What is Expectation Email?

An Expectation Email is a communication method used in marketing, specifically under the retention category.

The term refers to an email sent to new subscribers at the onset of their relationship with a company. It serves to establish clarity by letting subscribers know what they can anticipate from the organization, such as the frequency of contact, responsiveness to support requests, timing of emails, and type of content to expect.

The concept of Expectation Email was born out of a need for businesses to manage their relationship with new customers effectively and transparently. Instead of surprising subscribers with unexpected or sporadic emails, businesses started to take a more strategic approach by explaining upfront what to expect. This tactic is particularly significant to retention because it helps to build anticipation for future interactions and sets a consistent communication cadence, which, in turn, fosters a sense of trust and familiarity with the company. As a result, the likelihood of retention increases.

Examples of Expectation Email

1. A streaming service sends an Expectation Email to new subscribers informing them of the regularity and time of promotional offers, program recommendations, and updates.

2. An e-commerce retailer sends an Expectation Email to new customers, laying out their customer service response times, frequency of product updates, and email promotions schedule.

3. A SaaS company sends Expectation Emails explaining their software update cycles, planned downtime periods, and customer support availability.

4. A non-profit organization sends an Expectation Email to their donors outlining the periodicity of donation requests, updates on their efforts, and opportunities to participate in causes.

5. An online education platform sends out an Expectation Email specifying course update schedules, tutor availability, and sequence of automated course emails.

Marketing Tactics Similar to Expectation Email

1. Welcome Email: This is the first email a new subscriber receives from a company. While it sometimes includes expectations, it's primarily to thank the subscriber for joining and provides an introduction to the company's products or services.

2. Onboarding email sequence: This is a series of emails designed to walk new customers or clients through how to effectively use a product or service. They are incrementally sent following a user's signup or purchase.

3. Newsletter: Newsletters are planned and regular emails sent by businesses to their subscribers to provide updates and promote products. The frequency and content for newsletters are often established in the Expectation Email.

4. Customer Support email: This tactical email communicates support related information such as troubleshooting, FAQs, and specific product usage instructions.

5. Drip email campaigns: This is a method used to automatically send a series of emails to customers or prospects at the right moment. The sequence, timing, and content are often kept transparent in an Expectation Email.

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