How to Write a Good Permission Reminder for Email Campaigns
What would you do if you randomly received a newsletter from a business you didn’t recognize? Chances are you’d mark it as spam and feel some sort of dislike for that particular business.
A good permission reminder can prevent this from happening.
A permission reminder is a small blurb or paragraph in an email that reminds the recipient how you got their email address in the first place. This helps to reduce spam complaints and unsubscribe requests while keeping your email reputation and deliverability high.
Here are a few benefits of having a permission reminder in email campaigns:
- Compliance with anti-spam laws
- Improved email reputation and deliverability
- Enhanced brand reputation
How to write a good permission reminder?
Let’s start with some examples:
Have you seen something like this in your mailbox?
Well, this isn’t a great example of a permission reminder. Including a physical address with an unsubscribe link can add more authenticity to this message. However, the problem here is that it still doesn’t help the recipient remember why they are on your subscription list in the first place. If you have access to that information, why not use it to its full advantage?
Here’s a better example:
Permission reminder
When you click ‘update your preferences.’
When you click “unsubscribe from this list.”
The example above shows the service you are subscribed to and the email ID that is currently subscribed as well. However, this could be further improved by adding the date of subscription in the message.
Note how this reminder is polite, clearly-worded, and offers an easy way to unsubscribe.
Still wondering how to create an effective permission reminder for your email campaigns? Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Be specific and polite
Your permission reminder must explain how the subscriber got on your email list. So, instead of saying, “You are receiving this email because of your relationship with ABC,” try something like, “You are receiving this email because you subscribed to receive information from ABC via email when you purchased XXX on our e-store.”
Again, saying that “You have received this email because you expressed interest in our product in the past” is quite spammy. Can you prove when I expressed interest in your product? Yes, you can – only if you add the date on which I subscribed or how I subscribed or the reason I subscribed to your list!
Top tip – Maintain different lists for various subscription options so that you have ready-data to include in your permission reminders. You can have different permission reminders for each list to be more specific.
Here’s a sample that you can modify for your campaigns:
You are currently subscribed to [list name] with your email ID [include email] as you [requested to receive information] / [signed up] through [method of signing up]. You can update your email preferences or unsubscribe at any time.
2. Create a simple unsubscribe procedure
A single-step unsubscribe option is better than one that requires users to fill up a form or login with their password, as it looks like you are only making it hard for people to unsubscribe. You must also remember to test the unsubscribe process regularly to ensure it is working correctly.
Top tip: Most marketers consider it a good idea to include a phone number for physically opting out of a list should the subscribers choose not to use the online link.
3. Place your reminder prominently
Have you noticed that most permission reminders appear at the bottom of an email, often in a much smaller font as compared to the body of the email?
Don’t make that mistake!
A permission reminder is a critical part of your message. Even if you choose to place it as a footer, use a prominent font to make it visible to the reader. Also, make sure that it appears at the same location in every message.
Conclusion:
Writing a good permission reminder is not difficult but quite vital to the success of your email marketing campaign. If you find yourself struggling to write one, it is possible that you don’t have permission to contact certain recipients. This could happen if you are mailing some people on your list after a long time, as most permissions are valid only for a few months. In such a case, consider writing a reintroduction email to your list to gather their consent again. It is imperative that you only send emails to people who have agreed to receive them. This is a good marketing practice and definitely in the interest of your business.
