More than 5 billion emails are sent on the internet every day. Emails are used to connect with other people and share valuable data. In the business world, brands use emails to reach out to and connect with consumers. Brands also use emails to keep their consumers updated on their day-to-day activities as well as promote new goods and services.
Transactional emails are often triggered by the actions and sometimes inactions of consumers. Automated email systems send them, and in most cases, they are unexciting but always very straight to the point. A consumer’s purchase history is one of the everyday consumer actions that trigger the delivery of transactional emails. Still, several other factors come into play in the dissemination of transactional emails.
(If you’re working on your marketing automation strategy, don’t miss our article: 5 tips to Build a Great Email Marketing Automation Strategy).
Transactional emails are a distinctive type of email that brands use to perform a wide range of functions. The functions of transactional emails range from essential account notifications and confirmation to other reminders.
The importance of transactional emails
Transactional emails are different from other types of emails in business. Studies show that transactional emails are eight times more likely to be opened than other types of marketing campaign emails. As a result, transactional emails record one of the highest open rates in the online business world. This high rate is because most of the time, the consumer is already waiting for the email to arrive.
Transactional email systems allow brands to connect with their consumers and stimulate interaction because they have an exceptionally high open-rate. More brands today are including transactional emails as a part of their marketing strategies. It is essential to maximize the impact that transactional emails have on consumer interaction. The integration of transactional email systems helps to achieve this objective.
These emails are an efficient channel through which brands can keep consumers informed. They are used to update consumers on the latest deals, flash discounts, new goods, and other vital data.
The function of transactional emails
Transactional emails also perform the function of connecting brands with others in their environment. Online brands, especially many location-based brands, depend on transactional emails to reach out to their consumers and other brands.
Transactional emails are compelling tools in the business world today. More and more brands are opening their hearts to how they can maximize the impacts of their transactional emails. They have devised several ways through which transactional emails can be used in day to day business activities that will yield the most rewards.
These ten perfect use cases of transactional emails are:
- To confirm customer orders
- To process password reset requests
- To implement double opt-in strategies
- To send cart abandonment reminders
- To gather customer feedback
- To send account notifications
- To share referral links
- To spread Opt-in links
- To share social media links
- To provide links to other support channels
1. To confirm customer orders
Order confirmations (or shipping confirmations) are one of the most common types of transactional emails. Brands use transaction emails to automatically notify their consumers that their orders have been received successfully and that their items are now being shipped.
These emails often contain data such as the details of the goods that were purchased, payment receipts, tracking codes, and other delivery data.
These confirmation emails also allow brands to upsell other similar products a consumer may be interested in based on their purchase history. Brands also use transactional emails as a means of notifying the consumer of the successful delivery of their goods.
These delivery confirmation emails are also another channel through which brands can upsell other products to consumers because they will be in happy mind space.
2. To process password reset requests
Transactional email systems allow brands to handle password reset requests automatically. When a consumer requests a new password or resets an old password, they expect an immediate response in their inbox. Brands can leverage transactional email systems to respond to such requests immediately, even when they come in large volumes.
These emails usually contain all the data that a consumer requires to reset their password and continue shopping successfully. Password reset emails are a perfect use case of transactional emails.
When the consumer clicks the link on a brand’s website, they trigger the system to send an email to the consumer’s inbox immediately (read more about triggered emails in our dedicated blog post). This process does not require any physical intervention of the website owner at all before the consumer’s access to their account is restored.
3. To implement double opt-in strategies
Double opt-in procedures are used to generate very high-quality email lists. Double opt-in strategies are used when a consumer opts-in to receive specific data or other services.
Consumers are required to confirm their interest by clicking the links contained in the transactional email that has been automatically sent to their email. Double opt-in strategies ensure that the email list comprises users who are genuinely interested in the data sent subsequently.
These transactional emails double as a way for a business to protect its data and gain consumer respect. Double opt-in emails project to the consumer that the brand dramatically values the data the consumer wants.
It, in turn, makes the consumer respect the business and appreciate the data more. This is definitely one of the most important use cases for transactional emails.
4. To send cart abandonment reminders
The majority of online brands leverage on transactional emails to send reminders to consumers who, for one reason or another, have abandoned their carts.
Many times, consumers browse through websites, find goods that they like, add them to their shopping cart, and then, for some reason, fail to checkout. Transactional emails are an effective system that brands can use to notify consumers that their cart is still waiting for them. These kinds of emails have a 44% open rate and can potentially boost a business’s sales.
5. To gather customer feedback
Many brands now adopt the use of transactional emails to collect consumer feedback. They achieve this feat by including survey links in transactional emails sent to consumers at strategic points in the client’s journey.
The most common spot is right after a consumer’s items have just been delivered. Because the consumer will be in a jolly mood, they are more likely to click a survey link and provide valuable feedback that can help such a business improve its service delivery.
6. To send account notifications
Notifications emails are used to keep business consumers informed of every activity that goes on with their accounts. They record the second-highest open rates behind welcome emails. As a result, they hold such immense potentials for brands.
They are the perfect channel for brands to promote their goods, discounts, exclusive sales subtly. They are also useful for keeping consumers informed with their day to day business activities and other updates.
7. To share referral links
Brands are getting creative with how they send transactional emails these days. They now include referral links in the transactional emails that they send to their consumers. The unique links are often sent along with an incentive. Incentives typically include the promise of reward for consumers who share their referral links with friends and family.
8. To spread Opt-in links
Brands looking for creative ways to engage their consumers, subtly include opt-in links in transactional emails. These links allow consumers to register to receive newsletters, updates on new goods as they arrive, flash discounts, and so on. Consumers are often given the liberty to choose what category of data they would like to receive.
9. To share social media links
Transactional emails are a perfect avenue for brands to share links to all their social media pages with their consumers. These links are often included in the lower parts of transactional emails to distract users from the main content of such emails.
They are always designed to attract consumers to click them and check out the business’ social media pages for their latest posts and updates.
10. To provide links to other support channels
It is common for brands to include other vital links in transactional emails. These links often include links to a brand’s frequently asked questions page, support articles, and help forums.
This practice can improve customer experience and reduce the volume of support emails that consumers send because they would already have answers to the questions they need to answer.
The bottom line about Use Cases for Transactional Emails
Brands must understand that there are millions of competitors on the internet. As such, they must maximize every avenue they have to gain consumer loyalty, enhance the consumer experience, boost sales, and stimulate consumer interaction.
Because billions of emails are sent every day, every brand must exploit every opportunity to stand out from the rest. They can do this by delivering very informative and compelling emails. These will provide consumers with all the data they need and lead to interaction as well as future sales.
Knowing more about the best use cases for transactional emails is important for you as a business owner. This will allow you to keep your consumers informed, engaged, and loyal. These transactional emails record the highest open rates among the several categories of emails that brands send to their consumers every day. The many use cases of transactional emails provide brands with a plethora of ways to leverage them to imprint the image and message of their brands.
Transactional emails that will maximize every consumer interaction’s potential must be carefully crafted to contain an exquisite blend of data, promotion, and entertainment. A perfect blend of these three ingredients will produce scintillating transactional emails that will keep the consumers happy and loyal.
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