User Onboarding Email Sequence That Works

Tired of trying to reach your users in the app and the announcements are not reaching their desired places?

Email onboarding gives you an opportunity to set a direct bridge between you and your users.

But you have to admit that this effect does not come by itself. Timing is your key here to leave a lasting impression. However, it can sometimes be tricky to find the perfect onboarding email sequence.

The content of the email, which is supposed to be created strategically, needs to be delivered to the right person at the right time.

What makes email onboarding work?

We can recognize a successful email onboarding from the increased conversion rates. It means that you gain new customers and building a strong relationship with current customers.

A successful email onboarding sequence requires a well-designed process. To create excitement and an urge to take action, the users want to see your email when they are ready. There are two basic types of onboarding email sequences: action-based or time-based.

#1 Action-based onboarding email sequences

In this type, you send your email as a response to the activity of the user. This is why they are known as ‘triggered’ as well.

Here are two action-based onboarding email examples to make it more clear:  

  • you can say ‘welcome’ upon a subscription,
  • or you can remind them of yourself in case of a month of inactivity.

Both are personalized content that makes users feel cared for.

#2 Time-based onboarding email sequences

The other type includes the regular emails that you send to let people know about what is going on.

They are not very customized, as they are not meant for specific users. This sequence, designed for a general persona, is easier to organize.

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Onboarding email example templates

There are 3 main onboarding email types that can be used by almost all businesses. These email types provide you with a way to contact your users and keep them active while building a bond between them and your business.

Here are the 3 onboarding email types most businesses use:

#1 ‘Welcome’ emails

When you gain new users, warmly welcome them. Users usually open the ‘welcome’ emails, which brings high conversion rates.

Do not try to sell something in this email, keep it short and be friendly. This is when you introduce yourself to your users personally and give them information about how your product or service helps them.

email onboarding welcome
Taken from https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/welcome-email-examples#sm.0000cgbj9n1cewf8hzdv2u2ywxwvy

You can lead them to take the second step and motivate them explaining why to take this step. Just one desired action is enough for the ‘welcome’ emails.

#2 Re-engagement emails

Sometimes you will realize that your users seem to forget about you. If they have not visited you for a while, you can send a re-engagement email.

It is a great way to get your users back. You can consider sending these emails when the user is starting the action that you target, but not completing the process.

email onboarding re-engagement

When you launch a new feature or product, try to figure out if your user has discovered or not. If not, send an email to help them discover.

#3 Feedback emails

Constantly sending feedback emails is an excellent way to make your users feel valued. You can always ask for feedback to evaluate a new product or the user experience you offer.

email onboarding feedback
Taken from https://herothemes.com/blog/customer-feedback-email-template-samples/

If they have not visited you for a while, you can ask about the reasons why they gave up on you.

feedback and re-engagement - email onboarding

Having a perfect onboarding email sequence set-up ready for action will help you engage with your users at any chance you can. This engagement between your users and your business is essential to build a loyal customer base.

Here is a post about 3 Ways to Use AI to Improve User Onboarding that you might be interested in.


Frequently Asked Questions


✉️ What is the role of emails in onboarding?

Emails allow you to reach your users even when they are not using your product, to continue the onboarding process of an idle user, emails can be used.


❓ What does email onboarding mean?

Email onboarding means supporting the user onboarding process via out of app messages by email.


👤 Whose job it is to manage email onboarding of a company?

Customer support department and product managers mostly undertake the responsibility of email onboarding.

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Selman Gokce

Selman Gokce

Selman Gokce is the Senior Inbound Marketer of UserGuiding. He is highly invested in user onboarding and digital adoption, especially for SaaS, and he writes on these topics for the UserGuiding blog. When he's not writing, you can find him either listening to LOTR soundtracks while cooking or getting angry because he lost in a video game.