Campaign emails come in two types. This article helps you choose the right one before you send, so operational news reaches every client and promotions stay with clients who opted in.
The two email types
Type | Who receives it | Use it for |
Marketing communications | Clients who opted in to marketing | Promotions, offers, and anything that encourages clients to buy or book |
Essential updates | Every client with a valid email, including those who opted out of marketing | Operational news clients need to know about their bookings, account, or studio |
You choose the type on the recipients card when you create a campaign. Marketing communications is selected by default.
Essential updates are available for campaigns, which you can send straight away or schedule for later. They aren't available for automated messages.
How clients end up in each group
A client receives marketing communications if they've opted in to marketing. If they opt out, they stop receiving marketing communications.
Every client with a valid email address receives essential updates, whatever their marketing choice. Operational messages about your studio aren't direct marketing, so they sit outside marketing consent.
When you select Essential updates, the recipient count updates to include clients who opted out. A line under the count shows how many of them will still receive the email.
What to send as an essential update
These are messages a client needs in order to use your studio, whether or not they want to hear about offers.
Closures and cancellations. Your studio is closed for a public holiday, or a class is cancelled because of a burst pipe.
Schedule changes. A class moves to a new time, or is covered by a substitute instructor.
Price or plan changes. Your membership price changes from the next billing cycle.
Safety notices. A fire drill is planned during opening hours, or a room is out of use for repairs.
Terms and conditions changes. You've updated your cancellation policy or terms of service.
Booking or account issues. A payment failed, or bookings made during a system outage need checking.
What to send as marketing instead
If the main purpose is to get clients to buy, book, or come back, it's marketing.
Discounts and offers. A summer discount on class packs.
New class or course launches. A new reformer class or a six-week beginner course.
Referral requests. Asking clients to bring a friend.
Membership upgrades. Inviting clients on a class pack to switch to a membership.
Events and workshops. A weekend retreat or a guest-instructor workshop.
Emails to bring clients back. A "we miss you" message to clients who haven't booked recently.
Adding a promotion turns the whole email into marketing
Any promotional content makes the entire email a marketing communication. A closure notice with a discount code at the bottom is a marketing email. Sent as an essential update, it reaches clients who opted out of marketing.
Keep essential updates to the operational message. If you also want to promote something, send it as a separate marketing communication.
Promotional content in essential updates also increases spam complaints, which makes it harder for all your studio's emails to reach inboxes.
Send to the clients it concerns
Essential updates reach clients who opted out of marketing, so send them to the people the message affects. A room change for one class goes to clients booked on that class, not your whole client list.
Choose the segment that matches who needs to know before you send.
Email rules follow where your clients live
Marketing consent rules are set nationally and differ from country to country. What applies depends on where your clients live, not where your studio is based.
This matters if you run studios in more than one country, or if your studio is near a border and has clients from a neighbouring country.
What you're responsible for
bsport provides the channel. You're responsible for what you send and for how it follows the email rules where your clients live.
bsport may remove access to essential updates if the channel is used to send marketing content.
Before an essential update goes out, you'll see the Email guidelines step in the Review campaign window. Tick the confirmation box to continue. If the email turns out to be promotional, select Switch to marketing email to change the type and continue to review.
This article describes how the feature works. It isn't legal advice. If you're unsure whether a message is allowed, check with a legal adviser in the country where your clients live.