You’re probably no stranger to waking up each morning, grabbing your phone, and finding a fresh batch of emails waiting in your inbox.
As you scroll through, you notice something interesting: a well-structured series of emails from your favorite online store, offering you exclusive discounts and recommendations tailored to your browsing history.
Or perhaps, it’s an enticing sequence of messages from a company you recently signed up with, introducing you to their products and services in a carefully orchestrated manner.
As a marketer, you aren’t just on the receiving end of these email sequences but also need to be the one creating and sending them. But have you ever paused to think about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind this strategy?
Email sequences are like the backbone of your email marketing efforts. To help you learn from the best, in this article, I will share seven awesome email sequence examples that captivate and convert.
Table of Contents
What Is an Email Sequence?
Imagine you run a small cafe, and you want people to come in and taste your delicious pastries and beverages. But your cafe is relatively new and located in a hidden city corner.
So, what do you do? You put up a signpost on the main road with an inviting message: “Fresh Pastries and Coffee, This Way!”
That signpost is similar to your first email in an email sequence example.
An email sequence, essentially, is like that signpost but in the digital realm. It’s a series of emails you send to your subscribers, each with a purpose, at specific intervals, triggered by certain actions or events.
The purpose of an email sequence is to provide relevant and valuable content, nurture leads, and ultimately drive a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or downloading an ebook.
Difference between drip email campaign and automated email sequence
Before we delve any further, let’s understand the basics of email sequences. There are two types –
Drip email campaign
In a drip campaign, you send a series of emails at predefined intervals, regardless of any specific action your subscribers take.
For example, you might have a ‘Welcome’ email that goes out as soon as someone subscribes to your newsletter.
Then, a ‘Know Our Story’ email a week later, followed by a ‘Exclusive Offer’ email two weeks after that. It’s like a planned, continuous engagement with your audience.
Automated email sequence
This one is triggered by actions. Let’s say someone signs up on your cafe’s website for a free recipe eBook.
As soon as they hit that ‘Download’ button, an automated email sequence kicks off. The first email thanks them for the download, the second one shares some secret baking tips, and the third offers them a special ‘Buy One, Get One Free’ pastry deal for visiting your cafe in person.
Various actions or events can trigger email sequences, including cart abandonment, form sign-up, link clicks, download resources, etc.
Read also: Email Sequence Personalization For Better Sales
Benefits of Sending Automated Email Sequences
Email sequences are a powerful feature that can transform your marketing efforts.
These well-crafted and precisely timed email sequences help you engage with your audience, build stronger relationships, and drive meaningful actions.
Let’s look at some of the key advantages of sending automated email sequences.
Personalization and relevance
Automated email sequences enable you to send highly personalized content to your subscribers.
Based on behavior triggers, you can tailor each email to the recipient’s interests and actions. This level of personalization creates a more relevant and engaging experience for your audience, increasing the chances of conversion.
Consistency and timing
Automation ensures that your emails are sent consistently and at the right time.
Take this email sequence example. A user leaves their shopping cart with items added but doesn’t complete the purchase, you have the opportunity to trigger an email. Sending a personalized cart abandonment email the very next day is a strategic move.
In fact, you can take it a step further by including a special offer to enhance the likelihood of conversion. The key here is to send a cart abandonment email promptly when the moment is still fresh.
By automating this trigger-based email sequence, you increase the chances of turning that potential sale into a completed transaction.
Increased engagement
Automated email sequences can boost engagement rates by maintaining consistent communication with your subscribers.
Let’s say you are a fashion brand. You can send out an email series highlighting a ‘Tip of the day,’ once every week. This keeps your subscribers engaged, and they look forward to your emails, fostering a sense of anticipation and interaction.
By delivering a series of messages over time, you keep your brand at the forefront of their minds, making them more likely to open your emails, click on links, and interact with your content.
Lead nurturing
Email sequences are a powerful tool for lead nurturing. They allow you to guide leads through the sales funnel, delivering targeted content at each stage.
