15 ways to increase LTV and drive customer retention through add-on rules

Getting returning customers is key to sustainable growth, but it is no easy feat. One way Hive has decided to help you create an exciting and memorable customer journey is through our add-on rules.

Add-on rules might not appear like much at first glance, but these automated fulfillment rules can step up your customer experience and make your community feel engaged and special.

What are add-on rules?

Add-on rules are a set of automations which you can create in the Hive App. They allow you to add certain extras to either all of your orders, or to those with a distinct variable such as:

• SKU
• Country of origin
• Time of order
• Basket amount

This ability to automatically add to orders with a distinctive variable means you can make your community feel special. Maybe you want to add a free gift to those who order above a certain amount, or maybe a special how-to-use guide for a specific set of SKUs. There are so many possibilities, so we have put together 13 to inspire you on how to use add-on rules to grow your brand.

1. Free gift with every purchase over a certain amount

Everyone loves a free gift. And it’s a perfect way to incentivise your customers to spend more in your shop. Reward your most loyal fans with a free gift on orders above a certain basket value.

2. Include a discount code for your next purchase

Want to make sure your LTV goes up for just 10c per order? Add a flyer to every order with a discount code for your customer’s next purchase. Either they will be encouraged to order again, or even give it to a friend to share the love.

3. Affiliate marketing through flyers for other brands

Speaking of sharing the love, why not set up affiliate codes for other brands you may work closely with? If you have specific collaborations in your store, set up an add-on rule for distinct SKUs to add a flyer for the collaborative brand with an affiliate code. It is a win-win for you and your partners.

4. Automatically send a sorry it was out of stock card or free gift

Want to make sure there’s no hard feelings after an out-of-stock situation? Include a card to say sorry or offer a small free gift instead. Create an add-on rule with the "do something" logic.

5. Include a card or gift related to a specific country’s national holiday

Make your international community feel appreciated by adding a card or flyer specific to their country’s holidays. This can also work for Pride campaigns where the month can differ from country to country. Plus, include a seasonal discount code to incentivise repeat purchasing.

6. Send instructions on the best way to use specific products together

Got an SKU bundle that should be used in a certain way? Maybe you are a skin care brand and want to educate your customers on the best order to apply products. Create an add-on rule for a flyer attached to a certain SKU to help educate your community.

7. Send use or care instructions for specific SKUs in your customer’s language

Make sure your customers have the best experience with their products after purchasing. Add care instructions based on SKU and country of origin to ensure your customers can enjoy their products without any issues. Plus, this could save your customer service team on some requests.

8. Make your customer aware of your seasonal collections by adding a time-sensitive flyer

Got a specific collection coming out for the Christmas period such as an advent calendar? Inspire your customers and let them know about upcoming drops by creating an add-on rule for orders placed in a certain time period.

9. Include a free gift with a certain SKU

Incentivise your customers to try a new product by adding a free gift with purchase. For example: got a new face mask? Add a free applicator with an add-on rule.

10. Add a flyer with the story behind a certain SKU

A great way to drive brand loyalty is by telling the story behind a product or campaign. Add a flyer with information on why you chose to release this product, or the founder’s story to help engage your community.

11. Localize your flyers with language and slang of the buyer’s region

Creating engaging copy can be so specific to each country. Use the language your customer loves by adding flyers specific to the country of purchase.

12. For your super fans buying over a certain amount, add a flyer asking to share their haul on social media

If your customer has a basket packed full of your products, ask them to share the unboxing experience on their social media for the chance to win their money back. Just create an add-on rule for orders over a certain amount.

13. Promote your offline stores by adding a city map local to the buyer’s region

Want to drive customers to your offline stores too? No problem. Add a flyer local to your customer’s region to show them exactly where they can find your products in real life.

14. Promote a product your customer hasn’t tried yet

Imagine your customer has bought 3 flavors of your new protein powder. If one flavor has not been added, use the “SKU is not” add-on rule to add a tester sachet and encourage your customer to buy it again next time.

15. Create community by adding a flyer or free gift related to a certain influencer campaign

If you use order tags in your shop, you can automate flyers or free gifts related to those tags. If you have an influencer promoting your products in their story, add a thank you note to all orders tagged influencer in your shop.

Add-on rules to automate your customer happiness

These are just a few of the ways that add-on rules can help you to increase customer loyalty and lifetime value, all at the click of a button. To find out more about add-on rules, speak to your Hive account manager and they can show you how to step up your customer happiness.