Latest / The Retention Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Email, SMS, and Loyalty for Repeat Customers / Winc Uses Email Tasting Notes to Retain Wine Subscribers
Transcript
- Lucas: When you subscribe to a wine club, the bottle arrives, you drink it, and unless the brand gives you a reason to remember the experience, you're likely to cancel before the next shipment. One wine subscription brand, Winc, solved that problem not with discounts but with email. Luna: So they're betting that the memory of the wine, reinforced by email, keeps the subscription alive. Lucas: Exactly. And it works because it's not just a 'here's your tracking number' email—it's content that makes you appreciate what you bought and want to buy more. That kind of thoughtful email is exactly the kind of thing that makes people feel valued. Luna: It's a reminder that the best retention tools are often the simplest. Lucas: And speaking of simple ways to support what we do, if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used or recommended to someone, you can support the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's a small gesture that goes a long way for us to keep bringing you these real-world examples. Lucas: Anyway, back to how Winc structures those tasting notes. For each bottle a subscriber receives, Winc sends an email with tasting notes written by their in-house sommeliers, but personalized to the customer's preferences based on past ratings and purchases. Luna: So it's not just a generic 'this is a red wine'—it actually says, 'You liked the jammy notes in the Malbec last month, so you'll enjoy the blackberry finish in this Zinfandel.' Lucas: Exactly. And they pair it with a simple food pairing suggestion—like 'try it with grilled lamb chops'—which encourages the customer to plan an occasion around the bottle. That turns a passive consumption into an active experience. Luna: And that increases the likelihood they'll order again or at least stay subscribed for the next shipment. Lucas: Winc reported that subscribers who clicked on those tasting note emails had a 30% higher retention rate over six months compared to those who didn't engage. That's a direct line from content to loyalty. Luna: But is this scalable? Writing unique tasting notes for every customer? They have thousands of subscribers. Lucas: They use a combination of structured data—customer ratings, flavor profiles, purchase history—and a content library built by their sommelier team. Each wine has a master note, and then the system selects and personalizes snippets based on the customer's taste journey. Luna: So it's part automation, part human curation. Lucas: Exactly. And they A/B test the subject lines—for example, comparing 'Your Wine Has Arrived' with 'A Zinfandel with a Blackberry Finish, Just for You'—and the personalized ones drive open rates north of 45%. Luna: That's impressive because most shipping notifications get ignored. They're leveraging the anticipation of the product arrival. Lucas: Right. And they don't stop at the tasting note email. They also send a follow-up email a week later asking for a rating and a review, which feeds back into the personalization loop for future bottles. Luna: So it's a virtuous cycle: you rate the wine, they learn your taste, and the next bottle recommendation gets better. Lucas: That's the core of their retention strategy—using email not just to sell, but to build a relationship based on taste discovery. And they've extended it to a loyalty program where wine points earned from purchases unlock exclusive labels. Luna: But let's talk about applicability. If you're a coffee subscription, you can't exactly send tasting notes for a bean. Lucas: Actually, you can. Atlas Coffee Club, which we covered in episode 132, does something similar with regional tasting cards. But for a beauty subscription, you could send skincare tips tailored to the products they received, or for a pet subscription, you could send health and training tips related to the treats. Luna: So the principle is: after the purchase, provide a reason to engage with the product again through education or personalization. Lucas: Precisely. And the key is that it's low-friction—just an email—but high-value because it's relevant and timely. Winc doesn't ask customers to download an app or fill out a lengthy profile. It uses the natural touchpoints of the purchase cycle. Luna: And it avoids the discount trap, which can dilute brand value. Lucas: Exactly. Many subscription brands default to offering 20% off to retain customers, but that trains customers to wait for the discount. Content-based retention builds intrinsic interest in the product itself. Luna: One thing I'm curious about: how does Winc measure the success of these emails beyond open and click rates? Do they track actual reorder behavior? Lucas: They do. They tie email engagement to subscription renewal rates and average order value. According to their case study, customers who engage with the tasting note emails have a 15% higher lifetime value over two years. Luna: So the email is not just a retention tool—it's a value driver. Lucas: And it's cost-effective. The content is created once per wine and then personalized algorithmically. The marginal cost of sending that email is near zero, but the impact on retention is significant. Luna: For small brands listening, it seems like a no-brainer to implement a similar approach, even without a sommelier team. Lucas: Absolutely. Start with a simple 'Thank you for your purchase' email that includes a usage tip or a recipe. For example, a home cleaning brand could send a guide on how to use a new cleaner effectively. Over time, you can build a library of content and personalize based on purchase history. Luna: And don't forget to ask for feedback. That's how you close the loop for better personalization. Lucas: Right. Winc's approach is a masterclass in using email to build an ongoing relationship. It's not about pushing more products—it's about enhancing the experience of what they already bought. Luna: And that's a philosophy that can work across any subscription model. Lucas: Exactly. So if you're running a subscription business, ask yourself: what content can I add to the post-purchase experience that will make my product more memorable? The answer might be simpler than you think.