You can easily set up an email sequence that comprises several emails that start with educational content about the industry, transit to explaining the benefits of the product, and finally offer a trial or demo for conversion.
This gradual approach builds trust and helps potential customers make informed decisions.
Efficiency and time savings
One of the most apparent benefits of automated email sequences is the time saved. Once set up, these sequences require minimal ongoing maintenance.
This allows you to focus your efforts on other aspects of your marketing strategy, as the emails are sent automatically according to your pre-defined rules and triggers.
Let’s say you have automated the onboarding sequence that introduces new customers to your product, you can then concentrate on creating new content or strategies to further enhance the user experience.
Data-driven insights
Automated sequences provide valuable data and insights. You can track different key metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates for each email in the sequence.
Analyzing this data helps refine your strategy, A/B test different approaches, and continually optimize your emails for better results.
Read also: The Surprisingly Easy Guide For Email Drip Campaigns
7 Excellent Email Sequence Examples From Top Brands
Email sequences are an important tool in your marketing arsenal as they enable you to engage, educate, and convert your subscribers effectively.
Here, I’ll introduce you to various types of email sequence examples that you can incorporate into your marketing strategy. These email sequences can nurture leads, onboard new customers, recover abandoned carts, and much more.
1. Welcome email sequence
A welcome email sequence is a crucial first step in building a strong connection with your subscribers. In just a few emails, you can make a lasting impression and set the tone for your brand’s relationship with them.
Generally, a welcome email series consists of three emails – a warm welcome, a demonstration of your value, and the presentation of special offers or discounts. However, the structure may vary based on your product or service.
Take, for instance, H&M, a fast fashion brand known for its latest styles catering to men, women, and kids. Their welcome email serves as a classic example, elegantly incorporating all essential elements within a single email.
Starting with an eye-catching image, it promptly outlines the newsletter’s contents and includes an enticing discount offer, perfectly suiting its fashion-oriented brand.
In contrast, consider Miro, a collaboration tool provider, whose welcome email takes an interesting approach. It clearly articulates what subscribers can expect in the future, offering a preview of the brand’s forthcoming content.
The email extends a warm invitation, emphasizing their global community of over 25 million collaborators.
With its visual appeal, Miro’s welcome email provides a stellar example of an effective email sequence, leaving a favorable impression and enticing subscribers to engage beyond the initial welcome phase.
In essence, a well-crafted welcome email sequence sets the stage for a positive customer journey, fostering trust and anticipation for your future communications.
2. Onboarding email sequence
An onboarding email sequence is designed to welcome new customers or subscribers and guide them through the initial stages of their journey with your product or service. It’s your opportunity to make a positive first impression, deliver key information, and set the stage for a successful relationship.
In the first email, extend a warm welcome and provide essential details, such as login information or installation instructions.
Take a cue from Asana, the work management platform, which excels in this arena.
Asana’s onboarding email is visually engaging, effectively leading users to take their first action – ‘create a task.’
It’s followed by a persuasive showcase of the benefits of using Asana. The email seamlessly incorporates a clear and action-oriented CTA to keep users on the right path.
Now, let’s move on to the second email in an onboarding email sequence example. The second email can offer tips and best practices to help users make the most of their experience.
Asana does this by highlighting features and illustrating how to make the most of them. In just two lines, it succinctly outlines the benefits – ‘Make meetings more productive’ and provides instructions on how to do it, i.e., by ‘Creating a meeting agenda project to track topics and action items.’
And the third message might focus on gathering feedback and encouraging customers to share their thoughts.
Asana demonstrates this as well, presenting a survey collection email, seeking your feedback to further enhance their services.
The onboarding email sequence is your chance to show your commitment to customer success, address initial questions, and ensure users feel confident and excited about what your offering can do for them.
By offering guidance and support right from the start, you can increase user satisfaction and pave the way for long-term engagement and loyalty.
