web app. Automated email allows you to send real-time, one-to-one ... Brand building - As a highly personal communicatio
Automated Email Guide |
Contents 2 3 4 5 6 7
Introduction to Automated Email How Automated Email Fits In Why Should I Use Automated Email? Start Sending Automated Email Today Things to Keep in Mind Get Started with SendGrid
Automated Email Guide
Introduction to Automated Email Your business is likely familiar with transactional email and marketing email as critical tools used to provide operational updates (like a receipt) or promotional messages (like a newsletter). In this guide, we’d like to introduce you to a third category of email that can help add tremendous value and complement your existing email programs: automated email.
What is automated email? Automated email, also referred to as triggered email or behavior-driven email, is any message sent in direct response to an individual user’s specific actions made (or not made) on your website or web app. Automated email allows you to send real-time, one-to-one messages that support and inspire, all so you can strengthen customer engagement, retention, and loyalty.
AUTOMATED EMAIL EXAMPLE: WELCOME SERIES Build a drip campaign to optimize new user engagement and success.
A new user signs up.
>
Contents
User receives confirmation and a helpful tip.
User receives a relevant upgrade invitation.
User has a positive first experience with the brand.
| 2
Automated Email Guide
How Automated Email Fits In Transactional emails are highly valuable to consumers because they provide crucial information like receipts or password resets, but because of CAN-SPAM and CASL rules and guidelines, they can’t contain promotional content. Traditional marketing email is critical for sending announcements to large segments of your customer base, like promotions or newsletters, but they don’t offer the one-to-one communication customers have come to expect. Automated email is sent to individual customers automatically, like transactional email, but allows for more robust messaging opportunities like marketing email:
By bridging the gap between transactional and marketing email, automated email provides a scalable, efficient method for marketers to send extremely user-specific messages in a responsive way. Automated email achieves the best of both worlds between timing and content to provide marketers with messages that have: >
Contents
| 3
Automated Email Guide
Relevance - When a user receives an automated email, it’s because they’ve taken an action which triggered a workflow. As a result, the message they receive is highly relevant to them and they’re more likely to open and engage with the email. Engaging content - Automated email content is designed to increase user engagement with your app or website. This could mean teaching new customers how to use your product, encouraging users to give feedback, or providing a lapsed customer with an incentive to return. Brand building - As a highly personal communication channel, automated email serves as an extension of your brand. It gives you the opportunity to strengthen the connection between you and your customers by communicating thought leadership, assisting with cross sells, or by sharing timely updates about features they haven’t used yet.
Why Should I Use Automated Email? Simply put, automated email drives user engagement. Customers are much more likely to open, read, and take action with an automated email. On average, automated email drives 70.5% higher open rates and 152% higher click-through rates than “business as usual” emails. This drives real business results including: Loyalty - Customers who’ve been helped through the onboarding process or who have received timely cues to follow through on desired actions are more likely to feel successful and recommend your brand to others.
Focus down on the funnel – One of the reasons automated email is so powerful is that it targets people who have already engaged with your brand’s website or app. This means they are further down the sales funnel and more likely to take the steps you want them to as customers.
Retention - Customers feel more valued when they receive personalized assistance and real-time communication, which translates to sticky users who you can count on as consistent, long-term users. Revenue - Customers are more likely to finish entering their billing information, upgrade their account, or return as an active user when they’re messaged at the perfect time with just the right prompt.
>
Contents
| 4
Automated Email Guide
Start Sending Automated Email Today Despite the value of automated email, many companies haven’t started implementing it. Only about half of companies send welcome messages or other automated series. The good news is that it’s easy to get a smart, focused automated email program started and begin driving meaningful results. Our new automated email service, Threads by SendGrid, gives marketers the power to easily, and scalably, send customers the personalized messages they want. Integrating with Threads is simple and can be accomplished by your developer in just a few simple steps. You can learn more with our Developer Getting Started Documentation. Once integrated, you can set up workflows and begin sending automated emails like: • Welcome series emails to help new customers begin using your product • Nurture series emails that help guide customers to the next step in the sales funnel • Win-back campaigns for customers who have stopped engaging with your app or website • Upgrade abandonment messages to encourage customers to complete the upgrade process • User verification emails to make sure new users are legitimate You can learn more about integrating and sending your automated email through Threads by reading the Threads Getting Started Guide.
Why use Threads? Focused - Simple and effective without the unneeded bells and whistles provided by other triggered email solutions. Proven - Built on the scalable, reliable SendGrid delivery platform that sends over 20 billion emails/month. Flexible - Endless event possibilities means that you’re only limited by your creativity. Support - Unmatched support from our team of email experts.
>
Contents
| 5
Automated Email Guide
Things to Keep in Mind Once you’ve set up your workflows and you’re ready to start sending automated email through Threads, there are a few things you should keep in mind before messaging your customers: Timing - Consider the best time to deploy your message based on the triggering event and the content. If you’re sending a series, be sure to space them in a manner that will help your customers, and not overwhelm them. Volume - More isn’t always better. While it’s great to send relevant messages to your customers, sending too many messages can turn customers away. Focus on the opportunities that are most meaningful to your customers (and your business). Test - Once your automated email is set up, be sure to test (and then test again) to optimize your messaging. With Threads by SendGrid, you can test subject lines, content, CTAs, timing, and even custom metrics that reflect the goal of your email, like upgrades or key page views. Allow opt-outs - Make sure you provide easy unsubscribe options and mail preference management. It will allow you to focus your effort on engaged users, and it’s better for your brand to provide an elegant, user friendly opt-out experience than to burn a bridge.
CAN-SPAM and CASL - Since the primary purpose of most automated email is to drive recipients back to your app or website, they’re considered a form of marketing communications. As a result, you’ll need to make sure all automated emails follow CAN-SPAM and CASL laws.
Threads was designed to empower marketers and developers alike to foster user engagement and deliver the one-to-one communication customers are looking for. Built on top of the SendGrid platform, you can now use SendGrid to send any type of email you want.
Visit Threads.io and begin sending your automated emails today.
>
Contents
| 6
Get Started with SendGrid Learn More Read Our Customer Success Stories Sign Up About SendGrid SendGrid helps you focus on your business without the cost and complexity of owning and maintaining an email infrastructure. We manage all of the technical details, from scaling infrastructure, to ISP outreach and reputation monitoring, to whitelist services and real-time analytics. We offer world-class deliverability expertise to make sure your emails get delivered, handle ISP monitoring, DKIM, domain keys, SPF, feedback loops, whitelabeling, link customization, and more. To learn more, visit www.sendgrid.com.
>
Contents
