Many transactional messages are sent as text only - is this a missed opportunity, are they a necessary evil to ensure all legal concerns are covered and guarantee deliverability?
When it comes to transactional message design, there are several technical and legal hurdles to overcome whatever market you operate in. Despite this there are several ways you can enhance your customers experience by optimising your transactional messages. We've looked at the pros and cons of six different approaches to transactional message design.
Plain text
This example shows a plain text purchase confirmation message, which is the most common type of transactional message we have seen.
- Pros
- Maximises deliverability
- Cons
- Long URLs visually unappealing
- Cannot track open rates
- Hard to be creative or reinforce branding
- Best Suited for Companies:
- With international customers (cross boarder legal considerations)
- Where guaranteed delivery is a requirement
- Who are targets for Phishing
- With booking / reservation systems that do not allow HTML
- With a separate HTML booking/dispatch programme
HTML Text Messages
A number of companies choose to send enhanced text versions of their transactional messages which are a combination of text and HTML. They have hyperlinked text and often bold formatting.
- Pros
- Links can be hyperlinked
- Formatted text looks more professional
- and the content is easier to read
- Cons
- Missed creative and branding opportunities
- Best Suited for Companies with:
- International customers (cross boarder legal considerations)
- Deliverability problems
- Booking / reservation systems that do not allow images
Branding Only
Trainline's purchase confirmation message includes their logo which, by default includes their website address.
- Pros
- Cost effective Branding Opportunity
- Looks professional
- Messages appear more trustworthy
- Cons
- May have slight impact on deliverability
- Logo will not appear if image blocking is enabled
- Best Suited for Companies with:
- Functionality to send HTML transactional messages
- International customers (cross boarder legal considerations)
- A desire to reinforce their brand without a "hard sell"
Navigation Bar
A navigation bar within your transactional message is a great way to "soft sell" by making a recent purchaser aware of other products and services you offer. Functional links in saved emails are often used as bookmarks by subscribers. People who click on links in saved emails are also less likely to use search.
Mankind's purchase confirmation message includes their full navigation bar which, by default, includes links to offers.
- Pros
- Links bookmark important parts of your site
- Soft sell additional products and services
- Cons
- A navigation bar may cause your confirmation message to be viewed as marketing rather than transactional in some markets which will have legal implications
- May cause deliverability issues, however this can be mitigated by following best practice in design construction and list management
- Best Suited for Companies with:
- Functionality to include HTML in transactional messages
- Many product or service lines
- Strong or highly visual branding
Value add Content
Giving subscribers additional information to enhance their experience is a simple way to enhance transactional messages without them being seen as being overt marketing messages.
Last Minute use a simple graphic to reinforce their branding to enhance their customer's experience.
Top Table optimise both password reminders and booking confirmations - password reminders include a link to offers, whilst their booking confirmations include a link to a map of the restaurant booked, and links to pubs nearby (which, in this case may be cross/up sell messages).
- Pros
- Ability to target subscribers at a time when they have expressed an interest in your company
- Opportunity to offer specific information to enhance your customer's experience
- Unlikely to irritate the subscriber
- Cons
- May cause deliverability issues, however this can be mitigated by following best practice in design construction and list management
- Best Suited to companies:
- With a booking/purchasing system with functionality to send dynamic, HTML messages
- Which require user registration
Cross-Sell / Up-Sell Opportunities
The following two examples show how companies are optimising their transactional messages to promote cross sell / upsell products.
EasyJet's booking conformation and e-ticket show offers, specific to the flight booked, in the right hand panel of their template.
In their order confirmation messages, Amazon include links to users account, basket and wishlist as well as their recommendations based on browsing and purchasing behaviour.
- Pros
- Ability to cross and up sell recent purchasers
- Offers are timely, highly relevant and targeted
- Cons
- Including marketing messages within your transactional messages may have legal implications in some markets
- Best Suited to companies with:
- a number of related product/service offerings
- the capability to include dynamic content/ HTML with transactional messages
- B2B products (not requiring consent)
Don't forget the from address!
Remember to give your from name/address and subject line some consideration.
Too many companies us generic 'donotreply@xxx.com' addresses, or from names like 'info', with non-specific subject lines which do nothing for your brand.
Think about how your consumers will use the message.
