your products or integrate them into their big moments can be a valuable strategy for enhancing their experience and fostering brand loyalty. In the beverage industry, pairing drinks with the right food can elevate the tasting experience. Three Spirit excels in this by providing recommendations on how to enjoy their drinks alongside complementary food options.
Show how you’re different from your competitors
Comparing your product to other brands can be a valuable strategy as it allows your target audience to understand the unique selling points and advantages of your offering. Ritual and Ghia excel in this approach by transparently showcasing the differences between their products and competitors. This not only helps potential customers make informed decisions but also highlights the distinctive features that set their products apart in the market.
Share inspiring stories from your community
Starting a sober lifestyle is challenging but hearing inspirational stories from those who have successfully embraced sobriety can provide hope and encouragement. Ritual, Athletic Brewing Company, and Figlia are examples of brands to look to if you want to inspire others to live a healthier lifestyle. By showcasing real-life experiences and testimonials, these brands show real stories and testimonials that not only offer support but also foster community and solidarity among individuals seeking sobriety. These stories show that a fulfilling life is possible without alcohol and inspires others to embark on their own path to wellness.
The best welcome flow
Three Spirit uses a strategic four-email sequence in their welcome flow. Three Spirit's welcome email journey begins with an attention-grabbing subject line, offering subscribers a choice of moods and a discount code. The second email focuses on ingredient quality and social proof, while the third highlights customer testimonials alongside product images. Finally, the last email emphasizes sustainability and provides a reminder of the discount code. Overall, Three Spirit effectively engages subscribers with compelling content and encourages them to explore their offerings.
Best practices are:
- Utilizing attention-grabbing subject lines to engage subscribers.
- Highlighting ingredient quality and production process to build trust.
- Showcasing customer testimonials and social proof to validate their products.
- Emphasizing sustainability to align with brand values.
- Providing discount codes to incentivize purchases and encourage action.
In their initial email, Three Spirit employs an eye-opening subject line, "The future is functional," to capture attention. They then highlight the brand's value proposition, offering subscribers a range of moods to choose from, accompanied by a discount code.
In the second email, Three Spirit assures their subscribers about the quality of their ingredients and production process. They emphasize the benefits of their non-alcoholic drinks and support these claims with social proof, such as testimonials or reviews from satisfied customers.
In the third email of their welcome journey, Three Spirit showcases customer testimonials alongside corresponding product images. This approach provides social proof by highlighting real customer feedback and experiences, reinforcing the quality and appeal of Three Spirit's products.
In their final email for the welcome journey, Three Spirit emphasizes their commitment to sustainability, underscoring their brand values and environmental responsibility. Additionally, they provide a friendly reminder of the discount code, encouraging subscribers to take advantage of the offer before it expires.
The best lost checkout flow
Surely implements a succinct three-part abandoned cart email series to reengage potential lost sales. Their approach entails crafting compelling subject lines, offering discounts as incentives, displaying abandoned items, and including prominent call-to-action buttons to prompt customers to complete their purchase. Some best practices we've found from Surely:
- Crafting attention-grabbing subject lines to capture the recipients' interest.
- Incorporating social proof, such as testimonials or reviews, to build trust and credibility.
- Offering a discount incentive, like a 15% discount, to motivate customers to complete their purchase.
- Addressing common concerns or questions with a FAQ section to alleviate any hesitations.
In their first email, Surely utilizes a classic subject line to capture attention. The email content prominently features social proof, highlights the 100% money-back guarantee, and addresses FAQs to reassure customers and encourage them to complete their purchase.
In the second email, Surely continues to entice customers with a 15% discount offer while reinforcing the message with social proof, further encouraging them to complete their purchase.
In their final email, Surely provides a gentle reminder about the discount code and the items left in the cart, while also addressing any concerns with a helpful FAQ section.
Advertising & Paid Social
The non-alcoholic industry, for instance, leverages diverse advertising approaches to promote its products. This includes employing social media campaigns and collaborating with influencers to engage with a broader audience and attract potential customers. They leverage social media trends, storytelling, and user-generated content (UGC) to captivate audience attention dynamically.
Customer needs and preferences are prioritized in the strategies of non-alcohol brands. Transparent communication regarding ingredients, sustainability, and testimonials helps build trust. Finally, these brands prioritize customer convenience, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience for their audience.
The Benefits Approach
Highlight benefits using hooks
Distinguishing your brand to new subscribers is essential and showcasing your unique benefits is key.
Ritual, Surely, and Three Spirit utilize attention-grabbing hooks to capture the interest of their target audience.
Whether it's through compelling statements like "How to get...,” “Here’s why,” "Stop what you're doing," or "I'll never be hungover again," these brands effectively engage their audience with intriguing messages that pique curiosity and encourage further exploration.
This strategy allows them to effectively communicate the benefits of each of their products, ensuring that subscribers understand the value proposition of their offerings.
Start with a discount then highlight benefits
Starting your ad with an exclusive and substantial offer, such as "15% off all brews and free delivery," immediately grabs attention. Athletic Brew effectively employs this approach, enticing potential customers with a tempting discount. Following this, they highlight the unique benefits of their non-alcoholic drinks, ensuring that customers understand the value proposition.
This strategic combination not only incentivizes potential customers with a discount but also communicates the advantages of choosing Athletic Brew's products.
Use “fun facts”
Another effective strategy is incorporating "fun facts" into your marketing approach. Surely utilizes this tactic to share previously undisclosed or lesser known information about their product, adding an element of novelty and intrigue to their communication with customers. By providing unique and interesting insights, they engage their audience and create a memorable brand experience.
The UGC Approach
Let your customers' experiences speak for your brand using trends
Integrating social media trends into your ads can infuse them with freshness and appeal. By tapping into popular trends like "Stitch on TikTok," "A Day in the Life," or "Biggest Life Hack," brands can showcase their products in a relatable and humorous manner.
Surely cleverly harnesses the popular TikTok feature Stitch in their ad campaign. This interactive tool allows users to respond to videos with their own content seamlessly. By incorporating Stitch into their ad, Surely invites viewers to engage directly with their content, fostering a sense of participation and community.
Athletic Brew embraces the "A Day in the Life" social media trend by featuring a customer who shares her daily experiences while enjoying Athletic Brew beverages. This ad offers a captivating peek into the customer's lifestyle, showcasing how Athletic Brew products seamlessly integrate into her day-to-day activities. By aligning their brand with relatable moments in their customers' lives, Athletic Brew effectively communicates the versatility and suitability of their offerings for diverse occasions and settings.
Social Proof
Gathering testimonials and 5-star reviews is a highly effective strategy utilized by De Soi and Athletic Brew to leverage the positive experiences of their customers. By highlighting authentic and favorable feedback, they emphasize the quality of their products, instilling confidence in the sobriety journey of their customers.
Another effective way to showcase social proof is by highlighting when your product has been featured in magazines or media outlets. Ghia and Ritual excel at leveraging these mentions, using them to build credibility and trust with their audience.
Landing Pages & Funnels
Ads are nothing without a strong landing page. That’s why we want to highlight some of the best non-alcoholic beverage landing pages we’ve seen in the next sections and the ads used to send traffic to them.
