Comments on: Transactional email

By: Thoughts on transactional mail at Word to the Wise

Thoughts on transactional mail at Word to the Wise — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:40:45 +0000

[...] had at MAAWG about transactional email and opened up the conversation to readers here. Mike proposed a definition. [Transactional mail is] an automated message, sent on a per-user basis, usually as [...]

By: Steven

Steven — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:12:37 +0000

I think transactional email is anything which serves a functional purpose which is useful to the receiver. Shipping information is the classic example, invitations to buy are not.

By: Margaret Farmakis

Margaret Farmakis — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:46:22 +0000

I agree with Mike and Kelly on their definitions, however I would disagree that these messages are always (or should only be) messages that users can’t unsubscribe from. We recommend that marketers include opt-out links as part of certain transactional messages, like welcome messages, which are triggered as the result of a user action (signing up).

Welcome messages, while essential as part of any optimized email marketing program, can often receive a higher level of complaints, so to protect your sender reputation and maintain high inbox deliverability, it’s always a best practice to make it easier for subscribers to opt-out than complain and click the “This is spam” button.

I would also agree that it’s a great idea to test the use of promotions in your transactional messages. The more targeted and relevant those promotions are (for example, if the customer bought a set of sheets, include a promotion for other bedding items like pillows, blankets and throws), the better. The more relevant your messaging (whether it’s content or promotions), regardless of the type of messaging you’re sending, the more active and engaged your subscribers will be.

By: Kelly Lorenz

Kelly Lorenz — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:13:02 +0000

I agree with Mike on all but the opt-in message. My definition of transactional is basically the same as CAN-SPAM’s: anything that people can’t unsubscribe from. This would include administrative messages like shipping confirmations and receipts, anything where the marketer is providing information based on the recipient’s actions. That doesn’t mean, however, that transactional messages can not also include a marketing element, but the focus should be on the marketer responding to an action taken by the recipient. I’m on the fence on whether actions taken toward a recipient (ie, someone is now following you) count as you can unsubscribe from these alerts and to quote the dictionary, the strict definition of a “transaction” is an instance of buying or selling a good.

It will probably change over time, but that is my definition of transactional emails today.

-Kelly Lorenz

By: Mike Hillyer

Mike Hillyer — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:17:37 +0000

I’d call it mail that is generated as a result of a user action, in direct relation to that user action. Ideally this is an action on the part of the recipient but I can see situations where it could be another user.

I’d go with examples such as opt-in messages, purchase confirmations, notices of the actions of a fellow user (xx posted on your wall).

This could also extend into automated messages such as shipping notifications and alerts from a registrar that your domain is about to expire (assuming of course that the registrar in question is the one who you registered the domain with).

If I had to make it a short explanation I’d say it’s an automated message, sent on a per-user basis, usually as the result of a direct action by the user or strongly associated with the user.