Resources Hub » Blog » Where Did I Come From? Providing Meaningful Permission Reminders

Article first published March 2010, updated May 2019

A few years ago, we tipped our hat to Panic software’s inventive permission reminder email. However, there was one simple line that many emails include, yet often get wrong:

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Letting the email recipient know how they joined the list may seem really simple and straightforward but, unless you give it a little thought, it can go all circular. For example, here’s an incorrect (yet very common) permission reminder message:

You are receiving this email from ABC Widgets because you signed up for the ABC Widgets mailing list.

Well, yes, that’s totally the reason why I’m getting the email, but where did I sign up for the ABC Widgets’ list in the first place?

Well, yes, that’s the reason why I’m getting the email, but where did I sign up for the ABC Widgets’ list in the first place?

Last year, we covered how to capture and display the source of your subscribers. Apart from being nice to know, from an analytics point of view, having this information handy is very useful for permission reminder messages.

Making it clear and visible in your email as to where your recipients signed up is best practice, especially if you don’t send email on a regular basis. For example, each month, our newsletter list grows by roughly 10%. That means that 10% of our subscribers are receiving our newsletter for the first time. If you sign up at the beginning of our cycle, then don’t receive an email for 4 weeks, there’s a good chance you’ve forgotten about us, right? Hopefully not, but here’s some clarification as to why you’re hearing from our team:

Making it clear and visible in your email as to where your recipients signed up is best practice, especially if you don’t send email on a regular basis. For example, each month, our newsletter list grows by roughly 10%. That means that 10% of our subscribers are receiving our newsletter for the first time. If you sign up at the beginning of our cycle, then don’t receive an email for 4 weeks, there’s a good chance you’ve forgotten about us, right? Hopefully not, but here’s some clarification as to why you’re hearing from our team:

{title}

 

So, in essence, an appropriate permission message is something like:

You are receiving this email because you signed up via our [source].

The result: more trust towards you as an email sender. Like with a lot of email techniques, one line can make all the difference.

Other ways to increase your transparency

How can you help your subscribers better remember how they ended up on your email list?

The answer is to be more transparent.

We’ll look at a few email permission reminder examples to show you just how you can improve transparency in your emails.

Be more specific.

Being specific means giving them as much information as possible concerning how they got to be on your list. This could include details such as:

  • What they purchased
  • When they purchased it (date)
  • Your physical and mailing addresses

 

Being specific means giving them as much information as possible concerning how they got to be on your list. This could include details such as:

Source: Really Good Emails

This is one of the best permission reminder examples for two reasons:

  • It’s clear how the reader got to be on the list
  • It sets expectations of what the reader can expect from future newsletters

Being clear and specific about who you are and your first interaction with your customer goes a long way in reminding your reader where they came from. But, better than that, it helps build trust. The trust factor is essential in ensuring that your emails get opened and read.

Include a link to a preference center.

In the past, a preference center was just an option. Not anymore. Today, a preference center is something every email marketer should include in their email marketing strategy, with a clear and easy-to-find link that leads to it.

What is a preference center?

A preference center is simply a page you take your subscribers to if they want to change the way they receive emails from you.

A preference center is simply a page you take your subscribers to if they want to change the way they receive emails from you.

 

Source: Delivra

This is probably one of the best ways you can be completely transparent with your audience. A few things you should make sure to include in your preference center are:

Types of email

Give your reader control over the types of emails they want to receive from you. This will help solidify your relationship and increase open rates, as well as potentially increase interest in the other types of emails you send.

Frequency of emails

Be transparent about how often you intend to send your customers emails and allow them the freedom to change the frequency. Don’t be afraid of giving your audience control over how often they hear from you. By allowing your subscribers to set the pace, you show that you care more about their needs than simply pushing your products.

The option to unsubscribe

Yes, include the option to unsubscribe. Not only is it required, but, when your subscribers see that they can unsubscribe at any time, it encourages them to give your emails a chance. They can unsubscribe at any time, after all.

Wrap up

Permission emails are usually not given the effort they deserve. However, when they’re done well, they help reduce unsubscribe rates and improve your relationships with your subscribers.

For more information on how you can best use permission reminders to improve your email marketing, check out our article on how to personalize your permission reminders.  

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This blog provides general information and discussion about email marketing and related subjects. The content provided in this blog ("Content”), should not be construed as and is not intended to constitute financial, legal or tax advice. You should seek the advice of professionals prior to acting upon any information contained in the Content. All Content is provided strictly “as is” and we make no warranty or representation of any kind regarding the Content.
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