Leveraging Your Transactional Email for More Sales

To maximize the impact of this tactic, follow these three guidelines.

A captive audience of qualified buyers is often hard to come by. That's why savvy marketers have started including promotional content in transactional e-mail messages that confirm purchases or notify buyers when products have shipped. After all, prospects look forward to receiving these messages. Why not use them to boost business?

The challenge is making sure these helpful messages don't sound like just another marketing pitch, says veteran marketer Heather Palmer Goff. Additionally, promotional messages should be no more than 1/3rd of the overall message in order to be CAN-SPAM compliant.

To maximize the impact of this tactic, follow these three guidelines:

1. Find the right balance

Don't overload transactional messages with promotions. It takes away from the added value these messages provide and can alienate customers. A good rule of thumb is to devote two-thirds of the e-mail message to info about the transaction. Use the rest for a cross- or upsell.

2. Emphasize the transaction

The first thing customers need to see is the info they want (e.g., proof their order has been received or shipped). Make sure this info appears above the fold. Put promotional messages toward the bottom of the email.

3. Use a consistent design

Many companies use plain text to deliver transactional e-mail. As a result, they look and feel different from other messages. While using plain text can be effective, it misses an opportunity to reinforce a company's brand. Consider developing a consistent template that works for all types of e-mail.