TL; DR
📖 New product launch emails are teaser emails that introduce the new product/ feature to the users and motivate them to try it out for themselves and learn more.
📖 Product launch emails can help with feature adoption/ product adoption rates, lead nurture, and conversion rates.
📖 To ensure a higher open rate, you should have an intriguing and understandable subject line. Your email body should also be clear and appropriate for your target audience.
📖 You should think about your email design and copy formatting, as well. You can utilize some visual cues, visual imagery, such as screenshots/ GIFs, and CTAs to motivate your readers to take certain actions, such as visiting your product.
📖 You can also segment your audience, and incorporate personalization strategies with your launch strategies. For example, you can organize beta launch campaigns and offer early access to some of your existing customers in your new feature announcement emails.
I sometimes cannot decide whether I like the story like release emails with a lot of marketing fluff, or well-structured release emails with clear and concise copy more.
Maybe I like them equally.
I'm not sure.
But I'm pretty sure that I don't like boring, long, complicated release emails with almost no visual support, no additional links or too many links, no CTA or too many CTAs, that resemble technical documentation or a bad sales pitch.
And I'm sure it's the same for almost everyone.
So we know what we shouldn't do.
And now let's analyze some great examples to learn what we should do with our release emails.
Without further ado, let's get started 🏃🏼 🏃🏼
#1 Evernote's Product Release Email
Evernote, one of the most popular note-taking and task management applications in the market, introduces its new integration with the Microsoft Outlook calendar with a very simple outline:
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- Evernote Release Email
They clearly state the new release in the subject line, so that people know about the new release even though they don't open the email.
In the first part of the email body, they provide an example use case for the new integration and a call-to-action (CTA) that takes users to a more detailed release note full of screenshots, cool use cases, and teasers for the upcoming feature releases.
In the second part, they promote a free trial for the professional plan, and remind that only professional plan users can connect multiple accounts to the calendar.
And finally, we have a link to the blog post.
Key Takeaways
🔅 Simple and clear structure
🔅 Premium plan promotion + a free trial link
🔅 Short and precise copy, introducing only one cool example use case and leaving the rest in the actual release note
#2 Ruul's Product Release Email
Ruul is a widely utilized invoicing and payment collection tool among freelancers.
And here's how they announce their new feature/ partnership:
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- Ruul Release Email
We don't have much of an email body in this email, but who needs them anyway?
There's a clear subject line ✅
There's a concise explanation of the partnership and payout process ✅
And there's a CTA taking the reader to the product ✅
But here's the star of the show ⭐ 👇🏼
Key Takeaway
🔅 Short value propositions
+ Why should I use it?
– Because it's fast, accessible, and there's a welcome bonus.
#3 CXL's Product Release Email
CXL is a digital learning platform specializing in marketing education. They provide mini degrees, courses, and certificates covering a wide range of topics including brand marketing, user psychology, product marketing, and more.
And when they add a new course (a product for them), they inform their existing customer base like this:
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- CXL Release Email 1
They begin with a deeply resonant narrative, effectively addressing the pain points of e-commerce businesses, and demonstrating a keen understanding of the challenges they face.
We know you, we get you, and we can help you…
And they continue:
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- CXL Release Email 2
But let's face it, it's not enough to understand a (potential) customer. You also need to show that you have the resources and the expertise to actually help them out with their problems.
So CXL lists what they offer in their new course!
Key Takeaways
🔅 A captivating introduction
🔅 Touching on common -and related- pain points of customers
🔅 Bullet listing the main outcomes of the course
The perfect product launch email 💯
#4 Ahrefs's Product Release Email
Now, I'm quite sure that I don't need to introduce Ahrefs to most of you who have been in the business for some time and have dabbled in SEO here and there.
But still…
Ahrefs is the #1 SEO toolset that provides a comprehensive range of features, such as Site Explorer, Keywords Explorer, and Site Audit.
And they announce their new feature with this email 👇🏼
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- Ahrefs Release Email (source)
It seems like they know that people don't really like to read long emails and product release notes nowadays, so they go with an alternative solution:
A Product Release Video -but also an email, and a written note.
It's a very short video, just 3 minutes long. Additionally, they mention the video's length in the email, ensuring that people won't be surprised when they click on it.
You're actually free to check the new product update out but you cannot watch a video cuz you don't have your headphone with you?
No problem.
They also provide a link for the written release note, which also includes a TL; DR summary, making everything even much easier!
I love when companies think about the convenience of the users 💆🏼♀️ 🧘🏼♀️
Key Takeaways
🔅 Short video, instead of a long email
🔅 A link to the written release note for those preferring to read instead of watching the video
They cover all their bases 💯
#5 Notion's Product Release Email
Notion welcomes its new feature with a "welcome home" email.
