20 Email Onboarding Examples You Can Use to Increase Customer Loyalty in 2023

Every time a customer buys your product, your onboarding email is one of the first items they look for before continuing with the purchase (or abandoning their attempts to use your product/service).

An onboarding email initiates the first point of contact after purchasing or signing up for the product or service.

Your onboarding email must ensure the customer remains with you for the long term and continues using your product.

Remember, you have only 14 minutes and 20 seconds before a customer abandons their digital onboarding application. Besides, onboarding a corporate client can take up to 100 days, so your email needs to make the cut.

In this post, we will show you examples of effective onboarding emails from different brands that you can use to reduce the time it takes a customer to onboard and create a delightful customer experience.

Table of Contents

• Why are onboarding emails important?
• Benefits of Email Onboarding
• How to Write an Onboarding Email for Your Customers
• Onboarding Email Templates You Can Use Today
• Email Onboarding Examples You Can Use
• 8 Best Practices for the Perfect Email Onboarding Sequence

Featured Resource: Customer Onboarding Templates

HubSpot's free Customer Onboarding Templates will help you create an onboarding process that's flexible, consistent, and effective.

Click here to access them for free.

Why are onboarding emails important?

Converting visitors into customers is a long process. You'll need engaging content and a well-executed sign-up form. Then, you can nurture subscribers until conversion.

You don't want all that work to go to waste with a poor onboarding process. To keep first-time customers, you'll have to provide more value.

You need to show that your business is worth their time and money. An effective email onboarding process can help you exceed their expectations.

Onboarding emails receive some of the highest levels of engagement from customers. For example, Campaign Monitor found that welcome messages have a 42% higher read rate than the average email.

The increased engagement presents a unique opportunity to open up communication channels. You can start building trust right from the start.

Remember: Onboarding emails do more than create a positive first impression. They serve a higher purpose. Below are the benefits you'll enjoy by sending your customer a solid email onboarding letter.

Benefits of Email Onboarding

Businesses are always working to convert leads into customers. Engaging email sequences can be one secret weapon to long-term success.

Not convinced? Here are two ways email onboarding can provide value to your business.

1. Email onboarding engages new subscribers.

Email is an extremely popular communication channel. Research shows that 4.3 billion people will use it by 2023 — more than half of the world's population.

Email offers customers promotional content from their favorite brands, a way to reach out for support, and notifications that keep them up-to-date on product- and service-related news.

One study found that the average email open rate is 21.33%. Further, email marketing ROI currently stands at $36 for every $1 spent.

An onboarding sequence will boost email engagement and help you get to know your subscribers. Email can act as a noninvasive, proactive conversation starter. This opens the door for valuable interactions that foster customer success.

2. Email onboarding increases lifetime customers.

If you want your business to succeed, you'll need loyal customers. These buyers minimize your churn rate. Plus, customer retention is less expensive than acquisition.

Greeting subscribers is one of the first steps to turning them into loyal customers. A well-designed onboarding sequence can make a great first impression on new leads.

Failing to greet new customers gives the impression that you only wanted them to fill out your form. Your initial onboarding emails show you're dedicated to building a long-term relationship.

1. Write a catchy subject line.

If your email onboarding letter isn't eye-catching, you've already lost the battle.

The secret to increasing your open email rates lies in the subject line. A catchy, actionable subject line draws customers in.

Let's look at the screenshots below. Notice how the subject lines from Copy.ai, Adalo, and the Freelancers Union stand out?

When writing subject lines, include what your email promotes and how it will benefit your customer. Remember to be concise. The reader will only see a sentence or two in the preview.

Your subject line should provide enough information to pique the reader's interest. However, they'll need to open your email for the full details.

2. Restate your value proposition.

When writing subject lines, include what your email promotes and how it will benefit your customer. Remember to be concise. The reader will only see a sentence or two in the preview.

Your subject line should provide enough information to pique the reader's interest. However, they'll need to open your email for the full details.

Once a customer establishes a relationship with you, emails should recommend ancillary services. This can help you solve their unique problems with complex solutions.

