Most people are probably familiar with this situation: you are browsing in an online shop and have perhaps already put something in your shopping cart, but then decide not to complete the purchase process. Perhaps you want to compare whether the items are cheaper elsewhere, or you want to continue shopping at a later time. A short time later, you receive an email from the same online shop reminding you that you still have something in your shopping cart. Sometimes there is also a voucher included. This is referred to as trigger emails.
Trigger emails are an integral part of email marketing. These are automated mailings that are sent to the relevant recipient based on an event (trigger). In some cases, the term autoresponder is also used synonymously, although this only covers a subset of trigger emails. They are therefore fundamentally different from regularly published newsletters. The dispatch time, which is coordinated with a specific event, and the appropriate content are aimed at a higher response rate. This makes trigger emails a good addition to general newsletters. These are more personal, accompany current processes and remind the customer of your company. Trigger emails are also a good tool for accompanying the recipient along the customer journey, supporting them and strengthening customer loyalty.
Advantages of trigger emails
A clear advantage of trigger emails is the associated marketing automation . The larger the customer base and the offer, the more important automated processes are. These ensure consistent "care" of the customer and the necessary customer loyalty along the customer journey.
Another major advantage of automation is the time savings it brings (and the minimization of potential errors).
Since the trigger emails are preceded by a specific event, they are perfectly tailored to the current needs of the individual recipient and thus achieve a high level of personalization and individualization .
In contrast to newsletters, correctly used trigger emails have a much higher relevance because the notification arrives exactly when it is likely to receive the most attention.
Due to the targeted approach, trigger emails also generate higher open and click rates .
Possible uses for trigger emails
In addition to the shopping cart abandonment emails described above, there are plenty of other areas of application for trigger emails. We have listed the most important areas of application for you below. Depending on the industry, other processes in the customer journey can also be controlled and supported with the help of trigger emails. The better you get to know the lead or customer, the more reasons there are for automated email communication. In our article Touchpoints in the optimized customer lifecycle, you can find out more about which trigger emails can be used for each phase.
Trigger emails support user onboarding
Greeting and welcome campaigns are more thanjust a nice gesture. Depending on your business area, they can contain additional information, special offers for new customers or an overview of the possible services. If you are a software provider, you can also use short video tutorials, tips & tricks or contact details for support requests to make access easier for new customers.
For user onboarding, a campaign that is structured in small chunks and in several stages can be set up. The aim of onboarding campaigns is to have a positive impact on the customer experience. The aim is, of course, to retain the new recipient/customer as quickly as possible and to develop them further.
Service emails are also trigger emails
These trigger emails are now expected by most customers because service emails let them know that the action taken was successful and the associated process has been initiated.
Typical service emails include purchase and shipping south-africa number dataset confirmations , but also confirmations for inquiries, appointments or data changes . Service emails can also include reminder emails that remind the recipient of an upcoming event or appointment. Ideally, these contain additional information, such as how to get there, admission or any preparation that may be necessary.
A nice example of trigger emails - a shopping cart abandonment email
A nice example of trigger emails - a shopping cart abandonment email from About You
Behavioral trigger emails
Behavior-related trigger emails are based on the actions of your visitors on your website or in newsletters they receive. The content of these trigger emails is tailored to the behavior and is therefore completely individualized. In this context, this is also referred to as 1:1 communication.
If a visitor was looking for green sneakers, for example, and looked at a few models - preferably several times - they will receive a personalized newsletter. This will track their surfing behavior and offer the most recently viewed products or similar ones. Ideally, you will also point out if the price of a previously viewed product has changed. This can be an additional reason for some people to make a purchase. The previously mentioned shopping cart abandonment emails , in which a trigger email is triggered because the purchase process has not been completed, can also be counted as behavior-related emails.
Addressing personal issues in trigger emails
Trigger emails should not only be used to increase sales, but also to build customer loyalty. Personal occasions can be used as a trigger for trigger emails to support a positive customer experience.
Common examples are birthday emails and customer anniversaries . Small user successes can also be celebrated - such as a 30-day streak in language training, etc. These types of rewards and badges are often used by app providers for gaming, sports or education. Bonus clubs also make use of such occasions. These trigger emails are addressed personally, ideally with a personalized picture, and usually in conjunction with a voucher. This shows the customer appreciation and interest, and who wouldn't be happy about a small gift.
trigger emails for reactivation
Trigger emails for reactivation are used to get recipients who are thought to be "dead" (so-called sleepers) excited about your products and/or services again. Reactivation emails should contain special offers with high relevance, as it is much cheaper to reactivate a customer than to acquire a new one. The last purchase date plus a period of time X is used as a trigger. In many areas, reactivation measures start when this date is 6 months in the past.
The reactivation process can be set up as a multi-stage campaign. For example, after six months of inactivity, a newsletter with special offers is sent, which contains products from categories that were particularly interesting for the recipient. In the next stage, after nine months without a purchase, a voucher is added to the reactivation email. Over the next three months, further emails with vouchers are sent monthly. Of course, the campaign should stop as soon as the customer purchases something again. If the recipient still does not respond, an attempt can be made to continue the reactivation via other channels.