How to Create Compelling Apology Emails That Saves from ‘Oops” Email Marketing Mistakes?

The “err is to human” applies to email marketers as much as to anyone else. However, every error lends itself to learning valuable lessons and the possibility of making amends, too and sometimes strengthening the relationship beyond what it would have been if the error had not been made).

One of these “instant fixes” is to offer apology emails to your recipients before the proverbial milk has been spilled over your email assets. However, not all types of email mistakes are severe enough to be braced with a heartfelt apology. Then, when and which kinds of email mistakes need apology emails? How do you craft the most effective apology email that will remedy your accidental errors and save your sender’s reputation? Here is how – keep calm and scroll down!

Apology mails must be a calculated step… not impulsive

If your subscribers are annoyed with the first email error, sending another email back to back could worsen the situation. Instead of sending an instant apology email impulsively, ask yourself these questions to evaluate when you should send an apology mail –

• Do you think readers will be upset without an apology email?

• Was the mistake or the misrepresentation of data bad enough to impact bounce rates of your email campaign?

• Is there a risk of getting your email reported as spam?

If your response to these questions is a “yes”, then you need to consider what kind of email mistake it was and to write an apology mail to remedy the exact pain point.

Accidental typos

Typos are inevitable, and especially difficult when it stands out prominently in your email. Even worse, such shoddy email mistakes could be highlighted by your readers as they would feel tempted to catch it. So, an apology email admitting the typo before they point it out can help you retain your dignity. Moreover, this act of transparency and sincere explanation to acknowledge the mistake on your part will reinforce your customers’ credibility in your brand.

Wrong or invalid offers

Did you just make an offer to your subscribers that they cannot opt for? If you have just sent an offer to a wrong segment of audience or sent out an offer which has already expired can trigger feeling of exasperation – the more lucrative the offer it is, the more irritated your readers can be. In such situations, a heartfelt apology with must be set in motion immediately to deal with the disappointment to prevent further piling up of distrust.

Humor gone awry

If your hilarious email has just hit the wrong note, you can still save your email marketing campaign with an email that makes an admission of guilt. Hence, when you are too tempted to place a humorous email or play prank on your readers during April Fool’s Day or Halloween, take caution while writing your emails so that your campaigns do not stir up panic.

Jokes may take an unpleasant turn to become offensive, to be seen in bad taste, or something to cause anxiety – these email mistakes should inevitably be followed with an earnest email to quiet the confusion. Make sure the apology email will answer all the questions and anxieties which may probably cloud your readers’ minds. Better still, invest a lot of caution and evaluate your email copy beforehand to avoid the commotion caused by your humor.

Misrepresentation of data or incomplete data

Catching every small data error could be too much of a task to keep up with – possibly causing errors that could be daunting and prone to slip ups. In case you have inadvertently skipped any detail which can end up sending the wrong information for your subscribers, you need to be ready with an apology email. Marketers need to take immediate actions to fill the void and share required data by creating an apology email.

If possible, write this email with more personal touches that will make your readers empathize with you and as clear as possible to not to leave any stones unturned. Personal emails will not make your subscribers feel that they got blasted with another email after an erroneous one and you may also go an extra length to add some frills to the offers to compensate the inconvenience caused – chances are your customers would remember the special offer or the privilege while the mistake would fade from their memory.

How about some killer design tips to make the most of your apology email?

1. The first rule of writing a creating an apology is to be clear, specific and concise about the email goof up and the correction. Be up front and take ownership of the email mistake you made to ensure all your subscribers’ confusions are addressed and clarified and why they received another email. In order to avoid the confusion,

1. Use the word “CORRECTION” in the subject line so that your recipients will know what the email is about and want to click to open to know the details.

2. Make sure you begin the email copy with an “APOLOGY” stated at the top of the email is opened to make your earnest apology known and set the message clear.

3. You can make good use of humility and humor to lighten the severity of the situation or the uproar caused by the email mistake. At the same time, you can include emotion in your voice to make the apology sound more human, expressive and personal.

4. In addition to the expression, you should focus on the solution you can offer to compensate the inconvenience and dissolve your email recipients’ anxiety. Write a simple, short and sweet apology and correction. It will enable you to elaborate the offer you make in exchange, enable your subscribers to better understand the solution and retain their confidence in your brand, despite the email blunder. For this, you can create an email copy stating “PROBLEM SOLVED”, place it in a large frame and position the frame on the top or in the centre.

If you need to use the defense of an apology email, then say it as quickly as possible before your irate subscribers catch the situation, fire you with an email demanding explanation, share the email mishap on social media or even worse, report you as spam.

Do you need help with the template, design or automation of apology emails for your email or nurturing program? Call our email marketing or email automation experts at (408) 502 6765, or chat with us via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.