3. Show the next onboarding steps.

Now that you've reminded them why they signed up, get them fully set up with your product or service. Usually, there are steps that users must take after signing up to get the most out of the platform. Some examples include:

• Completing their profile information.
• Setting preferences.
• Uploading necessary information (e.g., contacts into a CRM, profile picture for a social media profile, etc.).
• Upgrading their account or completing an order.

4. Generate the "A-ha" moment.

Former Facebook head of growth Chamath Palihapitiya, discovered the importance of initial engagement. If you can get a user to acquire seven friends in ten days, they are more likely to become active, returning users.

In this case, the customer understands how they benefit from using the product or service. This is an example of an "aha moment."

The goal is to get the user to the "aha" moment quickly. Your product is memorable. This ultimatelyhelps your business grow.

To get this done, identify your business' "core value" and the prerequisites customers need to receive this value. Then, you can use your onboarding email to guide new customers through these tasks.

5. Add helpful resources.

As mentioned in the previous step, you want the user to see the value immediately. But customer success doesn't stop there. Depending on the complexity of your product, customers may need extra help.

For example, customers might need guidance on troubleshooting or using advanced features.

Likely, you've already created helpful content addressing common questions from customers. Whether it's tutorial videos, an FAQ page, or helpful blog posts, this content is essential to customer success.

Why not include it in your onboarding email?

You can then provide the tools they need upfront. They won't need to search for information after a problem arises. Let's see how Namecheapdoes this with the email below.

6. Provide customer service contact information.

The next step to setting up your customers for success is ensuring they know how to contact you. You can't foresee every problem your customers might have. If they hit a roadblock, they'll need a point of contact.

Adding this information to your welcome email builds trust and shows you care. This drives customer loyalty and reassures you'll be available if needed.

Avoid sending customers on a treasure hunt when they need to ask you simple questions.

7. Conclude with a call to action.

End your onboarding email with a call-to-action that entices customers to use the product.

Customers should be eager to start after you have demonstrated your company's value. Make things easier for them with a button that triggers the first step in the onboarding process.

Let's see this in action from Trello.

As your business grows, you'll want different email onboarding templates for many scenarios. You won't have the time to write individual emails to each new customer. Take time to write a few thoughtful and intentional customer onboarding templates. You can then create a drip campaign or workflow.

Let's look at a few email onboarding examples that can be adapted to meet any specific business needs.

Onboarding Email Templates You Can Use Today

Every business will have unique elements in its onboarding emails. However, all onboarding messages should have the following components:

• A welcome note.
• An explanation of how your product or service will help the customer meet their needs.
• A heads-up of what to expect during the onboarding process.

Let's start by exploring a few starter templates.

Formal Onboarding Email Template

Welcome to [COMPANY NAME]

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thanks for signing up for an account with [COMPANY NAME]. It's our mission to [COMPANY MISSION/PRODUCT VALUE PROPOSITION].

With your new [COMPANY NAME] account, you'll get:

• [TOOLS]
• [BENEFITS]
• [CUSTOMER SUPPORT]

If you haven't already done so, be sure to complete your profile and add your [CUSTOMER PREFERENCES] so we can send you content and resources that will help you get started.

We recommend new customers check out the following resources:

• [BLOG POST]
• [EBOOK]
• [VIDEO]

For customer support, don't hesitate to reach out to us via phone [NUMBER], email [ADDRESS], or live chat [CLICK-TO-CHAT].

Follow us on [SOCIAL LINKS] to get the latest updates!

Friendly Onboarding Email Template

Welcome, [FIRST NAME]

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thanks for purchasing [COMPANY NAME]! We're happy to have you here!

We created [PRODUCT] to help people [COMPANY MISSION/PRODUCT VALUE PROPOSITION], and we're glad you've chosen us to help you meet your needs.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be sending you materials that will help you get started with [PRODUCT] to ensure you get the most out of it.

We'll also check in with you to see how your progress is going, and please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions during this time!

We're so happy you're part of this community!

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

Personable Onboarding Email Template

Getting Started with [PRODUCT]

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thanks for signing up with us to use [PRODUCT]. My name is [YOUR NAME], and I'm your point of contact for getting you up and running using the tool. I wanted to connect to see if you'd tried logging in and getting familiar with [TOOL] and if you had any questions.

