Kind Email Footers
Have you ever read an email footer beyond scanning for the unsubscribe link?
If not, try it sometime! I’s an interesting experience. I receive many emails and have discovered a spectrum of footers ranging from kind and humorous to boring and antagonistic.
Here is one of my favorites:
You received this email because you’re a rebel & dreamer like me. It’s totally okay if you want to unsubscribe, we can still be friends! On the flip side, if you think more people should get these emails, write “For a good time, sign up for Jack’s mailing list at jackmcdade.com/newsletter.” on the nearest bathroom stall and let’s see how that goes.
Most of the time, it seems like people don’t pay attention to the little details in their communications. To me, it’s a shame that these senders forget the human touch in a digital medium.
If you’re concerned about creating a good impression online, creating a kind email footer is a worthwhile investment. You’ll be part of making the web a friendly place.
Standard Footers hold a Missed Opportunity
For a while, I used standard email footers that read something like this:
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed on our website. Click the link if you want to unsubscribe or update your preferences. Our mailing address is blah blah blah…
The standard footer is impersonal and forgettable. What if we injected it with some warmth?
Thoughtful Email Footers
Email footers are an opportunity to be:
- Personable
- Concerned
- Delightful
- Fun
Now our email footer at church reads like this:
Hey there! You received this email because we’ve met at least once at an event or a church service. You can unsubscribe here, we can still be friends!
If you would ever like to get in touch, you can reply to this email, and we’ll see it!
I think this new footer communicates greater intentionality and recognition of the individual reading it. We don’t want to hide the unsubscribe link. We do want people to know that there is a real person on the other end of the email.
Bad Email Footers
Finally, here are some things to avoid that are bad practice:
- Don’t hide your unsubscribe link
- Don’t make it difficult to unsubscribe
- Don’t impose guilt on those who want to unsubscribe
A little kindness in your email footer will go a long way!