Anxious 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:
- Timing: user can’t wait 10 minutes for order confirmation message.
- Say thank you. Simply. If user has bought your product or reviewed it or subscribed to newsletter, let him/her know that it matters.
- 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!
- Personalize. Use customer’s name, match offer to his/her purchase history and interests. Use Marketing Automation!
- Make them responsive! 48% of customers read emails on mobile devices.
- Use footer – even in password reset email. Insert link to blog, social media buttons, short company motto.
- Include some website navigation: like menu bar. Take also visual cohesion between your website and emails into consideration.
- Care for readability. Remove unnecessary words, use bullets and small, simple tables.
- 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.
- Place social media buttons.
- Include images to increase CTR.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Create dynamic emails in SALESmanago
- Most frequent questions about email marketing answered
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