8 Effective Cross Sell Email Examples for Higher Revenue

cross sell email examples cover image with a yin and yang symbol

Imagine having

  • Pizza without cheese,
  • Burgers without buns,
  • Gin without tonic.

These items aren’t bad when consumed separately, but they certainly enhance the taste when paired with the right ingredient.

That is exactly what a cross sell email does — it offers complementary products to a customer’s original purchase. Understanding your audience’s needs and preferences improves long-term connections.

We’ve consolidated remarkable cross-sell email examples to enhance your existing email marketing campaigns and help you produce better email content.



What is a Cross Sell Email?

Cross selling refers to presenting customers with complementary products that enhance their original purchase. These products work as add-ons, increasing the overall revenue and customer satisfaction.

For example, you can include chargers and phone covers with the purchase of a mobile phone. Or sell hair accessories with the purchase of a hair straightener.

Including cross sell emails as part of your email marketing strategy can retain more customers and improve brand relevance.


Cross Sell Email Best Practices

Cross sell emails must have the right products and offers to encourage customers to buy. They should provide additional value, instead of merely trying to sell.

These industry best practices will help you align your goals with customers’ preferences:

  1. Personalize email content: Aggregate customer data to find relevant products supporting users’ preferences, previous purchase history, and interests. Use email personalization techniques to improve email engagement and conversion rates.
  2. Time your emails right: Discover the best time to send emails for maximum engagement. It’s ideal to send it after the initial purchase or in a follow-up email. Additionally, tailor your timing based on the customer’s stage in their buying journey.
  3. Highlight benefits and urgency: Mention how the particular product solves a customer’s pain point. Use limited-time offers or scarcity tactics to encourage immediate action. With Campaign Refinery, you can include a third-party countdown timer to emphasize time.
  4. Keep it simple: Clarify what the email is about in the subject lines and implement email design best practices to keep emails uncluttered.
  5. Test and optimize: A/B test different versions of call-to-actions, email content, and subject lines to identify effective elements.
  6. Respect customer preferences: Clearly include an unsubscribe link in the email footer. It’s critical to abide by the email marketing regulations such as the CAN-SPAM act.

Next up, we’ll review effective cross sell email examples to help you maximize your email marketing.


Cross Sell Email Example #1 — Soona

Cross sell email example 1
Cross Sell Email Example – Soona – Full screenshot at the source.

Soona is a marketing tool that intrigues customers by using images of skincare and makeup. This cross sell email example emphasizes savings when a customer opts for discounted packs.

The brand gives a glimpse into the product pack benefits, such as premium edits, account management, and scheduling. Soona also clarifies its purpose and product value by mentioning key features at the end. It also mentions a disclaimer in the email footer to let users know where the promo codes are applicable.

What We Like About Soona’s Cross Sell Email

  • Soona uses clean email fonts and good spacing,
  • There is the right balance between image and email copy,
  • The email uses a similar color palette with complementary colors.

Cross Sell Email Example #2 — Strava

cross sell email example 2
Cross Sell Email Example – Strava – Full screenshot at the source.

Strava uses FOMO to stir curiosity and highlight what customers have missed out on. The cross sell email is disguised as a follow-up email after account creation. The brand uses psychographic segmentation strategies to persuade interested customers to try the remaining features.

Although this does not come across as a hard sell tactic, the email convinces customers to try other features that could enhance their productivity.

Note how the brand uses dynamic email content blocks to auto-fill subscriber names. You can use similar strategies to generate relevant product recommendations.

What We Like About Strava’s Cross Sell Email

  • Strava uses a compelling CTA at the start of the email,
  • The bright email colors create a sense of urgency,
  • The brand uses human images to foster positive customer emotions,
  • There are two CTAs that are well-balanced and provide a clear overview of the next steps.

Cross Sell Email Example #3 — MacPaw

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Cross Sell Email Example – MacPaw – Source

MacPaw’s cross sell email example resembles a friendly greeting — the email feels personal and a sense of familiarity.

The business starts by thanking the customers for using their product and then introduces other products at 30% discount. This strategic move can help increase email responses and conversion rates without increasing email marketing costs.

The brand uses a dark background with bright colors to create contrast and draw attention to the critical elements.

What We Like About MacPaw’s Cross Sell Email


Cross Sell Email Example #4 — Niice

Cross sell email example 4
Cross Sell Email Example – Niice – Source

Niice is a software that makes branding simpler. The cross sell email example contains a single CTA, eliminating unnecessary confusion for readers.

The brand uses a captivating heading followed by a brief explanation of the product features. This email marketing idea to offer complementary yet valuable products elevates trust in the business.

Its email copywriting is precise and effective because it conveys the benefits of using the recent product features. For example, users can reduce repetitive tasks and focus on more important things, such as email design and segmentation strategies.

You can use equivalent tactics to present your product benefits more cohesively.

What We Like About Niice’s Cross Sell Email

  • It’s simple and a straightforward,
  • The brand uses a single CTA to retain attention and focus,
  • The email contains a mix of images, increasing visual appeal.

Cross Sell Email Example #5 — Kickresume

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Cross Sell Email Example – Kickresume – Source

Kickresume takes cross sell emails to the next level — the complementary offer of a matching cover letter with resume demonstrates a deep understanding of its consumer segments.

