3 Simples Ways To Boost Subscription Add-On Revenue

I need to tell you about my most absurd driver's license story ever.

Back in 2018, I'm living in Peru with my wife.

And after six months using my USA driver’s license I needed to get a Peruvian license, because that’s the law.

The process in Peru is similar to what we do in the USA...

…except for a two differences.

More on that in a second…

The written test is a breeze. Sixty questions in Spanish. 

I memorize them all, bang it out in two minutes with a perfect score.

But then comes the driving test.

Here's where it gets interesting.

In Peru you have two unspoken options:

Option A: Do it yourself like an honest person.

Option B: Hire an instructor who gives you lessons on the actual course and quietly passes a little "donation" to the examiner.

Obviously I go with option B because it’s always polite to abide by local customs, right?

The second I pull my tiny manual transmission “tico” onto the course, these examiners are practically throwing me a parade.

They're waving, asking where I'm from, even giving me step-by-step parallel parking instructions.

I pass with flying colors.

But wait, it gets better.

Next step is getting my license photo. The DMV doesn't do this themselves. They outsource it to dozens of tiny photo studios right outside.

I walk into one, sit down, guy snaps my picture with a digital camera from 2003. 

He uploads it to his computer, then turns to me with a completely straight face and says:

"Which color suit do you want?"

A few clicks later, my head is beautifully photoshopped onto the most awkward private school class portrait you've ever seen.

And that's how I got my Peruvian driver's license wearing a suit I never owned.

Now here's why I'm telling you this ridiculous story.

Just like that driver's test option in Peru, most brands have ways for subscribers to add more products. But you don't want customers to guess about these options. You need to remind them because they get their monthly box and forget they can try new stuff.

Three ways to boost subscription add-on revenue:

1. Portal Banner Ads 

This one blew my mind. We added a simple banner ad for burger buns right inside the subscription portal. I wasn't even sure people would see it.

But in two weeks, that one banner increased add-on revenue by 86% for that product. Turns out people DO check their portals. Who knew?

I know… it wasn't a large amount of money, but it proved a very important theory that people are actually engaging inside the portal.

So we can use this for upcoming offers like Black Friday, which is only a few weeks away.

2. Subscription Reminder Email Add-Ons 

 Your "order processing" emails are prime real estate. Instead of just saying "your regular subscription is coming," suggest complementary products they can add. These people already trust you enough to subscribe - they're your easiest upsells.

But here's another cool move. Give people a way to delay their subscription right at the top of the email. The biggest reason people cancel subscriptions? They have too much product. 

So instead of letting them cancel or pause, address it head-on. Give them an option to bump their order back a few weeks instead of losing them forever.

Here's a great example I saw from Mud/WTR.

3. One-Click Add to Subscription Button 

Recently I started adding a second CTA button in campaigns that feature products.

Here's what I was thinking:

 If subscription customers click "Shop Now," we drop them on the product page where they have to either go through checkout or navigate to their portal. Total hassle.

So now they get an "Add to your subscription" button that takes them straight to their portal. It's like a VIP lane for your most loyal customers. Two clicks and they're done. 

Just removing friction and making it simple for the people who already trust you most.

The goal here isn't to be pushy - it's to make the experience seamless while giving your subscribers choices they didn't know they had. 

Just like that photo guy in Peru offering me a beautiful selection of 11 different suits…

Speaking of eleven…

Don’t forget Black Friday is only 11 weeks away!  Are you ready?

 If you need help setting any of this up so you can actually capitalize on the biggest shopping weekend of the year, let's talk.

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