Read also: Key Elements Of A Post-Purchase Email Sequence That Converts
3. Cart abandonment email sequence
Cart abandonment is a common challenge for eCommerce businesses. Customers add products to their cart but leave without making a purchase.
To re-engage these potential customers, a cart abandonment email sequence is a valuable tool.
Typically, a cart abandonment email sequence involves sending a series of emails, each with a specific purpose: sending a reminder, creating urgency, displaying customer testimonials, and presenting final offers. It’s about mixing and matching these elements in an abandoned cart email sequence.
In the following cart abandonment email sequence example, you will see the different types of emails that you can incorporate.
The first email is simply a reminder email that is sent shortly after abandonment to nudge the customer about the items left in their cart.
It’s simple and to the point, displaying the cart contents, the total amount, and a conspicuous call-to-action button for prompt action.
In the second cart abandonment email, the focus shifts to offering incentives such as discounts or free shipping, which can be powerful motivators to encourage completing the purchase.
Nykaa, for instance, highlights the “price drop” on items in the cart, demonstrating the potential savings if the order is placed promptly. This persuasive approach compels customers to act quickly.
A well-designed cart abandonment email sequence can recapture lost sales, re-engage customers, and improve conversion rates, making it an essential part of any eCommerce marketing strategy.
4. Lead nurturing email sequence
Lead nurturing email sequences are a vital component of any successful marketing strategy. They focus on building trust, providing value, and guiding potential customers through their journey from initial interest to conversion.
Typically, these sequences consist of a series of automated emails sent at intervals.
The first email introduces the lead to your brand and offers valuable content or resources related to their interests.
Subsequent emails gradually delve deeper, showcasing your expertise and the benefits of your product or service. These emails are designed to answer questions, address pain points, and establish your brand as a solution to their needs.
As the sequence progresses, you can offer product demos, free trials, or consultations, guiding leads toward a purchase decision. The key to success is personalization and relevance, tailoring the content to the lead’s behavior and preferences.
Consider PayPal’s lead nurturing email sequence example targeting freelancers working with international clients. PayPal is an online payment system that supports online money transfers, both domestic and international.
The initial email shares a success story, illustrating how PayPal streamlined payment methods, resulting in business growth. The email also provides tips on getting paid faster as a freelancer using PayPal.
Subsequent emails continue to target freelancers, offering more information and benefits to convince users of PayPal’s value.
In essence, lead nurturing email sequences help build relationships, ultimately converting leads into loyal customers by providing them with the right information at the right time.
5. Re-engagement email sequence
​​A re-engagement email sequence is designed to revive the interest of inactive subscribers. These subscribers might not have opened or engaged with your emails for a while, and the goal is to bring them back into the fold.
For instance, if they haven’t made any recent purchases, you can send them an offer, such as a discount or early access to a new collection, to regain their interest and prompt them to take action.
The key is to highlight the benefits of staying connected with your brand. Showcase recent achievements, success stories, or valuable content that they might have missed.
Encourage them to rediscover what they have been missing out on.
Take it from Uber, a company that provides ride-hailing services, food delivery, and freight transport.
As a frequent user of Uber’s cab services, I recently took an extended break from using their platform. During this hiatus, I received an email from Uber that caught my attention.
The email was brilliantly succinct, conveying their awareness of my absence from their services and kindly requesting my input through a survey. It struck me as a win-win situation!
This approach allows Uber to obtain valuable customer feedback while also rekindling my engagement with their brand. It’s a clever strategy that benefits both the company and its customers.
However, if there is still no engagement from the subscriber, sometimes it’s important to send a final email. It depends on your business type, but this email can serve as a gentle farewell, offering the option to unsubscribe or update their email preferences.
Re-engagement email sequences are a respectful way to clean your list and maintain a more engaged audience. It ensures that you are reaching those subscribers who genuinely are interested in your product or service.
