Boost sales with transactional emails: 12 tips

At sign Strong Superhero Success Professional Empowerment StockAnxious about low OR of your newsletters? No need to be. In truth you send messages opened 3 times more frequently, although you underestimate and neglect them, losing one of the most profitable means of communication with your customers. We’re talking about transactional emails – superheroes of email marketing.

Transactional email – silent hero of email marketing

Transactional email is a dynamic 1-to-1 message, sent automatically in response to an action performed by user. Transactional message might be triggered by:

  • Placing an order
  • Subscription to newsletter
  • Password reset request
  • Filling customer survey
  • Abandoning shopping cart
  • Material download/ request
  • Expiry of agreement or subscription

According to Experian report, transactional emails generate 2 to 5 times higher revenue per message when compared to bulk mailing. Why? Because customers expect them and get less transactional messages than mass newsletters with offers.

Aim of transactional emails. Rule of 20%

Feeling tempted to use transactional emails for marketing after reading stats above? Great, though remember not to let marketing overshadow main purpose of a message. If customers want their password reset, they should get a visible button, not be forced to search the link among offers.

When designing transactional email template distinguish between its primal aim (providing a link or specific information) and secondary, marketing objectives (suggesting complimentary product, saying thank you, building brand).

Apply as rule of the thumb to dedicate 20% of transactional message to marketing purposes.

Best practices

To make your transactional emails more efficient, use the following tips:

  1. Timing: user can’t wait 10 minutes for order confirmation message.
  2. Say thank you. Simply. If user has bought your product or reviewed it or subscribed to newsletter, let him/her know that it matters.
  3. Sound human. Transactional messages are generated automatically, therefore they often present examples of poor automation. Lacklustre sentences, stiff official style… Don’t mistake being precise and specific for boredom!
  4. Personalize. Use customer’s name, match offer to his/her purchase history and interests. Use Marketing Automation!
  5. Make them responsive! 48% of customers read emails on mobile devices.
  6. Use footer – even in password reset email. Insert link to blog, social media buttons, short company motto.
  7. Include some website navigation: like menu bar. Take also visual cohesion between your website and emails into consideration.
  8. Care for readability. Remove unnecessary words, use bullets and small, simple tables.
  9. Ask for product review. Statistically 10% of customers responds to such email, however it’s worth effort, as customer reviews are perceived to be 12 times more reliable than producer’s description.
  10. Place social media buttons.
  11. Include images to increase CTR.
  12. Measure performance. Transactional emails can be monitored, assessed and optimized. Sometimes a small change (like moving banner from right to left side) entails great difference.

Most common mistakes

When designing a template ask yourself: “What user should do now (after reading this email)?”. If the template indicates the action clearly (visible button or contact information, valid link, understandable subject), you can move to adding marketing spice. Otherwise focus on your primal, core aim.

Why your message is misleading?

  1. Lack of reply-to address. When transaction went wrong, user should know who to contact to solve the problem. When informed about shipping, user should be able to inform you about some changes, like his absence and need for later delivery.
  2. Unclear subject: “Order no. 90975567t643244343454656567”, or “Your registration”: such subjects don’t ring a bell. Avoid also over-complication. Be precise and tell what product/ even/ material is regarded.
  3. Passive voice and too official style. We discussed disadvantages of passive voice before: it makes your text heavy, unfriendly and overloaded. Avoid sounding like a clerk.

Transactional emails, however underused, carry great power. If you focus on their clear expression of primal aim and skillfully added offer, they will boost your sales.
Read more:

SALESmanago is a Customer Engagement Platform for impact-hungry eCommerce marketing teams who want to be lean yet powerful, trusted revenue growth partners for CEOs. Our AI-driven solutions have already been adopted by 2000+ mid-size businesses in 50 countries, as well as many well-known global brands such as Starbucks, Vodafone, Lacoste, KFC, New Balance and Victoria’s Secret.

SALESmanago delivers on its promise of maximizing revenue growth and improving eCommerce KPIs by leveraging three principles: (1) Customer Intimacy to create authentic customer relationships based on Zero and First Party Data; (2) Precision Execution to provide superior Omnichannel customer experience thanks to Hyperpersonalization; and (3) Growth Intelligence merging human and AI-based guidance enabling pragmatic and faster decision making for maximum impact.

More information: www.salesmanago.com

Skeletons in the eCommerce closet. Which one is your worst nightmare?
Skeletons in the eCommerce closet. Which one is your worst nightmare?

    As Halloween draws near, the urgency to unveil and exorcise the lurking skeletons from eCommerce closets becomes increasingly palpable. Just as the haunted season prompts us to confront our fears, the digital landscape compels businesses to confront the formidable challenges that often remain concealed.   In 2024, the stakes for eCommerce companies have […]

eCommerce Booms and Stagnates
eCommerce Booms and Stagnates

    By Brian Plackis Cheng, CEO at SALESmanago   Commerce is fickle; it stagnates and booms. Customer journeys are non-linear. And these are the things we know for sure. Without actionable customer data and personalised journeys, eCommerce companies are losing customers and prospects, eroding their brand, and sacrificing their competitive edge.    Embracing zero-party […]

Plateau of Productivity – Business vs AI face off 2024
Plateau of Productivity – Business vs AI face off 2024

    YouTuber Tomasz Rożek’s channel, “Science. I like It,” recently featured a fascinating discussion on “Next Steps of AI Expansion” with Aleksandra Katarzyna Przegalińska-Skierkowska. While the lack of English subtitles remains a mystery, the conversation itself is a must-watch.   Plateau of productivity   Tomasz Rożek graduated in physics and journalism from the University […]

Are Your Marketing Strategies Future-Proof? A Mid-Year Check-In for CMOs
Are Your Marketing Strategies Future-Proof? A Mid-Year Check-In for CMOs

    As we have crossed the midpoint of 2024, it’s an opportune moment for Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) to evaluate progress and ensure their strategies align with… the “dynamic landscape” would be an understatement, really. With Gartner identifying AI integration, evolving marketing roles, and cross-functional growth as top priorities for 2024, CMOs need to […]

How Focus Garden Cultivated Unprecedented Growth with SALESmanago
How Focus Garden Cultivated Unprecedented Growth with SALESmanago

    Focus Garden, the premier destination for high-quality garden furniture and supplies, cultivates success as meticulously as their customers cultivate their gardens. We’re proud to support the company in their digital journey, focused strategically overcoming challenges and setting new standards in customer engagement.   In less than a year, our collaborative efforts with Focus […]