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Our system sends emails out in our client's default language but all emails are translated in to many other languages. What can we include on the email that would let a user know the email is available in other languages.

Currently we use flags to represent languages but flags != languages. By clicking on the flag the user is taken to a translated version of the email. At one point we used a footer with the language names listed across the bottom but that caused our messages to get marked as spam more often.

Update: This email is sent to new users so we have no knowledge of their language preferences.

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  • possible duplicate of How to graphically represent a language
    – Joshua Barron
    Jul 23 '14 at 19:43
  • when user sign up and provide their email, are you able to ascertain their language? Either by asking them or detecting the default language. If you can, you can associate the language with the account.
    – Chairman Meow
    Jul 23 '14 at 19:51
  • The users are actually not signing up. They are added to our system by a separate user and we are sending them an email with instructions on how to complete their task.
    – Shaun Bowe
    Jul 23 '14 at 20:29
  • @JoshuaBarron This is very similar to that question but it seems the accepted answer won't work for us because doing that triggers some spam filters. I am looking for an alternative.
    – Shaun Bowe
    Jul 23 '14 at 20:30
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This is more of a technical blindspot. The nearset solution would be (assuming you support somwhere between 2 to 5 languages) you can send newletter in all languages in a single mail. If it is just 2 language then you can suppliment second language text inline. Also you may use CC-TLD domain to assume language (risky approach with country having many native languages but backed up by above method) and provided content based on that.

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Why not a link to the settings page where they can change their "default" language. The settings page could also have links to the translated versions of the email(s) for ease of access ... or allow for re-sending the last email in the newly selected language upon change of default language.

Allowing (MAKING?) the user pick their preferred language will be more user friendly in the long run as they won't have to click the link in the email every time to get to the French version (or whatever language they like).

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  • When they come to our site we have language detection and user's default languages. The problem is this email is going out to new users who are being invited to the site so we know nothing about them yet.
    – Shaun Bowe
    Jul 23 '14 at 19:19
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In your first email to the clients, make sure you mention with emphasis that the emails are available in other languages, probably mentioning available languages also. Provide a link where they are able view this first email in their native language. When they are led to read the email content after selecting their language, gently ask them if they would prefer to get future emails in their preferred language.

This way you are actually letting them know and making them aware about the availability of the translated versions or information and also about your support to for different languages. Also, you are getting to know their preferred language and aligning them to receive future correspondence in their preferred language.

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