Steal my templates: 7 must-have onboarding emails

I've compiled +213 of the best onboarding emails. Here are 7 templates based on them.

Last week, I shared my onboarding email swipe file, which includes over 213 inspiring emails from top companies like Shopify, Webflow, Wistia, and more.

If you missed it (or are new here), you can get my onboarding email swipe file for free here.

Today, I’m sharing 7 must-have, plug-and-play onboarding email templates with examples from my swipe file for each one. These include the following types of onboarding emails:

1. The warm welcome email

2. The “what’s next” email

3. The inspo email

4. The social proof email

5. The human touch email

6. The upgrade email

7. The feedback request email

Ready? Let’s go!

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1. The warm welcome email 👋

The first email in your onboarding sequence is crucial. It sets the tone for the new user’s journey.

It typically has the highest open and engagement rates, which could be as high as 90%, according to this Campaign Monitor study. That’s because new users are excited about your product.

Some best practices:

• Be genuine and welcome them.

• Reiterate how your product can benefit them.

• Set the expectations for other types of emails you’ll send in the coming days.

Subject: You're in! PLUS, a quick question...

Hey, 

I’m one of the co-founders of [Your Company], and I’m excited you’ve decided to sign up. 

We've poured our heart and soul into making [key outcome your product solves for], and I hope we can achieve that for you.

Quick question for you: why did you sign up for [Product]?  

I'm asking because knowing what made you sign up can help us deliver what users' expectations. Just hit 'reply' and let me know.  

By the way, over the next few weeks, we'll send a few more emails to help you get the most out of [Product]. We'll share some tips, check in with you, and show you how our customers grow their business with our product.  

Talk soon, 

– [Name], Co-Founder

P.S. We put together helpful guides for you to get started right here. You can check them out here [Insert link].

Examples from my swipe file: Descript, Lucidchart, and Gong.

2. The “what’s next” email 🎉

The best onboarding experiences provide clear next steps for users. That’s what the “what’s next” email is all about. Based on where users are in their journey, you email them instructions on what they should do next.

Some best practices:

• Direct users to a specific in-app page (e.g., Manage users page).

• You can also provide links to specific help center articles or blog posts (e.g., inviting users from outside your company).

• Provide help if they get stuck.

Subject: Congrats! You're one step away from awesome.

It looks like you've finished setting up [Feature #1]—congrats!

Yuo're one step away from:
- [Benefit #1]
- [Benefit #2]
- [Benefit #3]

The next step is to [Specific product action]. 

[BUTTON with specific CTA]

If you ever have any questions, I'm here to help. Just hit reply.

Thanks!
[Name], Head of Customer Success

Examples from my swipe file: DocuSign, Vidyard, and Substack.

3. The inspo email 💡

Sometimes, people need a bit of inspiration to get started. These could be templates, success stories, playbooks, and more.

Some best practices:

• Personalize inspo email based on their response during the signup process. For example, if they indicated they’re a small business, send the top templates for your small businesses.

• If you’re sharing templates or playbooks, provide visuals of them in the email.

• Reiterate the benefits of your product.

Subject: Templates to get you started

Hey there,

We want to make sure [Product] is helpful right away. So, here are templates to help you [key objective that the users want]. 

[Template #1]
[Template #2]
[Template #3]

If you need help setting this up, we're here to help. 

Thanks,
[Name], Head of Customer Success

Examples from my swipe file: Figma, Notion, and Kajabi.

4. The social proof email

Social proof is among the best ways to nudge customers toward conversion. Studies show that 91% of consumers trust a recommendation from someone they know. Your onboarding message should include social proof to reassure new buyers of your value.

Some best practices:

• Personalize the email based on their response during the signup process. For example, if they indicate they’re marketers, include a testimonial from another marketer.

• If possible, show how your customer achieved a result that the user wants to achieve (i.e., increased activation rate by 20%, etc.)

• Provide visuals of your customer. It’s better if it’s a person in that company, not just the logo.

