Makani is more than just a handbag shop. With ethically and morally responsible handbags made from vegan leather, fairly produced in top quality and at an affordable price, Makani has established itself quickly in the market over the past three years. Fairness is not just a buzzword. At Makani, it is lived every day, driven by the passion of the two founders. Customers appreciate this too, as reflected in more than 15,000 reviews.
The problem
Even so, the fashion brand faces a typical direct-to-consumer problem. A large share of Makani’s customers are one-time buyers. Despite an impressive six-figure email list, only a small share of customers can be motivated to buy again. High-quality products like Makani’s require a consideration phase for customers, during which emails are easily clicked away and forgotten. This created untapped revenue potential among existing customers. The trend toward declining open and click rates in email marketing further intensified the problem.
The solution
Postcards were the answer. Unlike emails, which are easy to overlook or forget, postcards are kept for 17 days on average. They often end up on the refrigerator or kitchen table, a constant reminder for the customer. For products where customers need more time to consider the purchase, that is a major advantage. And while email can only be sent to customers who have consented to receive it, postcards can be used to contact almost 100% of customers. That means brands also reach customers who otherwise simply hear nothing from the merchant after purchase.
The campaign
Makani chose a classic winback campaign. Customers who had not purchased for more than 90 days received a postcard with a 20% voucher. To add urgency to the campaign and avoid overlap with the Black Friday campaign, the voucher was limited until October 31. The design emphasized product variety, and the message “We miss you” clearly communicated the desire to win the customer back. The personal greeting also created an emotional connection with the customer.
Results
An impressive ROI of 1,072% and a conversion rate of 5.3% are clear indicators of the campaign’s success. The timing was perfect for winning customers back before the high-revenue Q4 season. These customers can now be addressed again during the high season and generate additional revenue. The longevity of postcards was also visible in the distribution of voucher redemptions across the full promotion period. 63% of vouchers were redeemed within the first 14 days. The remaining 37% were redeemed over a period of up to 50 days and were limited only by the voucher-code expiry date.
“At first we were skeptical whether postcards would work for our products. But the results convinced us, and we are now adding postcards to our marketing mix and automating winback campaigns.” - Serkan Dagdelen, Founder of Makani