E-mail marketing is one of the most effective tools for building relations with Clients in the E-commerce. Among the methods that draw Clients’ attention, transactional e-mails stand out. According to research, users open such messages as much as 8 times more frequently than traditional e-mails or newsletters. What are transactional e-mails, what differentiates them from the other forms of communication with Clients within E-commerce and why can’t they be omitted in your online activity?
Transactional e-mails – build trust and relation with a Client
The e-commerce industry has been a subject many sociological studies − researchers monitor behaviours of users of the Internet and on that basis they come up with various conclusions. It turns out that transactional e-mails are not only expected, but almost awaited by recipients. What are transactional messages? They are e-mails which are sent automatically to a user, almost immediately after an operation on a website, in a store or application. A typical transactional e-mail is an e-mail that confirms an order placement, in which the addressee finds its summary. However, it’s only one of many examples. What other transactional messages can we encounter online? E-mails:
- which confirm creation of an account on a given Internet service,
- which confirm a newsletter signup,
- which remind a password or which allow to change a password,
- which confirm making of a transaction – such messages are frequently sent not only by online stores, but also by auction portals to inform a Client that the recipient has received the money to their bank account,
- which “remind” the user about a site or store, if that client hasn’t visited those for a long time and hasn’t made any purchase.
Transactional e-mails vs. mailing and newsletters – what are the differences between them?
Both mailing, newsletters and transactional e-mails have a similar purpose – to build relations with Clients. However, as long as newsletters are sent to multiple recipients, transactional e-mails are messages that are destined for one, particular user. Its major goal is to inform a Client about the status of an online order. At the same time, users’ interest in transactional e-mails can be harnessed and they can also contain other elements e.g. encouragement to make a purchase, to use a discount or to sign up for a newsletter.
How to construct transactional e-mails?
Transactional e-mails don’t have to be merely a dry summary of an order or an account start-up. Because users impatiently anticipate them, such e-mails can also be used for achievement of other goals as well as for encouragement to making of purchases. It’s worth to diversify transactional messages by adding:
- links to social media channels,
- graphics,
- intuitive layout and dynamic elements,
- encouragement to use a discount, to sign up for a loyalty program, bonuses,
- valuable content marketing − the Client bought a winter coat? Encourage him/her to read some tips about interesting winter outfits,
- important information (the so called FAQ),
- link to shipment tracking,
- encouragement to make another purchase; for that purpose up-selling or cross-selling can be used.
Up-selling is an encouragement to increase the value of an order (e.g. when the Client’s order is close to the free shipping value). On the other hand, cross-selling is about encouragement to buy complementary products; for that purpose special discount codes are used, with short a short expiry date.
Transactional e-mails allow to maintain continuous contact with Clients and to build long-lasting relations and trust with them. However, they can be used in a creative way, in order to increase the sale − right after the purchase a Client is surely in a good mood, and you as an owner of an online store, can only benefit from that.