No, I'm actually serious.
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- Notion Release Email Subject Line
Or do they welcome their users to their new home, maybe?
I don't know.
It's a pun, and it works really well! 🏡
Here's the rest of the email 👇🏼
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- Notion Release Email
They actively choose not to use the word "page" after "Home" in order to create a warm and friendly effect on the reader.
It's not a 2D web page that exists on your computer, it's home…
Even the CTA looks prettier and more friendly.
But the email doesn't end here:
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- Notion Release Email 2
We see all the other releases coming with this major update in the email, too.
It's not just about "Home".
For slightly bigger product updates, we have gifs and screenshots showcasing them. And for really smaller changes/ improvements, we have a general list.
But still, as the star of the show, the "Home" feature gets a second CTA, at the very end of the email.
Key Takeaways
🔅 A microcopy that understands human psychology
🔅 Lots and lots of visuals
🔅 An organized list for smaller improvements
🔅 2 CTA for the main release
#6 Mixpanel's Product Release Email
Mixpanel introduces its new feature "Spark AI" with a very well-structured release email:
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- Mixpanel Release Email
At the very top of the email, they start with a very clear, very simple motto:
Type questions. Get Answers.
Sometimes, when we're knee-deep in product development, we get caught up in the nitty-gritty details and fancy technical stuff, losing sight of the feature's main purpose.
This is especially true with AI, where explanations and release notes can become overly technical and filled with jargon that doesn't mean much to the average user.
But here, it's not the case.
I, as an average user, can actually understand how this new feature works!
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- Mixpanel Release Email 2
Because:
a) there's a clear step-by-step instruction
b) there's a video
And there are also example prompts motivating me to try it out without putting much effort and energy into it:
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- Mixpanel Release Email 3
Key Takeaways
🔅 A clear and simple copy for everyone
🔅 Step-by-step instructions
🔅 Explanatory video
🔅 Example prompts to try out the new AI feature
#7 Zakeke's Product Release Email
Who says release emails have to be about your very latest releases?
You can also celebrate all your successful releases at the end of the year.
Like Zakeke does 👇🏼
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- Zakeke Yearly Release Email
In their email update, Zakeke doesn't talk about a new product line or a new feature release, but they mention how many new features they released last year and then list the most popular ones among their users.
Good practice!
Why?
Because even though you diligently work for your customers and consistently release numerous new features throughout the year, the staggered nature of these releases may mean that your users aren't fully aware of how frequently you're enhancing the product or the dedication of your product team to improving their overall user experience.
So publishing a yearly release note like this could remind them:
✅ How user-centric you are
✅ And also, how much value you brought to their lives the last year
Key Takeaway
🔅 Don't limit yourself and your release emails
Because a release email is more than a feature explanation.
✅ It's a kudos to your product team.
✅ It's a value reminder to your users.
✅ And it's a little show-off to your competitors, as well 💪🏼 💪🏼
#8 Transgate's Product Release Email
You ever used speech-to-text tools?
What about Transgate?
No?
Well then, meet Transgate:
An AI-powered speech-to-text tool that works for more than 50 languages with a 98% accuracy rate!
And this is how they announce their new feature:
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- Transgate Release Email
What I appreciate about this release email is that it demonstrates that visuals, formatting, structure, and all the elements we've discussed so far don't need to be reserved solely for groundbreaking releases that necessitate a complete overhaul of your customer persona or renaming your product to version 2.0.
Are you adding a feature that is very intuitive to use, but still a big improvement for your users and your product team?
Then talk about it!
Are you a small start-up just starting up and you're excited to share every small step you take?
Show it to your users!
✅ You can still provide bullet points and talk about the value of your new feature
✅ And you can still show how it looks in the UI
📣 I'm calling out to all start-ups, don't wait until you become a giant corporation to showcase your features and efforts in a perfectly structured and visually supported email.
Key Takeaways
🔅 Small or big release, format and structure your email all the time
🔅 Communicate with your users starting from the early stages
#9 Buffer's Product Release Email
Another thing you can do with your release notes to show that you actually take the user feedback and product feature requests into consideration is to share your good news like Buffer does:
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- Buffer Release Email
This release email has all the good formatting and structuring aspects of the ones before itself, but what differentiates it from them is that it actually uses social proof to support their decision about releasing this product feature.
They do not just say "oohh this was the most requested one" but they also show the product feature request page and the voting to support their claim.
Key Takeaways
🔅 You can use social proof outside of your sales pitch too
🔅 Make sure that your target audience understands you have an important announcement to make from your subject line
#10 Zendesk's Release Email
Okay so we know that we can put videos in our product release emails, but how about putting invitations to our upcoming product webinars?
Zendesk says why not!
