Email is still one of the strongest ways to stay in touch with your customer and prospect base. While nobody wants to become that company that someone immediately hits delete when the email comes in or causes half their email base to opt out (read more about opt outs and if they are actually bad), you should be using it strategically to reach out and stay top of mind. However, coming up with unique emails to send can be difficult.
Here are ten non-transactional emails you could be sending to get the creativity flowing...
1. New Releases
Do you have a new product or service offering? Write an email about the launch. This could even be a series of emails leading up to the launch to get people excited. Ultimately it's a way to show your email list that you are innovating and have something new to share. Think of this like the Christmas morning email ... a shiny new offering for your customers.
2. Tips & Tricks
Not every email you send has to be a sales email. Offering up free advice will build trust with your email list. Give the readers a helpful tip or trick for using your product. Who doesn't love a good hack?!
3. Testimonials
Let someone else do the selling for you! There's a reason why e-commerce websites showcase customer reviews, testimonials, and "others like you bought" sections. They work! People want to know what others think before making a purchase. These testimonials could also be about your customer service, if you would share the feedback internally and celebrate it, why not share it with your email readers?
4. Product Features
This is the most common, which is why I hid it in the middle of the list. These emails can focus on one specific feature of a product or do a deep dive into a single product. This doesn't always need to be a new product, keep your focus on features and benefits that stand out from your competition.
5. New Uses for Products
Has a customer used your product in an unexpected way? Show it off! People love multi-use products. This can happen in any industry, so don't think you can't use this idea. Solicit feedback from your customer service or sales team to learn how customers may be using your products in ways you didn't know about.
6. Unknown or Low-Use Services
Do you have a service that nobody ever uses? Show off what you can offer customers! Go as far as to call it a "secret" offering - don't tell me you haven't looked at every "secret menu" list for your favorite restaurant, nobody wants to be left out of a secret. This should be something you want to offer, so don't push yourself to showcase something your team will dread having to fulfill.
7. Educational
This is similar to tips and tricks, but the difference is that you are giving out advice or providing information that will help to educate your reader. These emails will help to establish your credibility with a customer and help show you as an expert in the space.
8. Industry News
Is something big happening in your industry? More than likely, your email audience wants to hear about it. Anything from price increases to strike notices will be helpful to your readers. It also shows your customers that you are staying on top of trends and the latest news. Which, once again, establishes your company as a trusted source of information.
9. Blog Posts
You or someone on your team took the time to write the blog post, so promote it to your email list. Not only does this get more readers to your blog, but you can share more than most people want to consume inside a single email. Give a teaser inside the email, but ultimately lead the reader to your website to read the full article.
10. Employee Features
Give some love to the people behind the scenes. People want to buy from companies that align with their values. Showcasing your employees is a way to show them some appreciation while also sharing with your email list about the people handling the orders, answering the phone, shipping the products, etc.