6. Event promotion email sequence
Whether you are organizing a webinar, conference, product launch, or any other special occasion, an event promotion email sequence can help create excitement and maximize attendance at your upcoming event.
This sequence aims to engage, inform, and entice subscribers to register or attend.
In the initial email, we unveil the event’s significance, offering crucial details and a direct registration link, motivating early sign-ups. If it’s a paid event, consider running an early bird discount campaign to sweeten the deal and prompt immediate action.
Take a peek at this great event promotion email sequence example from YourStory’s TechSpark event.
The subject line unambiguously invites you to secure your spot with early bird discounts. The email comprehensively outlines event particulars and why attendance is a must.
At first glance, the email might appear text-heavy, but it skillfully spotlights key phrases, allowing for a quick scan to grasp the event’s essence.
In follow-up emails, you can unveil exciting event teasers, emphasizing featured speakers or exclusive content. These strategically create anticipation and buzz.
And don’t forget the last-minute reminder dispatched just before the event. It’s a final call with all the essentials, a crystal-clear call to action, and potential perks like early access or exclusive content.
Take another look at this example from the same event promotion email sequence.
The subject line announces, “Last Call to Join India’s Tech Revolution at TechSparks 2023!” The email underscores why you can’t afford to miss the event.
An efficiently executed event promotion email sequence ensures your audience is well-informed, engaged, and motivated to participate, ultimately contributing to its success.
7. Sales email sequence
The upsell and cross-sell email sequence is a strategic approach to increasing revenue by encouraging customers to purchase related or upgraded products.
In the upsell (and cross-sell) email sequence, you can introduce complementary products. If the customer still hasn’t bought it, you can sweeten the deal with a limited-time discount or offer.
This is exactly what Swiggy, a food delivery service, did here.
This upsell/cross-sell email sequence adds value to your customer’s experience, showcases your commitment, and aids in boosting sales.
Read also: 9 Automatic Emails You Should Have For Your E-commerce Store
6 Email Sequence Best Practices To Follow
Email marketing is a powerful tool when done right. To maximize the effectiveness of your email sequences, here are some best practices to follow.
Set goals
When designing email sequences, you need to define their objectives clearly. For instance, if you run a cart abandonment email sequence, your goal should be to recover lost sales.
Similarly, for newsletters, your goal should be lead nurturing. Having well-defined goals will guide your strategy.
Identify triggers and outline sequence
You need to identify and define different actions or events that will trigger an email. Based on that, you should tailor your email sequence.
For instance, if a person downloads an ebook on ‘how to win at emails,’ you might trigger follow-up emails that share additional information about the same topic.
Create a detailed plan that outlines the content and timing of each email in the sequence.
Include a Call to Action (CTA)
Each email in your sequence should have a clear and compelling call to action. Whether it’s to make a purchase, download content, or simply click a link, make it easy for recipients to take the next step.
Write effective subject lines
Your subject lines are your email’s first impression. Craft subject lines that are attention-grabbing, relevant, and, when possible, personalized to increase open rates.
Keep content relevant
Tailor the content of your emails to your audience’s needs and interests. Ensure that the information you provide is valuable, informative, and engaging.
Test it out
A/B testing is your ally in optimizing email sequences. Experiment with different elements, including subject lines, content, CTAs, and sending times to determine what resonates best with your audience.
Read also: 15 Email Sequence Software To Ignite Your Campaigns
Wrap Up
Email sequences are an important marketing strategy that every marketer should incorporate. By tailoring your email sequences to your specific goals and audience, you can effectively engage with subscribers and guide them toward taking the desired actions. These email sequence examples should serve as a valuable starting point for designing your own sequences that align with your business objectives.
EngageBay offers an easy-to-use and affordable email marketing platform where you can easily set up triggers and schedule various email sequences to boost your revenue.
Don’t forget to A/B test your emails, track performance metrics, and continuously refine your sequences to maximize their effectiveness in achieving your goals.