The email begins with images of both products, highlighting the importance of using them together. Further down, it opens up with a short explanation of why a user must care about a cover letter.

By tapping into consumers’ psychology, Kickresume improves overall customer satisfaction and trust in the business. The brand also provides resources on using cover letters and examples to help users create their own. The email ends with similar images of a resume and cover letter looking alike to help users understand its impact.

You can draw attention to a subject by highlighting its core benefits such as ” The product improves your writing skills and showcases passion for work.”

What We Like About Kickresume’s Cross Sell Email

  • The email is short and to the point,
  • There’s a clever color combination and the usage of white space,
  • The email showcases many examples, helping customers see the value of purchasing the products.

Cross Sell Email Example #6 — Moo

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Cross Sell Email Example – Moo – Source

Moo’s cross sell email example perfectly combines direct email marketing and email marketing to get instant responses from consumers. The email is vivid and follows the 5 T’s of email marketing. The email copy is well structured and the CTA is placed prominently.

The brand might have used email marketing AI to generate fun, compelling text and image ideas. This email also makes it a perfect opportunity to share it across social media and other channels, increasing exposure.

Similarly, you can mix colors and typefaces, but ensure to keep emails clean and legible. Your cross sell offers must be notable and exhibit product features and benefits.

What We Like About Moo’s Cross Sell Email

  • The email looks visually appealing yet clean and co-ordinated,
  • The emphasis is placed on the product image instead of the email design,
  • The CTA is easy to spot.

Cross Sell Email Example #7 — Dollar Shave Club

cross sell email 7
Cross Sell Email Example – Dollar Shave Club – Full screenshot at the source.

This cross sell email example from Dollar Shave Club includes relevant and needed items in its shipping confirmation email. Including cross sell offers in transactional emails is a fine way to improve the chances of a sale.

Notice how the brand recommends closely related products that complete a regimen. For example, shaving butter and wipes with the purchase of executive cartridges.

This is a classic example of post-purchase cross selling to encourage repeat purchases.

The email also contains a separate section “Build a better bathroom” and a CTA “More in the store.” This strategic approach can convince happy customers since they have already purchased from you.

What We Like About Dollar Shave Club’s Cross Sell Email

  • The email is neatly presented with complementary products,
  • The color contrast is prominent enough to help users immediately notice the CTA,
  • Combining cross sell offers with shipping confirmation is a smart move.

Cross Sell Email Example #8 — Harry’s

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Cross Sell Email Example – Harry’s – Source

Harry’s cross sell email example draws insights from its consumer segments. The brand recommends products based on customers’ past purchase history and preferences.

The combination of new foaming shave gel with after shave moisturizer allows consumers to use products together, increasing their impact.

The email copy is crisp and effective because it answers potential client concerns beforehand. For example, a customer might want to know the authenticity of the brand and the product. Harry’s responds to this concern by mentioning the number of years the brand has been active and their process.

You can implement your brand story or social proof to increase customers’ trust in your business. Testimonial advertising, reviews, and user-generated content are impactful elements that portray your brand credibility.

What We Like About Harry’s Cross Sell Email

  • The email is crisp and conveys professionalism,
  • Product images are high-resolution and increase trust in the brand,
  • The CTA is clever and clear,
  • There is enough white space and colors, giving the email a balanced look.

Below, we’ll review two cross sell email templates to help you build brand credibility.


Cross Sell Email Templates

Personalize templates below as per the consumer’s demands, marketing journey, and preferences.

Cross Sell Email Template #1- Based on Recent Purchase

Subject: Don’t miss out on these complementary products

Hi [Customer’s Name],

We are happy to have you on our journey. We noticed you purchased [Mention product name] recently. We think you will enjoy our range of complementary products as well.

[Mention the products]

[CTA: Click here to view these products]

Enjoy your shopping!

Best,

[Your Name]

[Your Company]

Cross Sell Email Template #2- Based on Customer Interests

Subject: Discover new products tailored to your taste and preferences

Hi [Customer’s Name],

We’ve taken a look at your recent purchase history and think you’ll love these products.

[Product 1 – brief description]

[Product 2 – brief description]

CTA: Explore these recommendations

We’d be happy to answer any questions!

Best,

[Your Name]

[Your Company Name]

In certain cases, you can combine cross selling and upselling to increase impact. If your customers are hesitant to try out complementary products, it might indicate an interest for an upgrade. Use these upsell email examples for inspiration to create your own.

Regardless of these strategies, you must demonstrate credibility while selling online. This means following email security protocols and ensuring your cross sell emails reach customers’ inboxes.

Using a reliable email marketing service like Campaign Refinery can help you maintain a safe sender status.

Let’s learn how!


Become a Safe Sender with Campaign Refinery

Campaign Refinery uses robust security measures to ensure good email deliverability rate. Our strict authentication protocols and safe sending practices help us achieve the highest inbox placement rate on the market.

After moving to our platform, clients noticed a 600% increase in email deliverability rates.

All clients are handpicked and undergo mandatory domain authentication. As our client, you’ll be a part of an elite sender community with access to premium email deliverability tools.

Become a safe sender and ensure your cross sell emails reach customers’ inboxes.

Apply to become our client and enjoy higher email marketing revenue!

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