New users typically find these resources helpful for getting going:

• [SETUP GUIDE]
• [HOW-TO VIDEOS]
• [COMPANY BLOG]

If you haven't already done so, be sure to complete your profile and add your [CUSTOMER PREFERENCES] so we can send you other content and resources that will help you get started.

Most customers find success by logging into [PRODUCT] and testing things out. If you'd like, we can schedule an onboarding call for next week using my meetings link, and I can walk you through it.

For customer support, don't hesitate to reach out to us via phone [NUMBER], email [ADDRESS], or live chat [CLICK-TO-CHAT], or you can connect with me directly using the contact information below.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Cheers,

[YOUR NAME]

Subscription-Upgrade Onboarding Email Template

If you operate a subscription-based company, you may have users upgraded from a free version of your product or service to a premium one. While these aren't necessarily "new" customers, they still require an email introducing them to their account's new features.

Welcome to Premium!

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Thanks for your recent purchase, and congratulations on your account upgrade! We're excited to continue working with you, and we see this as the next step toward our goal of [COMPANY MISSION/PRODUCT VALUE PROPOSITION].

With your new [COMPANY NAME] account, you'll get:

• [TOOLS]
• [BENEFITS]
• [CUSTOMER SUPPORT]

We know you're probably familiar with our tools already, but we recommend new customers check out the following resources for the upgrade you just purchased.

• [BLOG POST]
• [EBOOK]
• [VIDEO]

As always, if you have any questions about your shiny new account, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via phone [NUMBER], email [ADDRESS], or live chat [CLICK-TO-CHAT], as our support team would be more than happy to help!

Cheers,

[YOUR NAME]

Email Onboarding Examples You Can Use

The Welcome Email

Customers who sign up for your product expect a welcome email. That's why this type of email has the highest open rate at 50%. A great welcome email strives to create a meaningful relationship rather than sell.

Grammarly is a writing tool that helps users create error-free, written copy. It monitors grammar, spelling, tone, and various other customizable markers. Their welcome email lets new customers know what to expect from the service.

What We Love

• The email explains what users can expect from Grammarly's free and premium versions. Subscribers don't have to go to the website to find this information.

• Subscribers learn what they'll get from the weekly emails. They can then decide whether to unsubscribe or not.
• Two powerful calls to action bring one to start using the product immediately.

Key takeaway: Customer loyalty starts with showing users what they'll get from a product immediately after they sign up. Making that visible to your customers translates to increased sales and happier customers.

Account Setup

Most customers today have a base understanding of apps. They are confident and comfortable operating web products on their own. The account setup email promotes self-service onboarding.

The result is productive customers capable of resolving their own issues. This frees your team's valuable time for onboarding customers or doing product demos.

LastPass is an online security tool that helps store passwords and other essential data. Its onboarding email is straightforward.

You learn what documents you can store in your personal vault, how to set up your account, and how to access the tool on all your devices.

What We Love

• There's an easy three-step process for customizing an account. It gives the impression that the product is easy to use, increasing the chance of adoption.
• The message is short, concise, and specific about the details.
• There's a straightforward call to action below the fold.
• There's clear navigation in the footer.

Key takeaway: Increase user adoption by encouraging self-serve onboarding. A straightforward, three-step email shows that your product is easy to use.

Re-Engagement Email

21% of your subscribers will abandon your app after the first time using it. No business wants such high churn rates.

A re-engagement email sent to inactive users and cart abandoners can help. These messages renew interest in your brand and extend the customer lifecycle. Those who unsubscribe cleaning your email marketing list.

Skillshareis an online teaching platform hosting thousands of courses for different learners. Learners can access it via their browser and even mobile app. Their re-engagement email below is a role model to follow.

Image source

What We Love

• Skillshare's headline is informal. The casual tone feels like communicating with a friend or family member.
• Icons illustrate the new features added to the product.
• There's an enticing discount.
• There's a clear option to unsubscribe. This is compliant with email-related laws and can help organize your mailing list.

Key takeaway: When creating a re-engagement email, focus on the benefits of your product. You may also offer a discount. This is a great way to attract customers seeking other solutions and turn cold prospects into hot leads. Lastly, never be afraid to ask subscribers to unsubscribe from your product.