Subject: How [Customer] achieved [Result]

Hey [First name]

[Name of customer] from [Company name] was stuck. [Describe the problem your product solves].

After searching thought different options, they landed on [Product].

[Insert image of customer with a quote]

They shared with us a step-by-step playbook on how they achieved [Result].

[Link to the customer story]

Thanks,
[Name], Head of Customer Success

P.S. Need help setting this playbook up? I'm here to help. Just hit reply.

Examples from my swipe file: Canny, Kajabi, and MailMunch.

5. The human touch email

Not every user wants to do everything on their own. Sometimes, people get stuck and need help from a real human. That’s where the human touch email can be helpful.

Some best practices:

• Invite inactive users to an orientation demo. (e.g., “30-minute crash course on how to share documents and collaborate between teams”).

• Send an email as a "success meeting" to celebrate the user achieving an "Aha!" moment and to encourage them to get more use out of the product.

Subject: Congrats!

Hey [First name],

I saw you've set up [Feature]. Congrats! You're one step away from getting more value from [Product].

Were you left with any questions?

if so, let me know and I will answer them. Here are some common questions I get:

- [Question #1]
- [Question #2]
- [Question #3]

I'd love to learn more about you and how you can [describe a desired result and outcome]. Just hit "reply" and let me know.

Thanks,
[Name], Account Executive

Examples from my swipe file: Adobe, Roadmunk, and Privy.

6. The upgrade email

At some point, you’d want your users to upgrade—whether from a free account to a paid one or from a basic plan to a higher tier. You might struggle to build a sustainable business if you don't successfully do that. That’s where upgrade emails can help.

Some best practices:

• If your product has a limited free trial, remind users a few days before it expires, especially if you asked for their credit card information upfront.

• Remind users of the benefits and features they’ll lose access to if they don’t upgrade.

Subject: Unlock [a benefit of a paid plan]

Join businesses just like yours who use [Product] to achieve [Result]. Don't take our word for it, see for yourself:

[Insert an image of a customer with a quote]

Here's what you'll get when you upgrade:

- [Benefit #1]
- [Benefit #2]
- [Benefit #3]

Ready to [desired outcome of your customers]? Upgrade to [Name of your paid plan] now.

[Insert button with link to upgrade]

If you need help, I'm here to help. 

Thanks,
[Name], Head of Customer Success

Examples from my swipe file: Canva, AWeber, and Appcues.

7. The feedback request email

If users don’t purchase your product, ask for feedback. You’d be surprised how many people respond, especially if it’s a multiple-choice question.

Some best practices:

• Provide multiple-choice answers with direct links to each response. This increases the chance of users responding.

• Send the feedback request from someone in your product team so it sounds more like user research than trying to sell the product again.

Subject: quick question

Hey [First name],

Thanks for giving [Product] a try.

I'm sorry that you didn't choose to continue using the product. I have a quick question that I hope you'd answer to help us make our product better:

Why did you continue using [Product]?
a) It was too expensive.
b) It was missing features.
c) It was too complicated.
d) Others (hit reply).

Just click on one of the links below. I'd really appreciate it.

All the best,
[Name], Product Specialist

Example from my swipe file: DocuSign, Planday, and SurferSEO.

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That’s all for now, friends!

If improving your company's user onboarding experience is a priority this year, consider joining my User Onboarding Masterclass.

You’ll get everything you need to turn more of your users into lifelong customers, including:

• A proven strategy to improve your user onboarding experience.

• 9 plug-and-play templates (including the onboarding email templates below).

• 6 months of access to an online community for support and networking.

• 4 weeks of live, interactive workshops and Q&A sessions with me, Georgiana Laudi (Author of Forget The Funnel, former VP of Marketing @ Unbounce), and Kate Syuma (Growth Advisor and former Head of Growth Design @ Miro).

The last cohort of 2024 starts on Tuesday, June 4.

Enroll now before the prices go up by $200 on Monday, May 27, at 11:59 pm ET.

If you ever have any questions, I'm here to help. Just hit reply.

Have a powered-up day,

Ramli John

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