January 7, 2019

10 Emails every brand needs to send out

hand opening branded mailers on phone

‘You’ve got mail!’ may not elicit the same response it did before social media took over, but it still holds a critical spot in every brand’s marketing and communication strategy. 

From serving the purpose of relationship building to lead generation, here are some emails every brand must send if they wish to forge better relationships with new and existing customers.

1. Welcome mailer

A welcome mailer is the proverbial red carpet that welcomes and introduces new customers to your brand. 

Your brand is at the top of the customer’s mind when they sign up. A welcome email can strengthen that presence. 

By providing details such as username and password, or nudging the consumer towards the next desired step, it can both add value and create a great first impression. 

For instance, Food52’s mailer sets the mood perfectly with its welcome mailer; it introduces the people behind the brand and provides a trigger through a discount offer. The witty pre-header, ‘we brought snacks’ doesn’t hurt either. 

Food 52 as an example of a branded mailer

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2. The ‘getting started’ mailer 

You can club this with the welcome mailer. However, if you offer a product or service that calls for detailed preliminary guidance, a separate ‘How to’ mailer can help customers navigate their way around and deter them from procrastinating to take action.

3. Newsletters

Everyone hates newsletters that don’t add any value. Why should your customer be interested in your branded email if you’re just sending it in a rush to meet the periodic communication deadline instead of sharing read-worthy content? 

Make newsletters work for you! Curate, create, and share industry-centric news. 

Fashion brands can talk about trends to look out for, an auto brand can suggest the perfect loan option for buying a dream car — there’s something valuable for every brand to include in their newsletter. 

Regular company updates, however, are better communicated through social media than via newsletters. You don’t want to be bombarding your consumers.

If you need a brand example to go by, no one creates newsletters like Moz.com. It curates diverse and interesting topics to keep customers tuning in every month:

Moz Top Ten as an example of a branded mailer

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The Moz Top 10 doesn’t just put together content written by its own team. Instead, it adds a healthy mix of useful content from other sites, thereby adopting a consumer-first approach. 

Another takeaway from the Moz newsletter is the minimal use of design and copy. Sticking to only what’s necessary gives readers a glimpse of multiple topics without overwhelming them with big chunks of information. 

4. Mailers for inactive users

Sometimes, your customers put off availing of your brand offering.

They’re three-fourths of the way down the funnel. They perceive your product/service to be worth a shot, and even consider buying it, but not right away. 

Change that ‘maybe later’ to ‘right away’ with a mailer reminding them to seal the deal; probably even throw in a small discount or a limited-period offer. Think about it; almost 67% of users abandon their cart before making a sale. 

If your mailer can convert them, you can make a sale without incurring any additional cost on acquisition or advertising.

One of the better examples of such mailers comes from Glossier. Consider this clean and honest copy about auto-generated mailers:

Glossier as an example of branded mailers

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Similar emails can also be sent to inactive users. Rekindle the relationship with a sweet treat or simply check in on them to prompt better brand recall.

5. Product launch or new service mailers

Your brand stalwarts are more likely to be interested in new products and services than first-time customers. Moreover, they’ll feel privileged if you break the news to them first. 

And since they are already lower in the sales funnel, you don’t need to spend as much effort on introducing the brand. This reduces the cost that would have otherwise been spent on creating awareness.

Consider the following mailer by Design Disruptors. It lets on just enough and uses a CTA that can provide a clear indicator of the number of interested consumers. 

Design Disruptors as an example of branded mailers

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6. Mailers about company changes

While an offsite to Macau is not on the list, major company-centric changes that could affect your relationship with your customers should be communicated to them.

7. Event mailers

Pique curiosity, build hype, ask for sign-ups — whether it’s a pop-up event or a webinar, a full-fledged branded email series will assist your social and print media marketing of the event.

Here’s an example:

Women's conference mailer as an example of branded mailers

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8. Survey and feedback mailers

From what changes they’d like integrated with your offering to feedback on customer service, hearing from your audience helps to analyse how your brand is being perceived.

Often, brand perception differs from brand identity, and this is where directly asking for feedback can help bridge the gap between the two.

The best survey mailers are those that directly address pain points and give an incentive for providing information. And they are quick, short, and easy to respond to, such as this Bubble and Squeak mailer:

Bubble and Squeak as an example of branded mailers

9. Offers and free gifts

A key component of your lead generation process – offers and free gift mailers – give your customers the final push they need to take action. Sending regular offers will also prime customers to consistently look forward to them. 

A mistake most brands make is that they focus on the product instead of promoting the offer – the trick is to make the offer not just the cherry on the cake, but the entire cake itself!

10. Thank-you mailers

A personalised ‘Thank You’ can make a lot of difference. Send a branded email thanking your customer for not just making a purchase but also for raising a grievance or asking a query.

Parting words

Brands need to reinvent the wheel if they wish to constantly stay fresh in the minds of their target audience. Mailers might seem like a simple and outdated idea, but when done right, they can help acquire and retain loyal customers for life.