Community Building

Consumers spend a lot of time on social media. Building an online community is one way to capitalize on this habit. This is an excellent way to onboard new subscribers and build a solid base of product champions.

You can talk to your customers on a personal level to understand their needs better. Plus, customers can talk with each other to get support, explore new use cases, and share knowledge.

Adalo, a no-code app builder, invites new subscribers to its community and encourages user adoption in this email.

What We Love

• Plain text, bullets, and paragraphs of different sizes make the email easy to read.
• There's information on what you'll get by joining the academy.
• There's a simple call-to-action below the fold.

Key takeaway: People love communities. Offering new subscribers a digital gathering place makes them more likely to purchase your product. Plus, community creates a nice added value.

Offers

Another way to onboard customers is to entice them with an irresistible offer. It can be a bonus, free shipping, or giveaways.

Offers are one way to show appreciation and value to your customers. These positive moments help to build loyalty. They also make repeat customers happy (and more likely to purchase).

Udacity, an online platform offering Nanodegree programs, does this in the email below. The company allows new subscribers and trial users to explore popular Nanodegree courses for 30 days.

What We Love

• An element of urgency is created with a short expiry date. This ensures more customers take up the offer.
• Two clear calls-to-action show what you get when you take a course from Udacity.
• It's personalized.

Key takeaway: Offers and incentives are a great way to entice customers to engage. You can encourage more adoption and help them see the value of the product. Remember to add an element of urgency to encourage quicker action.

Social Proof

Social proof is among the best ways to nudge customers for conversion.

Studies show 91% of consumers will trust a recommendation from someone they know. Your onboarding message should have social proof to reassure new buyers of your value.

Adobe is a creative cloud-based tool for marketing and document management. Here's an email with social proof from influencers that aims to attract more premium users.

What We Love

• There's one paragraph with explicit instructions on what the tutorial is going to be.
• The email uses an influencer @HappyKelli as a guide.
• Bold headlines capture the reader's attention.

Key takeaway: Social proof is a great way to convince undecided customers. You can use case studies, customer testimonials, or reviews. Then, include social sharing buttons to turn subscribers into brand advocates.

How-To Emails

When launching a new product or feature, you must convince customers of its value.

Offer a tutorial or step-by-step guide to show them the new offering's benefits. You'll both deflate inquiries to your support team and establish yourself as an authority.

Airtable is a cloud-based platform for building powerful apps. Here's a how-to email it sends new subscribers to ensure smooth onboarding.

Image source

What We Love

• The email is easy to read.
• There's an option to watch the video in the inbox or browser.
• There's a link to their knowledge base where users can find specific information.

Key takeaway: Make use of videos to connect with your subscribers without leaving the inbox. Remember that 97% of peoplefind video effective in welcoming and educating new customers.

Competitor Comparison

Even after purchasing, customers may have lingering buyer's remorse. They may not trust your product or see its value.

A great way to nudge them to buy is to show them why you're the right brand. You can do this by comparing your product with others or explaining why they made the right choice.

Here is an email onboarding letter from Horween Leather, a leather tannery. The message emphasizes that customers made the right choice.

Image source

What We Love

• There are bold, large text and images.
• The message explains why Horween Leather is better than its competitors.
• A combination of text, images, and navigation above the fold make it look like a website, promoting easy interaction.

Key takeaway: Competitor comparisons can be a great way to convince on-the-fence customers of your benefits. When doing so, show customers a library of your product to encourage more purchases.

Product Update

Product update emails are part of re-engagement marketing strategy. These announcements with new features are meant to capture your audience's attention to take an exclusive look at your product and if possible, try out the new features.

These emails show customers you are listening to their feedback and explain how the new feature works.

Here is an excellent example from Ryte, an SEO tool that helps you monitor, analyze, and optimize your website's pages and keywords to increase search traffic and conversion rates.

What We Love

• The message highlights important features that come with this new update. Customers don't have to call support or visit the site to learn about them since everything is in their inbox.
• There's great use of emojis and visuals.
• The sign-off shows where this email comes from, making it more credible.

Key takeaway: Product updates are a great way to push customers to finish registration or upgrade.

