Instead of pulling pranks on April Fool’s Day, why not provide your users with some useful information instead? That’s exactly what car service, Uber did on April 1, 2013 when they sent an email with helpful tips to their user base. (More on that below.) Using a holiday to your advantage definitely has its pros, especially when trying to capture your subscribers’ attention. But this isn’t a new idea and thousands of other companies will devise their own clever ways to stand out from the crowd. So you need to be on top of your game, and do the same!
If you want to get it right, take cues from your audience and learn from your peers. Find out what will drive people to open your email above all the others in their inbox. Once you do that, you can design a compelling email that will drive a response.
Aside from the traditional holidays, there are dozens of other “special” days of the year that you can capitalize on. (Check out this previous post for ideas) but first, take a look at what Uber did for a little email inspiration!
UBER’S April Fool’s Day Email
- Intriguing Subject Line: While your subject line should clearly identify the content of the message, feel free to make it interesting to inspire an open. This email from Uber says “Don’t be a Fool – Uber Pro Tips!” Sent on April Fool’s Day, Uber uses this “holiday” to provide some helpful information for their users.
- Helpful Content: The point of the email is to provide you with tips on how to identify your Uber driver. Therefore, the content highlights key points that help users identify and confirm that they are getting into the right car with the right driver. We can only assume that there had been some confusion from their passengers in the past, and they are using this opportunity to provide clarity for their users. Including imagery from their mobile app also helps connect the words to the user experience.
- Limited Call to Action: Sometimes, you don’t want you users to do anything but digest the information, and in this case, this is completely appropriate. While there are a couple of links to promote their events capabilities, these links are secondary to the main message.
- Easy Unsubscribe. Clear yet minimal links to unsubscribe and to access the preference center are at the bottom of the email next to their primary social media links. A basic element that is absolutely essential.
THE VERDICT!
Uber provided some uber cool facts to help make the customer experience better for their users on a day when they might be tricked into having a poor experience through no fault of the Uber team. By listening to their customers, communicating the facts, and smartly using app imagery to help customers understand their message, they designed an effective email that continues to show the value of their service.
See more samples of marketing and transactional emails from companies that get it right–download our free Transactional & Marketing Email Guide.
