In this paper, we set out to prove our hypothesis that through the utilization of transactional emails as marketing and communications tools, companies can position themselves to take advantage of increased revenue, higher conversion rates and, as a direct result, a greater return on investment. To this end, we have explored what makes a transactional email unique, how to formulate them to achieve the best results and components transactional emails must contain in order to be successful. 
But with all the information that is available to the masses regarding best marketing practices such as these, we have to wonder, why isn’t everyone using this tool? “While transactional email offers the highest open and click through rates of any type of email, Harte-Hanks in 2005 said that most companies continue to send plain-text email with no branding or dynamic cross-sell offers.” i Why is this the case? There are numerous reasons why companies should add this one, extra, simple step in its marketing strategy. The likely answer is that many email systems either do not offer these features or they are very cumbersome to use. Taking our word for it is our hope after you’ve read this paper, but if you need one last bit of convincing, here is what the experts as Merkle, Inc. have to say:
- “These attitudinal data are corroborated and reflected in open rate data as well; the more highly personalized the content, the higher the open rate, and more importantly, the sustained email engagement over time. This means that marketers need to take advantage of these opportunities to insert their promotional and marketing messages in these updates, where they have the best opportunity for being viewed. Marketers who will achieve the largest gains in this area are those who follow traditional relevancy guidelines, and do not obstruct the main message of the email.
More Transactional Email Marketing Sources: Transactional Email Server, Full Transactional Email Marketing White Paper (PDF), Transactional Email Definition
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