A Complete Guide to Creating Engaging Onboarding Emails

A Complete Guide to Creating Engaging Onboarding Emails

Your customer just signed up for something new, and within minutes, they get an email that feels like a warm welcome and a friendly guide all in one. That’s what we aim for here—a mix of helpful and personal that sets the tone for a fantastic customer relationship.

Onboarding emails are the first impression your customer gets after hitting that signup button. Get it wrong, and, well…you might end up ghosted.

In this guide, we’ll discuss why effective onboarding emails matter (spoiler: they’re game-changers). We will also onboarding email templates that you can swipe right away.

Why Onboarding Emails Matter

Onboarding emails are the messages you send to new customers right after they sign up or purchase. It sets the tone for your entire relationship with the customer.

Onboarding emails have the highest open rate and click-through rate (CTR) of any email you’ll ever send. 

Considering that 74% of your customers are expecting it, this is the one email you have to get right. 

There might be some doubts or fears holding your customer back. Is this product too complicated for me? Is it really worth the price? A good onboarding email acknowledges these concerns and reassures the reader. 

Maybe it’s a quick video showing how easy it is to use your app or a bold testimonial from another happy customer.

Types of Onboarding Emails

Onboarding emails shouldn’t always start with, “Hey, thanks for signing up!.” Depending on where your customer is in their journey, you can use different types of emails to keep them engaged. Let’s break it down.

Welcome Emails

Onboarding welcome emails generate 320% more revenue per email than anything else you’ll send. That’s not a typo. People open these emails, click on them, and actually buy more stuff when they get them.

When people feel valued right away, they’re way more likely to stick around and spend money.

Say hello, thank them for signing up, and let them know they’re in good hands. Something like, “Welcome to [Your Brand]! We’re thrilled to have you here.” Make them feel like they just joined something awesome.

Welcome Email Template

Subject Line: Welcome to [Your Brand]! Let’s Get Started 🚀

Body: Hey [First Name],

We’re so excited you’ve joined the [Your Brand] family! You’ve just taken the first step toward [insert key benefit or goal your product/service provides, e.g., “simplifying your workday” or “delicious, stress-free meal planning”].

Here’s what you can do next to dive right in:

  • [Step 1: e.g., Explore your dashboard]
  • [Step 2: e.g., Complete your profile for personalized recommendations]
  • [Step 3: e.g., Check out our quick start guide here.]

Need help? Got questions? Just hit reply, and we’ll be here faster than you can say, “Where do I start?”

Welcome aboard! Let’s make something amazing happen.

Cheers,[Your Name or Team Name]

Tutorial Emails

If you own a software platform, app, or any tech service with multiple features, tutorial emails are a must. Your customers are often eager to get started but may feel overwhelmed or unsure about where to start.

The better your customers understand and use your product, the more likely they will stick around. And when they stick around? That means more upselling and plenty of cross-selling opportunities.

Let’s say you run a B2B project management platform. Your onboarding email sequence could walk new users through creating their first project, inviting team members, and setting up automated reminders. 

Tutorial Email Template

Subject Line: Let’s Get You Started in 3 Easy Steps

Body: Hi [First Name],

Welcome to [Your Product/Service Name]! We’re thrilled to have you on board. Let’s make sure you get the most out of it from day one.

Here’s how to get started:

  1. [Step 1: e.g., Set up your first feature]: Follow our [quick guide/video link] to get it up and running.
  2. [Step 2: e.g., Personalize it]: Add your [preferences/info] to make it work just the way you need.

💡 Pro Tip: [Insert helpful tip, e.g., “Bookmark this page for easy access anytime!”].

Need help? No stress. Just hit reply, and we’ll jump in to assist you.

You’ve got this![Your Name or Team Name]

P.S. Want to dive deeper? Check out our [help center/learning hub] for more tips and tricks!

Engagement Emails

Engagement emails are perfect for keeping your customers hooked after they’ve gone through the basics. It also plants the seed for future upgrades or add-ons without being pushy.

Now, imagine you run a marketing analytics platform. You notice some users haven’t tried your real-time campaign tracker yet. Boom—that’s the idea for your onboarding sequence. You send a quick message like, “Hey, have you checked this out yet? It’s going to make tracking your campaigns so much easier.” 

Engagement Email Template

Subject Line: Don’t Miss This Awesome Feature

Body: Hey [First Name],

We’ve got something we think you’ll love. Have you tried our [Feature Name] yet? It’s perfect for [insert key benefit, e.g., “keeping track of your campaigns in real-time” or “saving hours on manual reporting”].

Here’s why it’s awesome:

  • [Reason 1, e.g., See live performance data at a glance.]
  • [Reason 2, e.g., Spot trends before they happen.]

Getting started is easy—just click [here] to check it out. It’ll take you two minutes tops, and you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Let us know what you think. We’re always here to help if you get stuck.

You’re crushing it,[Your Name or Team Name]

P.S. Fun fact: Teams using [Feature Name] have boosted their productivity by [insert percentage or stat]. You could be next!

Reminder Emails

Sometimes, your inactive users need a little nudge. Maybe they haven’t had the time or motivation to dive into your product yet, or they simply forgot. 

