Emily GrochShaw increased the likelihood that its internet customers would see a special mobile offer by using email to tease and follow-up on a mailer.
In the email, Shaw promised that only its internet customers were eligible for the low prices on Shaw Mobile. It then explained that it would be mailing two SIM cards so customers could activate Shaw Mobile “without ever leaving your home.” It went on to note that service starts at $0/mo.
Although it’s a pricey tactic to mail SIM cards to prospective mobile customers and hope that they activate them, Shaw tries to mitigate the likelihood that its SIM cards will hit the trash can with email alerts before and after the mailer.
Email Teases SIM Card Campaign
Since March 2020, Shaw has been sending its internet customers physical SIM cards via self-mailers. Shaw’s mailer featured the same exclusivity messaging as its emails, two physical SIM cards, pricing details, and a table indicating Shaw Mobile is a better option than Telus.
Credit: Comperemedia Direct
One week after the teaser email, Shaw followed up to remind customers that it had recently mailed the SIM cards, and encouraged them to activate.
Credit: Comperemedia Direct
This email again directed attention to the mailbox, reminding customers that they’d received free SIM cards. The email encouraged the customers to keep an eye out if the mailer hadn’t yet arrived, and provided instructions for activating the cards.
Aim of the Campaign
Physical SIM cards create a barrier to entry — and exit — for consumers. Having to obtain and install a SIM card is yet one more hassle that stands in the way of a customer switching to (or from) a carrier. Mailing the SIM cards makes it easier for consumers to switch providers from the comfort of home, which is why both Canadian and U.S. providers have deployed this tactic. But it’s still a relatively tedious process for consumers to physically swap their SIM cards (especially for anyone with limited dexterity).
In the near future, physical SIM cards won’t be necessary for switching at all, at least for the many phones that are eSIM-capable. Using eSIM will remove the headache of swapping a SIM card and also cuts out carriers’ costs of purchasing and mailing the cards. However, it also means that carriers will have to focus more on the customer experience and loyalty efforts, because just as eSIM makes it simpler for a customer to port in, it also makes it easier to port out.
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