Both experienced and entry-level email marketers must learn how to develop effective transactional emails. This type of email can be used to create a positive response and can have incomparable value for building better subscriber relationships. It is important that marketers make as much of an effort to create and build positive relationships as they do generating revenue, and transactional emails are a great way to do both.
The name “transactional” (sometimes also called triggered) may be misleading because not all of these emails lead to product or service purchases. They are usually sent based on a subscriber’s activity or lack thereof. The most important reason for sending them is strengthening relationships with subscribers and helping to build long term customer loyalty. They can offer informative details such as forgotten account information, shipping confirmations, or even invite a subscriber to experience a newly available service.
Remember that you are working with real people and these people have needs that must be met in order to keep them as customers. Transactional emails break the standard marketing email mold because they act as a helping hand for consumers. Types of transactional emails vary, but some popular forms include:
- Purchase receipts
- Account updates
- Activity notifications
- Password changes/reminders
- Service sign-ups
- Thank you emails
- New product availabilities
- Event invitations
- Re-engagements
Learn more about transactional emails
Transactional emails are more specific than typical email marketing
While most email marketing is sent in bulk to a set subscriber list, transactional emails are more specific. They usually contain personalized content and are sent to a single subscriber at a time. Have you added items to your shopping cart but not completed check-out? A transactional email, commonly known as an Abandoned Cart email, will remind you to return to the website to complete your purchase.
Transactional emails should be unique to each specific demographic. Gaining the attention of your subscribers with content specific to them has proven to build trust. Open and click-through rates will increase when a reader knows what to expect from you.
For example, welcome emails will show your subscribers that you are grateful for their arrival. Thank you emails are a great way to let your subscribers know that their support isn’t taken for granted. If it has been a while since you have heard from someone, connect with a re-engagement email. Let them know that they are missed. Some transactional emails will ask that the recipients take further action, while the others will not. Transactional emails create opportunities for businesses to increase engagement and customer satisfaction with less work.
As with all email marketing, testing is crucial for avoiding mistakes
Try different methods to see what works best. Most transactional emails are:
- Automated, but give subscribers a real email to reply to for a personal touch.
- Short, sweet, and to the point. They should not be excessive with design detail, but instead easy to read and easy to use.
- Plain-text emails that include branding images. This allows the content of the email to work on a variety of devices without changing the layouts.
- Have a straightforward subject line. This is the determining factor if your email will even be opened. Let your reader know right away what the email is about. Subscribers should be able to tell a lot about your email with just a glance.
Transactional emails leave a lasting impression for your subscribers. Rather than pushing for purchases over and over and experiencing lower open and click through rates, put transactional emails to the test. Your business probably spends many hours on email marketing and website work. Make sure that work pays off by creating automated, personalized transactional emails to assist your customers today.