Invitation Emails

Launching a new product or feature is inspiring. You always want to see how users react to the product.

The best way is to give your users early access by inviting them to try it out. These emails create anticipation, as everybody wants to be the first in line.

Let's see how Aero, an air travel company, does this with the email below.

Image source

What We Love

• There are short text and paragraphs.
• There's a bold heading with a prominent call to action for new subscribers to book before time elapses.
• Scarcity encourages quick sign-ups.

Key takeaway: Giving your customer first-time access to your product/service shows care. It also makes them more curious and willing to continue using your product. Use invitation emails to better understand your audience.

Thank You Emails

Thank you emails allow you to show appreciation and increase the value of new subscribers by guiding them on what to do next.

reMarkable is the first company to make a real digital paper tablet. Plus, they know how to write a thank you email.

Image source

What We Love

• What attracted us to this email is the conversational language and storytelling, making the email joyful.
• A combination of text and images makes it visually striking.
• The font used to sign off makes the email look really handwritten.
• The image of people makes the email authentic.

Key takeaway: Sending a thank you email gives customers a sense of satisfaction and gratitude. It allows readers to connect with your brand. This offers an opportunity to increase loyalty and engagement with your product.

Rewards

In a competitive market, attracting customers and even building loyalty can be daunting. One trick you can use is to give discounts as a reward.

Online investing app, Stashhas helped millions of Americans invest in their future. Let's see how it encourages more user adoption with this email.

What We Like

• Perks are clearly defined.
• Great call to action positioned above the fold, promoting easy engagement.
• Instruction on how to claim the offer.

Key takeaway: Giving rewards is a great motivational factor. With the motivational seed planted, the buying process becomes easy for customers.

Demo

Not every customer that signs up for your product knows how to use it. In fact, 55% of customershave returned a product because they lacked this knowledge.

Demo emails are a great opportunity to show your product features in action. This also helps reduce call center volume.

June Oven is a home automation company that produces intelligent ovens. This demo email employs a conventional way to educate customers on using the product.

What We Love

• Bold headlines quickly capture attention.
• The layout is simple. There's a large image above the fold, a paragraph or two about the email, and then an inviting call-to-action.

Key takeaway: Use demos to connect with your audience and understand them better. Showing customers how to use your product decreases friction in the onboarding process.

Customer Support Email

As a brand, you know most problems customers will face when they subscribe to your product. So once a customer has signed up, you can send them an email about how they can solve certain bottlenecks to make onboarding frictionless.

Providing proactive customer support improves customer experience. A great customer experience will encourage customer loyalty, boost sales, and lead to referrals.

Here's an example fromZapier, a tool you can use to connect your apps and service to automate workflows.

Image source

What We Like

• The combination of text and images makes it visually interesting.
• It is personalized.
• It comes from the CEO — a surprise that helps increase trust and credibility in your product.

Key takeaway: As a business, you should anticipate problems that your customers will face when they sign up. Showing customers how to get started with your product or reach you when they encounter a problem helps reduce churn.

Now that you have a few templates and examples, let's dive into some best practices that you can use to create a full email onboarding sequence.

Creating an Email Onboarding Sequence

Creating an email onboarding sequence isn't difficult. Making it successful is the real challenge.

If you're creating an onboarding sequence for the first time, there are some fundamental steps you can take to ensure success.

Start by personalizing your messages. A warm welcome email is a great way to kick off the onboarding experience.

You should also have a way to monitor inactive users and come up with ways to re-engage. Don't forget to optimize your emails for mobile, too. More than 43% of people read their emails on a mobile device (compared to 19.1% on desktop).

If you're finding that customers aren't engaging as much as you had hoped, don't fret. All you need to do is continue testing your emails.

A/B test new designs, write different copy, and reconsider the timing of your emails as well. This helps create an unforgettable email onboarding experience.

If you're looking for a few more tips, read on to the next section to learn how to design the perfect email onboarding sequence.

8 Best Practices For The Perfect Email Onboarding Sequence

1. Start with a confirmation email.

Start by checking that your subscribers are real people with legitimate email addresses. The easiest way to find out is to send a short confirmation message to validate the new subscriber's email.

