SendPost Blog - Email API & SMTP

Email marketing has become a synonym for promotional campaigns. That’s because marketers usually put all their eggs in that basket, hoping to secure maximum returns.

But what about the most underrated player of this marketing form– transactional emails.

These are the emails that your customers actually open and read, so imagine how much potential they possess for upselling and building customer loyalty.

But are you making the most of this goldmine of opportunities?

If not, here is a list of the 12 best transactional emails from which you can draw some inspiration and attract more wins.

What are Transactional Emails?

Transactional emails are communications sent to unique customers based on their recent activity. Unlike promotional campaigns, it isn’t designed or scheduled for a mass audience.

For example- If a customer signs up to your website or application, the automated email for verification is a type of transactional email.

Things to Keep in Mind While Sending Transactional Email

• Avoid using vague subject lines that don’t highlight the purpose of the email.
• Personalize the content to appeal to the customer.
• Design the email to share the relevant information without overwhelming the reader.
• Pitch the options of upsells naturally in your email.
• Add strong CTAs that redirect to the visually pleasing landing pages.

12 Best Examples of Transactional Emails

1. Double Opt-in Emails

Maintaining the mailing list hygiene is a real headache.

Implement a double opt-in process to ensure only the authentic subscribers make their way to your list.

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What can you take away?

• Brand logo and name for instant identification.
• Personalized content with clear agenda for the email
• Concise text with bold CTA to verify the address
• The footer contains links to drive further engagement through social media and the helpdesk.

2. Account Log-in Alerts

You can send these emails after the specific user triggers related to the account log-in, for example- When a user exceeds the log-in attempts or when the email address is already linked to an account.

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What can you take away?

• Coming to the point directly instead of fluffing the email with irrelevant information.
• Mentioning the problem with log-in along with the reason for the same.
• Since there is already an account, the CTA is relevant– ‘Login’.
• A link for customers to reach out for further help

3. Password Reset Email

It’s the most common email that your users might often request.

Let’s see an example of how you can make the most of this basic email.

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What can you take away?

• Concise and interesting email copy that adds a human element
• Bold CTA above the fold.
• Mentioning that ignoring the email won’t change the password signals authority and importance
• Use of doodles to make the email visually appealing and break the monotony.
• You can also send a password update confirmation afterward. You can include the quirky copy and CTA to bring them back to the website or application.

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4. Order Confirmation

Ever wondered why every convenience store keeps those tiny gums or candies near the cash counter?

Yeah, everybody loves that sugar rush. But it’s also a psychological move to drive some more sales from the customers who have already bought something.

You can also leverage your order confirmation emails in the same manner.

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What can you take away?

• Details of the order with information like order id, date, shipping address, and a purchase summary
• Suggestions of other items based on their recent purchase
• Links to your other business activities
• A comprehensive menu that encourages the reader to login into the account

4. Welcome Email

It’s the perfect opportunity to break the ice and set the right expectations.

If you use this email carefully, it can boost customer engagement and product stickiness.

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What can you take away?

• The first section briefly introduces the services and what value the products bring to their customers.
• The CTA immediately follows it to take the subscriber to the website.
• The email stars their most popular products. The email promises hassle-free returns and exchanges for 30 days, boosting the customer’s confidence.
• Links to their social community to build engagement and brand reputation
• Use of visually appealing email structure, fun images, and good copy to bring the subscriber to their world.

5. Cart Abandonment Emails

Not every website visitor will end up buying something. But you can always nudge the window shoppers in the right direction.

Cart abandonment emails bring the customer’s attention back to the product and encourage them to finish the purchase. 

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What can you take away?

• An engaging email copy keeps the reader hooked on what you have to say.
• Listing all the reasons why the customer should try your product
• Use of emojis to catch the attention
• Answering the frequent questions of potential customers to build trust and make the decision easier
• CTA with good copy that motivates the reader to give it a try
• You can even add reviews of other customers to let the readers take the decision quickly.

6. Shipping Confirmation Email

These are the emails sent to inform the customers of their incoming orders.

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What can you take away?

• Details of the order and the expected receiving date
• Link to view and track the order
• Offer on each customer recommendation that can increase the referrals
• Signature has links to social media, and a highlighted prompt to download the application

7. Customer Feedback Email

Did you know you could create customer feedback emails to help in more than one way?

Here’s an example that can inspire you to maximize the potential of customer feedback emails.

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What can you take away?

• Email is sent after 30 days of the purchase so that the customer has ample time to form an honest opinion.
• The email copy asks questions that make the customer think about the changes introduced to their life by the product.
• The survey is part of the email, so the customer won’t have to visit another link.
• Prompts customers to share their experience on social media with a suitable product hashtag.
• If the customer is happy with the product, the chances of their second purchase increase. The email recommends the next purchase to the reader.

9. Billing Emails

These emails can cover any billing-related concern or confirmation of the payment.

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What can you take away?

• The email starts with the concern at hand and details the issue.
• CTA to update the payment in the account
• Information to convey the impact of non-payment on the account services

10. Order Cancellation Email

It’s hard to say goodbye to a sale, but you can draft an email to convey your disappointment about the same.

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What can you take away?

• Providing a direct CTA to renew the services before the reader’s attention gets stuck to any other point.
• Using the same CTA above and below the fold increases the chances of renewal.
• Sharing the reasons why canceling the subscription might be a bad idea and what the customers will miss out on.

11. Thank You Email

You can send this email after a successful purchase. 

It’s a great way to communicate gratitude and improve the customer experience.

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What can you take away?

• A thank you message that builds emotional connection and makes customers proud of their purchase.
• Helpful links to FAQ and support team
• A menu that nudges the customer to view other options on the website.
• Link to their popular social media channels

12. Privacy Policy Update

Every business has to update its policies and guidelines to accommodate new changes.

But it’s equally crucial to keep your customers updated on the same. It will save you a lot of legal pain and build trust among your audience.

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What can you take away?

• Link the complete document of the new policies for the reader’s discretion
• Explicit mention of the date when you will make the changes a part of the product.
• Highlights of the new policy changes for the readers on the go
• Providing an option to reach your customer support team for any queries or concerns.

How to Get Started?

Now that you know what to design let’s quickly tackle the how too.

Using the right tools to support you with creating the right transactional emails is critical. And a tool that lets you test and improve transactional email deliverability is a cherry on the cake. It ensures that your information reaches the customer’s inbox.

You can trust SendPost with thousands of ready-to-use templates that promise a deliverability percentage of over 99%. Its simple APIs are easy to integrate and can get you up and running in hours.