La-Z-Boy Uses Welcome Series to Keep Shoppers Engaged during the Buying Cycle
Four-part message series keeps brand
top of mind with shoppers
La-Z-Boy, one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers, faced the challenge of keeping the
brand top of mind during the long sales cycle inherent with furniture purchases. Many of its customers
begin the process by researching online, but the majority of shoppers want to see the products and
fabrics in person before purchasing. And, like with most higher-ticket items, there is a lot of comparison
shopping during the decision making process. La-Z-Boy implemented a welcome series to keep its
customers and potential customers informed and engaged with the brand during the buying process.
La-Z-Boy implemented a four part welcome series, with each message sent at two-week intervals,
engaging customers during the typical two-month buying cycle. Since the series first deployed in April
2011, more than 15,000 shoppers and customers have joined the list. The first message is immediately
deployed upon a shopper subscribing and provides details on what to expect from La-Z-Boy, including
the email schedule, history of the company and the recliner, and a link to find the nearest store.
The second message informs subscribers of La-Z-Boy’s design tools, including fabric samples, 3D
room designer, information on working with its designers, and links to interior design videos, galleries,
and articles.
The third message focuses on La-Z-Boy products, including links to its online galleries so customers
can shop by room, style, item, or feature, an easy way to view or request a catalog, product and
corporate differentiators, and information on its lifetime warranty so customers can make confident
purchase decisions.
The fourth message shares social information, including its partnerships with the Ronald McDonald
house, links where customers can read or write reviews, and ways for customers to stay connected with
La-Z-Boy on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
The series timing and content was designed to address each stage of the sales cycle and it provides
customers the right information at the critical moments when buying decisions are being made.
The welcome series has proven successful as evidenced by the fact that the engagement metrics are
twice as high as La-Z-Boy’s regular monthly emails. The first message achieves a 37.62% open rate,
with a 12.17% click-through rate. The second message achieves a 24.42% open rate and a 5.66%
click-through; the third message has a 22.30% open and 6.26% click-through; and the final message
still gets a 16.75% open rate and 1.97% click-through. Further proof, this series has directly generated
online conversions and has increased in-store traffic and sales.
La-Z-Boy’s welcome series is proof that timely and relevant email campaigns work and can drive both
in-store and online sales.
Headquartered in Monroe, MI, La-Z-Boy is one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers. The
company manufactures a full line of comfortable products for the living room and family room, including
the company’s world-famous recliners, reclining sofas and love seats, sleep sofas, modular furniture and
leather upholstery as well as stationary sofas, love seats, and chairs. It is a division of La-Z-Boy
Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers, marketing furniture
for every room of the home. Live life comfortably™
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