This is a fundamental process that the majority of your subscribers will complete immediately. However, there are always some who will miss or forget the email entirely.

To make sure they complete confirmation, you should send a follow-up email.

Confirmation emails don't need to be fancy, but they do need to have a clear call-to-action.

Here's a real-life example from HubSpot:

HubSpot also adds a touch of personalization to greet its new subscribers. Then, the message gives a clear explanation of what the new user needs to do next.

2. Send an impressive welcome email.

Now that your subscribers have confirmed their email, it's time to set the onboarding gears in motion.

The welcome email is, undoubtedly, the most important part of your sequence as it will set the tone for your onboarding process. It should be a powerful impression trigger that convinces new subscribers to open the rest of your emails.

Failure to create a strong impression trigger will result in low open and click-through rates. If you want to create a process that turns subscribers into customers, your company needs to create a high-value welcome message.

Here's an example from Webflow you can imitate.

Segment your audience based on the actions they take. Then, target them with different emails. For inactive subscribers, highlight your value proposition and offer further information about your services.

3. Create different sequences for engaged and disengaged users.

One challenge you may encounter is having subscribers with different levels of engagement.

Some will rush to your content, others will sign up, but remain inactive. To account for this, you'll need different sequences for active and inactive users.

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Segment your audience based on the actions they take and target them with different emails.

For inactive subscribers, you should highlight your value proposition in a way that attracts their attention and offers further information and assistance for re-engagement.

4. Leverage personalization.

When it comes to email engagement, personalization can drive higher open and click-through rate.

But there's a catch. To personalize content, you need data about subscribers. The more data you have, the easier it'll be to customize experiences.

Consider leveraging both simple and advanced personalization techniques. For example, your onboarding sequence should address customers by their names.

You can also send your emails from an employee or company email rather than a generic address.

An awesome example of personalization comes from Bonjoro, a company that personalizes its onboarding sequence with a unique video message.

5. Optimize emails for mobile-first users.

With the popularity of mobile devices, more people use tablets and phones to check messages and interact with companies. Mobile accounts for43%of all email opens. Neglecting mobile devices will result in low engagement.

Mobile-optimized campaigns aren't rocket science. But, you need to keep in mind some of the most important mobile-optimization practices.

First, you need a responsive email template that makes your emails look good on all devices. Then, you need to pay attention to your visuals and copy. Use simple images that load quickly.

Then, take note of your subject line. Mobile devices will display a limited number of characters.

For instance, Zapier has a simple and responsive email template that shows mobile users information about the app.

6. Center content around your call-to-action.

Setting goals for each email onboarding letter will help you achieve greater click-through rates. However, without the right call-to-action (CTAs), your new subscribers will simply read your emails without navigating to your offers.

CTAs capture your subscribers' attention and incentivize them to take action. To create the perfect CTA, you need to use the right copy and visuals to boost its performance.

Highlight your offer's benefits to give your subscribers a taste of what they can gain with their purchase. At the same time, an image will make the message easier to digest and lead them one step closer to clicking on your content.

This example from Airtable shows how copy and a CTA can work together. Also, the company allows its subscribers to contact them directly.

7. Test your messages.

Testing your messages allows you to deliver more engaging content. Start with A/B testing(a common test that determines which elements lead to higher opens and clicks).

To run an A/B test, you need to create a variation of your initial design (also known as a "control"). Then, send both versions to small groups of subscribers.

For an effective test, you should create many variations and send them to different segments. When you collect enough data, you can conduct a behavior analysis to optimize your copy, visuals, and CTAs to boost engagement.

8. Show subscribers how to use your product or service.

First-time users have no experience with your products or services. They'll need extra help getting started. Doing so will boost their confidence and help them troubleshoot problems on their own.

Businesses like WebStarts use their onboarding sequences to deliver short lessons. This helps new users get familiar with the platform and the basics of website building.

Businesses like WebStarts use their onboarding sequences to deliver short lessons. This helps new users get familiar with the platform and the basics of website building.

Create the Perfect Email Onboarding Letter

Your onboarding email should aim to set customers up for success. you'll have to try different tactics to see what works best.

Be sure to monitor customer success metrics to see how your process work. Then tweak your sequence so it works best for you and your customers.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.