Reminders can also be sent after a user onboarding email or later in the customer journey when you notice they’re not engaging as much as expected.

Examples of reminders:

  • To complete the account setup.
  • To use an important feature they’re missing out on.
  • To take advantage of a free trial before it ends.
  • To revisit abandoned tasks, like an unfinished form or project.
  • To return to your platform after a period of inactivity.

Reminder Email Template

Subject Line: Don’t Let This Slip Away

Header: Still Waiting for You

Body: Hey [First Name],

We noticed you haven’t [insert action, e.g., “finished setting up your account” or “explored your dashboard”]. Let’s fix that today—it’s quick, easy, and worth it!

Here’s what’s waiting for you:

  • [Benefit 1, e.g., Access personalized recommendations.]
  • [Benefit 2, e.g., Unlock powerful tools to save time.]

Click below to pick up right where you left off.

[CTA Button: “Finish Setting Up Now”]

If you’re stuck or have questions, reply to this email. We’re always here to help!

Let’s make it happen,[Your Name or Team Name]

P.S. Don’t wait too long! The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll see the benefits.

How to Write an Onboarding Email (Step-by-Step)

Let’s talk about the recipe for a killer onboarding email. 

Define Your Purpose

Before you even start writing, ask yourself: What’s the goal of this email? 

  • Are you welcoming new users and making them feel excited about joining?
  • Are you guiding them to explore key features or take their first steps?
  • Are you reminding them to complete an unfinished action?
  • Are you addressing any immediate problems or concerns they might have?

Clarity is key here. If you’re not sure what the purpose is, your reader definitely won’t be.

Start with a Hook

The first line has to grab attention. No one’s sticking around for a boring opener. Use pathos (emotion) to connect right away. 

“Welcome to [Brand].” That’s too stiff, too formal, and a little boring. Instead, think about what would catch your attention.

Here are some examples of how to start with a hook:

  • “You’re officially in—let’s make this awesome!”
  • “Guess what? You just joined 10,000+ people making [insert benefit, e.g., ‘their mornings easier’ or ‘their teams more productive’].”
  • “We’ve got big plans for you, [First Name]. Let’s get started!”
  • “Ready to make [problem] a thing of the past? You’ve come to the right place.”

Add Value Immediately

Nobody likes to read useless, auto-generated emails these days. You know, the ones—that feel like they were churned out by a robot say a whole lot of nothing and leave you wondering why you even opened them. Your onboarding email campaign cannot be that. It has to do more. It has to deliver real value—right now.

Your email should immediately answer the question: “Why should I care?.” Make sure they know what they’ll gain—or what they’ll miss out on. What’s the upside if they take action? What’s the downside if they don’t? 

Make the next step crystal clear and easy to follow. No need for overcomplicated instructions—just keep it simple and actionable. For example:

  • “Click here to explore features built to save you time.”
  • “Set up your profile now to unlock personalized recommendations.”
  • “Start your first project in under 5 minutes with this guide.”

Test and Refine

Finally, don’t send and forget. Test different subject lines, tones, and formats to see what works best. Every audience is different, so tweaking your approach based on results will only make your emails stronger.

Examples of Popular Onboarding Emails

Onboarding emails are everywhere, but only a few stand out and really get the job done. What sets them apart? 

Here, we will analyze onboarding email examples from popular brands and break down what makes them unique.

Ubersuggest 

This Ubersuggest email nails the basics of a great onboarding campaign. It starts off friendly and approachable, with a simple “Welcome” and even a smiley emoji. Right away, it feels like it’s coming from a person, not a robot. 

What really works is how the email is laid out. It’s clean, scannable, and straight to the point. The bullet points break everything down in a way that’s easy to read, even if you’re skimming. 

Grammarly

This Grammarly Premium email is the definition of short and sweet. It doesn’t waste time with fluff—it gets straight to the point. 

What’s really great here is the social proof. They hit you with a stat—97% of users say Premium makes their writing more effective. That’s a big deal because it instantly builds trust. If nearly everyone else finds value in it, you’re thinking, “This is going to work for me too.”

Napkin.ai

This Napkin email hits the mark by combining a warm welcome with a focus on immediate usability. What makes this email work is how it breaks down the product’s value into four specific use cases. 

The visual elements also play a big role here. The icons next to each use case make the email more engaging and help users quickly understand the message at a glance. 

High-Converting Onboarding Emails Made Easy

We know it’s tough to nail the perfect onboarding email right out of the gate. It takes time to truly understand your potential customers, your market, and your product’s strengths. That’s where we come in.

At Aventi, we’ve been running email campaigns that drive real results. Combined with our digital marketing strategies, our clients have seen $15M in incremental revenue in just six months. Ready to see the results for yourself? Contact us today!

Written By

Jennifer Kling

As a marketing executive with nearly 20 years of leadership experience, Jennifer develops strategies that deliver rapid growth, implement innovative technology to elevate customer experiences, and execute demand generation programs to drive revenue. She leverages her digital marketing expertise to optimize pipelines, increase customer retention, and communicate compelling stories. Through her leadership, Jennifer guides cross-functional teams that enhance customer relationships, evaluate markets and competitors, and execute quantifiable business goals.