Email notifications are a type of triggered email: email that is sent in response to a specific user action or other event. For Saas apps and websites, common examples of these app-generated emails include activation and welcome messages, activity notifications, account and security alerts, and utility functions like password resets.
These notifications serve an important purpose—alerting us when a post was shared on social media, reminding us to take action on a personal account, or asking us to approve payment for goods and services.
Beyond these purely functional needs, notifications are also a valuable communication tool that allows product teams to engage directly with their customers. they are a persuasive instrument to get users back to using apps they might have forgotten about. they help deliver a great user experience and are one of the most influential tools product management teams have to drive conversion, retention, and growth. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, they reinforce trust in the services and help build lasting relationships between a saas company and its customers.
Understanding what types of email notifications to use at various touchpoints in the customer journey can be critical to the success of a product or app. Below are the essential email notification types that product and application teams use when communicating with customers at various user engagement moments.
Users value notifications when they’re relevant, but they quickly learn to ignore, delete, or even spam messages that are repetitive or don’t add value to the way they interact with an app.
but that still leaves a question for the product teams. deciding where to start with notifications can be daunting. it is important to make strategic decisions about what to send and how often. notifications and reminders help your users navigate their defining moments and are essential emails that your product should send.
Notifications and reminders help your users navigate their defining moments and are essential emails your product should send.
Identifying the key “make or break” moments of your product is a good place to start. notifications and reminders about these points are among the most essential emails your product can send. this notification can help keep a user engaged or potentially lose them and cause an app to be forgotten. a password reset or product upgrade prompt is a vital example of this type of notification. both require a user’s action to continue using an application and, if not delivered correctly and quickly, can lead to permanent loss of business.
Likewise, security configuration email is one that product leaders need to focus on. you never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and this type of notification sets the stage for the service users will experience. Proper security configuration notification helps instill trust in the relationship between the user and the product, assuring them that their data will be secure with the use of techniques such as two-factor authentication.
next: how to create an email notification team
Emails and product notifications are a core responsibility of saas product teams, but they also require the skills of others to make them work. read now