{"id":1287,"date":"2020-03-31T16:03:03","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T13:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/?p=1287"},"modified":"2021-04-29T20:11:27","modified_gmt":"2021-04-29T17:11:27","slug":"transactional-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/transactional-email\/","title":{"rendered":"Transactional Email: Types &#038; Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Transaction emails have become an integral part of the interaction between businesses and consumers. Billions of such messages are sent every day.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another name for transaction emails is trigger emails. Let\u2019s look a little deeper into what they are, how they work, and what you can do to improve their efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is Transactional Email?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A transactional email is an automated message. Such emails are triggered by events, interactions, and clients\u2019 choices. The most common examples are password resets, registration confirmations, and receipts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These emails help nurture the relationship between a company and a client while helping the marketing team focus on more complex tasks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transaction emails are personalized. They are tailored to suit individual recipients based on their actions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Types of Transactional Emails<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transactional emails can automate your marketing efforts and improve relationships with your clients. Let\u2019s go over the most common types of transactional emails.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1.<\/b> <b>Confirmation Emails and Receipts<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most widely used transactional emails are receipts and confirmations. These are sent after a transaction occurs. Usually, the company sends an email confirming an order made by a client or providing a receipt for the purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These transactional emails can also feature the actual product purchased during the transaction. It could be files or links to downloadable content.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sign-ups, password updates, and new account registrations are also transactional email triggers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2.<\/b> <b>Urgent Requests<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urgent requests often warrant a transactional email. They may contain the information requested by a certain user of the program or service. The most common example of an urgent request is a password reset. Since users can\u2019t access their accounts without this information, it must be produced immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another common urgent request is a verification code needed for authorization to access the account. The code must be sent without a delay. This category also includes retrieving other account-related information as well as product keys.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3.<\/b> <b>Account Notifications<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automated emails triggered by changes in the user\u2019s account are also transactional. It could be reminders about invoices, declined credit card alerts, delays with delivery, and so forth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without logging into the account, the user wouldn\u2019t know about the changes unless they received a transactional email. Other examples include login notifications, membership renewal requests, password changes, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4.<\/b> <b>Behavioral Responses<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These transactional emails are used for marketing efforts. They are sent in response to certain behavior exhibited by the client. For example, it could be a thank you\/welcome email or a \u201ccheck-in\u201d message to find out if the client is happy with the services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bigcommerce.com\/blog\/abandoned-cart-emails\/#what-is-an-abandoned-cart-email\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abandoned cart emails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are the most common example of behavioral triggers. These transactional messages are highly effective in boosting sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5.<\/b> <b>Event-driven Notifications<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These transactional emails are sent to notify the user of certain events. It could be a reply to their comments on the forum or a reminder about an upcoming webinar. Such emails also include payment and shipping updates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, such emails are a reaction to something other people (e.g. on social networks) or companies (shipping updates) do, which may be of interest to the recipient.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Choose the Best Transactional Email Service?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking advantage of transactional emails is a necessity for the majority of companies. Using an external platform for sending such emails is important for the speed and quality of your messages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosting providers usually have strict limitations for the number of emails you can send daily to prevent spammy mailouts. While you can often send up to 200 emails per hour, it may not be sufficient for a mass campaign mailout.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you are just starting to work with email services for your application or want to change the provider, you need to ask yourself several questions before choosing the best transactional email service.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you need the provider to send out transactional emails only? Or will you need its services for newsletters, product updates, etc.? It may be easier to have a single tool for both, instead of jumping from one to another.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How many emails are you planning to send? How many addresses do you plan to work with? Can you settle for the free basic plan offered by some providers or would you need premium plans?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if you decide to add additional emails? How much would the provider charge for such additions? Are their payment plans suitable for your volume of work?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you customize the automation extensively? Or are you limited by certain changes? Does the platform offer appropriate analytical features or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/email-validator\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">email validation tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it possible to integrate the platform with your website or app? Can you do it on your own or would you need professional assistance?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transactional Emails: Best Practices<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When setting up your transaction emails, you can take advantage of the following tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1.<\/b> <b>Add personalization<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Always make transactional emails personal by mentioning the recipient\u2019s name. The email should also contain related details, such as order number, order date, billing summary, etc.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2.<\/b> <b>Adjust Sender\u2019s Information<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are sending such emails, make sure they appear trustworthy by adding the company\u2019s name to the sender\u2019s description. Use something like \u201cKelly from Ann\u2019s Flowers\u201d rather than Ann\u2019s Flowers Inc.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>3.<\/b> <b>Keep Promotional Efforts Low<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transactional emails aren\u2019t about marketing. Try not to be too insistent with your promotional efforts. It\u2019s ok to add some offers every once in a while, but they should be subtle.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>4.<\/b> <b>Include Contact Details<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the email is automated, the recipient often lacks the opportunity to reply to it. Make sure you add all the necessary contact information to use if questions arise. Consider avoiding no-reply emails altogether if possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>5.<\/b> <b>Boost Brand Awareness<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your transactional emails should promote your brand. Make sure the client easily recognizes whom the sender is. Add logos, mottos, and other unique information to make your company easy to identify.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>6.<\/b> <b>Follow CAN-SPAM Act<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure your transactional emails are in line with the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/tips-advice\/business-center\/guidance\/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CAN-SPAM<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> act. They should be as carefully checked as your promotional emails.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transactional emails are an integral part of nurturing your relationship with your clients. Make sure they are polished properly. Using a high-quality service to send such messages can help you avoid mistakes, delays, and unexpected limitations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Transaction emails have become an integral part of the interaction between businesses and consumers. Billions of such messages are sent every day. Another name for transaction emails is trigger emails. Let\u2019s look a little deeper into what they are, how they work, and what you can do to improve their efficiency. What is Transactional Email? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1287"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1287"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1734,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1287\/revisions\/1734"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.byteplant.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}