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Do you dream of improving the performance of your email campaigns? And If the solution was found in... the imperfection ?
Sometimes there's nothing like a well-thought-out little mistake to attract the attention of your recipients and push them to open your emails. That is the whole principle ofTip for forgetting an attachment !
By sending a second email to fix a supposed oversight, you arouse the curiosity of your audience and create an impression of authentic exchange. The result: your opening rate is soaring!
Skeptical? However It works ! The proof by example and the practical application below:
- Why is PJ's forgetting trick so effective
- How to implement this strategy step by step
- Our best tips and examples to apply it without fail
It's gone to boost your statistics email thanks to the power of “error”!
Reasons that make forgetting PJ a powerful lever
Why is pretending you made a mistake in an email so effective? Here are the 3 psychological mechanisms at play:
- Creates a real sense of exchange :
- Humanize your brand by simulating a common mistake.
- Give the impression of a genuine relationship with a real person.
- Promotes proximity and identification with your audience.
- Attract attention through the unexpected :
- Stands out in the midst of formatted commercial emails.
- The second shipment is intriguing and stands out from the crowd.
- Increase curiosity and open rates.
- Encourages action through reciprocity :
- The law of social reciprocity encourages reciprocity.
- Fixing the delivery error shows that you care about the recipient.
- The recipient feels compelled to open and be interested in your message.
By adding a touch of false clumsiness to your mailings, you humanize your communication and increase the chances of opening your emails.
A simple and smart way to strengthen your sympathy capital and improve your engagement rates.
How to Set Up a PC Forgetting Strategy Step by Step
Do you want to try the trick?
Here's how to do it step-by-step to maximize your chances of success.
Step 1: Write a valuable first email
The idea is not to send just anything as a first email. On the contrary, he must bring quality content to your audience !
It can be:
- An exclusive blog post
- An inspiring case study
- A guide or templates to download
- A promotional offer
- An invitation to an event
- ...
The key is that the content is relevant and useful for your recipients. It should make them want to know more!
tip : You can even arouse their curiosity right from this email by announcing valuable content to come. For example: “I'll send you our guide in PDF in a few minutes!” or “Find the promo code in the attachment.”
Step 2: Forget the attachment (or not)
Once your first email has been sent, let a few minutes pass and send your second apology email.
Two options here:
- You send actually the first email without the PJ, then attach it to the second email as promised
- You pretend to have forgotten the PJ but include it from the first email. The second email is then only used to remind you and re-contextualize your message.
The 2nd option is more secure for two reasons:
- Recipients who still open your first email will get your content (nothing more frustrating than not finding the promised PJ)
- You don't take the risk that the error will go unnoticed or that the recipients will forget your first email if they only open the second one.
But the first option can create an additional trigger for recipients who will try to open the missing PC and then discover it in the second send. It's up to you to choose!
Step 3: Take care of the apology email
Your second email should be short but compelling. It has two key missions:
- Make believe in a credible mistake with an apology
- Recall the promised valuable content to make you want to open it
The subject line is crucial in getting these messages across. You can simply use the subject of the first email by adding an element that catches the eye:
- “Whoops!”
- “With the attachment this time!”
- “Sorry for the oversight...”
- “The right version”
- “I made a small mistake!”
In the body of the email, turn your excuse in a natural and light tone to appear more authentic.
For example:
“Sorry, in a hurry I pressed “sent” without attaching the guide! I am giving you the correct version below.”
“Oops, I think I need a second coffee this morning! I forgot to include the link to our new study. Here it is for real this time!”
“You must have seen that something was missing from my previous email... The promo code promised! I'll fix it right away, here it is just for you:”
Add emojis and cool phrases that look like you to reinforce the “I am a real person who communicates with you” effect.
Also, feel free to personalize the message with the recipient's first name for an additional one-to-one touch.
Step 4: Test, Analyze, Optimize
Once your email sequence has been sent, it's time to analyze the results!
Compare open, click, and conversion rates with those of your previous traditional campaigns. If the numbers are green, it's because your strategy to forget your PC worked.
Also, be interested in the unique openings and interactions generated by each email in the sequence. Normally, the second apology message should boost the overall statistics considerably.
According to the results, adjust the subject line, the excuse formula, the sending time between emails... Do several tests until you find the most efficient combination!
There you go, you know everything you need to set up an unstoppable PC forgetting strategy! But to finish convincing you, here are other ideas for levers to test.
Step 5: Other error ideas to take advantage of
Forgetting PJ is not the only “blunder” that you can simulate in your emails. Here are other similar tactics that are just as effective!
1. The sending error
Instead of pretending to forget an attachment, pretend that you sent your email to the wrong mailing list.
Example: “Oops, I just realized that I sent our VIP offer to our entire base by mistake! Never mind, think of it as a flower just for you;)”
2. The personalization error
Another trick related to the benevolent accident: replace the merge fields with funny generic values.
Example: “Hey [first name]!” or “Dear [Customer Number],”
Then Apologize flatly in a second email : “Apologies for the personalization error, my brain was in automatic mode. Hello [First name] for real this time:)”
3. The empty object error
Last idea that is easy to implement: send a first email with an empty subject... then catch up a few minutes later with your real subject in a second email!
Example: “Re:<vide>" followed by “Oops I forgot my subject! I meant: 50% off the whole store”
With an empty subject line, it's almost impossible to miss it in the inbox. Then play on the attachment generated by this oddity to continue with your real message.
With a bit of imagination, you will always find a credible way to “miss” your email to better attract attention later. Dare to blunder, it works!
FAQs
Should you apologize for fakes in all your emails?
Certainly not! The trick of forgetting or making mistakes only works if used sparingly. Reserve it for your most strategic campaigns, alternating with traditional mailings.
Isn't this hack likely to irritate my subscribers?
It's all a matter of dosage and execution. If your apology email is well written, with a touch of humor and real added value behind it, there is no reason for your subscribers to take it the wrong way. On the contrary, it will show that you are committed to communicating well with them.
Can this type of sending be automated?
Technically yes, most emailing tools allow sequenced mailings to be scheduled. But be careful not to fall into the trap of the robot pretending to be wrong. Vary the messages, the deadlines, the pretexts to remain as authentic as possible!
Conclusion
As you will have understood, simulating a small clumsiness in your email campaigns is an infallible way to boost your opening and engagement rates. Far from being a real mistake, it is a clever strategy to humanize your brand and arouse curiosity!
Whether you opt for forgetting PJ, sending or personalizing errors, the principle remains the same: surprise your audience with a disruptive element to better attract their attention later. A subtle balancing act between missteps and controlled catch-up.
So get started! Design a powerful email sequence with a valuable first message followed by a well-meaning apology email. You will see, your recipients will pounce on your shipments, if only to see what new dumpling you have made!
Of course, like any growth hacking tool, this technique should be used sparingly. If you exaggerate, beware of the opposite effect! Eventually, your recipients will no longer fall for it, or worse, categorize you as an unreliable sender. The key is to remain credible and to subtly balance the surprise effect.
Cleverly combined with the rest of your content marketing strategy, this failed email tip will help you consolidate your customer relationship and your statistics. It's up to you to boost opening and conversion rates thanks to a small dose of false clumsiness!
So, ready to exploit the The power of error in your next campaigns ? I count on you to make nice blunders;)
