Not everything can be accomplished in a single click. Keeping customers engaged throughout a path to purchase can seem like a daunting feat. Along the way, browsers get closed, emails go unopened, carts are left behind. And often, users walk away from the registration process. Enter abandoned registration emails. Similar to cart abandonment messages and re-engagement campaigns, these emails reestablish contact with readers who’ve become stuck in the registration path.The great news about abandoned registration emails is that they're likely to get opened. Recipients are already interested in your service—they just need a little nudge to progress. If you aren't already sending these emails, here are 6 tips to help you get started!
Tip #1: Remind readers of the registration benefits
Your readers might abandon the registration process for any number of reasons. If it’s an event, they may not want to double check their calendar or book a babysitter. If there’s a purchase to make, they may still be on the fence about spending money. Or, maybe they simply missed an email or unintentionally overlooked a step. The blocker could be anything, and it’s okay that you don’t know. The important thing is to remind readers why they began the registration process in the first place.In other words: give readers reason to complete their registration.For HBO, that means an email with three modules, and each one offersa reason to complete your sign-up. We pointed them out with pink arrows:
Reminding readers how great your product is can help nudge them along the registration path.In a more subdued way, The New York Times also shows people the extra features they'll have as aregistered user:
Hulu takes a more visual approach. Instead of listing perks, they're shown as movie and TV covers:
Whichever approach you take, don't assume you already have readers on the hook. Instead, take the opportunity to remind them why your service is great.
Tip #2: Empower readers with the info they need to move forward
It’s possible readers haven’t moved forward in the registration process because the next step seems like a big one. A reader might be asking himself, Can I really commit to an all-day workshop? or, Do I really want to spend this amount? Or, in a case like Indiegogo, a reader might be unsure about how to move forward when it comes to undertakinga project.That’s why Indiegogo provides tips and resources about how to move forward.
Tip #3: Always use a descriptive CTA button
Your button should remind readers what they’ve abandoned. Don’t assume your audience remembers an event, promotion, or sign-up process they may have been considering. If readers only read one thing in your email—your CTA button—that should be just enough information. The CTA buttons in the email examples we've included so far are all self-contained:
Call-to-action language works best when it includes an action verb ("complete" "start"), personal pronouns ("your," "my"), and just a few words. These are all excellent examples. And, visually, they pop on the page. Also, be sure to read more about how to optimizeCTA button colors and bulletproof CTA design.
Tip #4: Show the CTA in the top third section of your email
Your readers are soclose to completing their registration, so don’t bury the lede! Make sure the next step is obvious and easy. CTA buttons are perfect for making that next step clear.Take this example from Resy. The email is beautiful, but if you do the squint test, can you tell what the call-to-action is?
Without a button, the call-to-action is not clear, and it's too easy to miss the underlined "click here" text. Compare Resy with the other emails—like the message below from Indiegogo—and you can see what a differenceit makes to include a CTA button in the first module.
Tip #5: Say what you mean (in the subject line)
Like the CTA button, the subject line should communicate your message in a few words. Here are some examples from our inbox:
- Offer reminder: Credit towards any album on Google Play
- Save yourself from being waitlisted by logging in!
- Do what you do even better — with a pro plan.
- Your free trial is waiting.
- Forget Something?
- Welcome to Resy
Just like the subject lines ofcart abandonment emails, these are important considerations to make for registration abandonment emails:
- Grab attention: Can you personalize or customize it?
- Check it out on a mobile screen: Should it be shorter?
- Know your audience: Is the voice and tone on-brand?
- Stand out: Try asking a question, being silly, or using an emoji.
- Create urgency: Mention short timing or imply “FOMO” (fear of missing out), like the waitlisting example above.
Tip #6: Don't overcomplicate it
You don't need to reinvent the wheel with your abandoned registration emails. Keeping it simple is perfectly okay, too. Evite uses a basic template, for example, to nudge readers to complete registration:
The no-frills approach works with just a header, a single sentence, and an eye-catching CTA button. Just glance at the message, and we immediately know what to do.
Wrap up: Abandoned Registration Emails
Get readers through the registration process with an abandoned registration email that's beautiful, simple, and actionable. Keep in mind these tips:
- Tell readers why they should register (again)!
- Provide more information or details that make it easy to move forward.
- Use a descriptive, action-oriented CTA button.
- Bring your CTA button to the top third part of your email.
- Say what you mean in the subject line.
- Keep it simple!
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