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- Zendesk Release Email
If your product is complex or undergoing numerous changes, and you want to ensure that your customers understand and embrace them rather than becoming frustrated and hating everything immediately, you might wanna consider hosting release webinars. They can allow you to provide detailed explanations/ product preview and address any questions or concerns your users may have.
And you can announce them as Zendesk announces theirs.
You should highlight the date and time clearly and put a shiny CTA for your registration form.
Key Takeaway
🔅 Minimal design
🔅 A teaser for the upcoming webinar and the new releases
#11 Contractbook's Release Email
Contractbook is a contract management tool that helps people create, sign, and track contracts from one organized place.
And they announce their newest -and maybe the coolest- feature like this:
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- Contractbook Release Email
First of all, there's no brand formatting in this email, and it's sent from a real person with a personal email, not an anonymous company account.
So it actually feels exclusive, like it claims to be in the subject line.
Now, let's have a close look to the email body.
It starts with a really intriguing story, touching the possible pain points of the reader (in this case, mine).
Then just as I'm about to cry, it offers a solution:
Their new feature: Centralize.
They talk about how this cool feature solves all my problems and offer a trial.
But here's the catch: 🚨 🚨
They say the trial seats are limited, and I must act fast if I wanna reserve one.
Pretty clever, huh?
Key Takeaways
🔅 No brand formatting. Yes exclusive feeling.
🔅 Catchy introduction with a story
🔅 Sense of urgency and scarcity
#12 ClickUp's Release Email
ClickUp, a productivity platform that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for project management, task tracking, and collaboration, introduces its new features with this email 👇🏼
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- ClickUp Release Email
They begin explaining their new feature right from the subject line.
In the email body, they provide screenshots from the UI, present what the new feature looks like and explain it very shortly.
They also include statistics about productivity and performance improvements that are expected to accompany the use of this feature. While we don't have a link to any research or user survey from which these statistics were gathered, simply seeing these numbers, despite not knowing their source, can be quite impressive.
And we have a CTA taking us to the product, of course.
We have the same structure for the other feature release, too:
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- ClickUp Release Email 2
Screenshots, small explanations, and a CTA.
Key Takeaways
🔅 Statistics usage
🔅 Separate CTAs for different feature releases
Bonus 1: Gainsight Pulse
Well, sometimes, we don't release products, but speaker lists from our events.
👀 🎤 ❓
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- Gainsight Speaker Release 1
Gainsight provides a little sneak peek for their event, Pulse, 2 months before, to create engagement and excitement.
They directly address certain roles in their email, such as customer education leaders, or product leaders, and then introduce their featured speakers.
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- Gainsight Speaker Release Email 2
They also provide a template with their strong points and numbers for team members who are having problems convincing their managers.
#solidarity
Kinda fun, you must admit it, even if you're one of those managers who's already seen this template somehow 👀
Cool engagement tactic 💯
Key Takeaways
🔅 Engaging and creative way of using release emails
🔅 Ready-to-use templates for the selling points of the event
Bonus 2: Dublin Tech Summit
Another speaker "release" email comes from the Dublin Tech Summit 👇🏼
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- DTS Speaker Release Email 1
They kinda dump a lot of important and impressive collaborator names in the subject line, and create a WOW effect on the reader.
And inside, they focus more on the speakers and their impressive positions within their impressive companies.
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- DTS Speaker Release Email 2
They also provide:
🔸 A discount code
🔸 A comprehensive table of their partners
🔸 A CTA to become a partner
Key Takeaways
🔅 Utilize brand endorsements
🔅 Offer special pricing
🔅 Provide opportunities/ a CTA to become a partner
In Short…
Release emails can be for your new product/ new feature releases, beta launches, early access offers, or speaker sneak-peeks even!
They can create a sense of exclusivity, lead early commitment from your potential users' side, speak your brand message, increase your feature adoption/ product adoption rates, and generate buzz.
So use them effectively.
Keep them short and sweet, but also interesting and fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write a product release email?
To craft compelling product release emails that stand out from those of your competitors, ensure to include social proof like testimonials and captivating images or videos. The email body should contain essential information and highlight key features with a concise copy and a brief explanation, possibly using bullet points for clarity, and the email subject line should be catchy and interesting. Build anticipation in the email to engage recipients and consider a subject line that stands out to grab attention.
How do you announce a new product launch?
To announce a new product launch effectively, start with thorough preparation and send a pre-order announcement email/ pre-launch access email to your subscriber list, offer exclusive incentives, and build excitement. On the product launch day, execute a multi-channel marketing campaign, including emails, live events, and social media posts. After the launch, continue to celebrate the launch with customer testimonials and limited-time promotions to maintain excitement and drive sales. In short, don't go with a single email, but send a bunch of different emails at different times, especially if you have a big launch event.
