by Martin 4 years ago 
In general, email marketing has become a popular and successful form of marketing, and many sites like Epsilon are now providing many services like this to help increase revenue and customer satisfaction within businesses. In particular, though, a transactional email is a type of automated message between a sender and a recipient. What separates transactional emails from other marketing emails is that they are triggered by events, interactions, or preferences.
However, not all small businesses understand how best to utilise the potential of transactional emails. So, let us discover 3 unique benefits of using transactional emails.
Additional Sales
Did you know that transactional emails can be used to drive extra sales? When a customer sees photos and descriptions of their recent purchase alongside links to similar products or services this can prompt a desire to make an additional purchase or even serve as a reminder to buy something else from your online store in the future. Having received a transactional email, a customer might even be tempted to browse your website for potential additional purchases. Behavioural triggering emails like ‘abandoned cart’ notifications are a prime example of the way that transactional communications can drive sales.
Using email marketing software, ‘abandoned cart’ emails can be scheduled to be sent anywhere from a few hours to a day or two after the customer was last browsing your website. This transactional email can even include a special offer to encourage the customer to go through with a purchase that had been left behind. These types of reminders reassure your customers that they are valued and this, again, contributes towards nurturing relationships and establishing brand loyalty. To learn more about the capabilities of some popular email marketing services, check out this guide that compares Aweber vs Mailchimp.
Brand Recognition
For smaller businesses establishing your brand is an ongoing task that must be worked on in various different ways. By sending out correspondences such as email confirmations, warranty messages, and follow up requests that feature your signature brand logo and house style, your customers begin to feel more conscious of your brand. In time, this can make it much more likely that they will remember your company name when shopping at a later date.
Word of mouth recommendations are also crucial for small business marketing, and therefore exposing customers to your branding in as many subtle yet effective ways as possible is fundamental. Almost all types of transactional emails can be automated using email marketing software, and therefore you do not need to worry about finding time to send out each message one by one. Instead, by automating your email marketing, you can focus on other elements of running your business all while creating positive customer experiences.
Build Customer Trust
When shopping for products and services, it is no secret that customers need to feel safe. Consequently, if your company can provide useful information at every step of a business transaction, your customers are more likely to feel empowered. Transactional emails can therefore be seen as a tool for alleviating any potential questions or concerns. This conscientious approach to business can gradually foster trust in your company. Moreover, customers that receive transactional emails are more likely to stay loyal and build a relationship with your brand.
It might seem obvious, but the most commonly used types of transactional emails are receipts and confirmations. Once a customer has made an online purchase, they should receive an email containing information about a purchase that they have made. Similarly, if a new account has been registered, or if an event RSVP has been returned, confirmation can be sent to verify that the sign up or registration was completed successfully. Furthermore, although transactional emails always have a clear purpose, they can also be used in a more subtle way to promote related products and services through suggestions of similar offers.
For streamlining the process of communication by effectively communicating with large groups of people at once, you can divide your email list into specific segments based on their purchase history or demographics. You may also personalise your emails based on the engagement rate. Additionally, you can take the help of technologies like mailing list software that can help in sending bulk emails in one go by maintaining organised lists. Further, usage of such software might help in triggering transaction emails by integration with transactional software systems.
Ultimately, transactional emails can be seen as a useful tool for enhancing the reputation of a company as well as a means of researching and retaining your audience. Above all, transactional emails are neither intrusive nor unwanted and can therefore be used as an effective and profitable way to provide excellent customer experiences while fostering long term and mutually beneficial relationships.
When used correctly, transactional email marketing can form an integral part of the digital marketing strategy for your small business. For more digital marketing tips, take a look at this guide to generating exposure for your business.