15 Best Email Marketing Examples for Inspiration and Success in 2024
If you’re looking for email marketing examples, you likely need fresh inspiration for your next campaigns. But just looking at examples will only give you a glimpse of what works.
To succeed in email marketing, you need a methodical approach that starts with establishing email deliverability and building your audience. Once you have these foundations, you can use great email marketing examples to learn techniques that make your campaigns stand out.
The Email Marketing Roadmap
Understanding the underlying strategies of email marketing will give you a better grasp of how to engage your audience and boost your campaign results.
These are the essential 10 steps for email marketing we recommend at Campaign Refinery:
- Build an email list: Use signup forms on your website and social media to collect valid email addresses. Remember, quality over quantity matters — aim for engaged subscribers who want to hear from you.
- Create an email marketing funnel: Design a path to guide subscribers from the first contact to becoming loyal customers. This funnel usually includes targeted campaigns that nurture relationships and drive sales.
- Segment your list: Not all subscribers are interested in the same content. Divide your email list into smaller groups based on behaviors, purchase history, or engagement levels.
- Apply list management techniques: Regularly removing inactive subscribers and harmful addresses.
- Choose an email service provider: Pick a reliable mass email service with robust automation, segmentation, analytics, and deliverability. Your ESP is the backbone of your email marketing efforts, so choose wisely.
- Learn about different types of email campaigns: Email campaigns have different goals. You can send newsletters, promotional emails, and transactional emails to keep your subscribers engaged at different stages of the customer lifecycle.
- Create content: Use a mix of text, images, and videos to keep your audience interested. Always provide value, whether it’s through information, entertainment, or special offers.
- Use automation: Set up automated email sequences to send the right message at the right time. Automation saves you time and ensures consistent communication with your subscribers.
- Run A/B tests: Experiment with different elements of your emails, like subject lines, content, and CTAs, to see what works best.
- Track your performance: Monitor key metrics like open rates and conversions to see how your emails are performing. Use these insights to improve your future campaigns and achieve better results.
Email Deliverability: The Foundation for Email Marketing Success
Email deliverability means making sure your emails reach your subscribers’ primary inboxes rather than getting lost in spam or never arriving at all.
Without good deliverability, your messages won’t be seen, and all your marketing efforts could go to waste. This is why deliverability is a fundamental part of email marketing success.
Deliverability hinges on three key groups of factors:
- Sender reputation: Your trustworthiness in the eyes of email providers. A positive reputation leads to better inbox placement.
- Email strategy: Consistency and strategy in your email campaigns matter. Regular, well-planned emails help maintain high engagement and a good reputation.
- Technical setup: Properly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols shows email providers your emails are legitimate.
Email deliverability comes first at Campaign Refinery. Our system is designed to enhance your email performance. From cleaning your list automatically to gamifying engagement and monitoring senders, we make sure every email delivers results.
2 Welcome Email Examples That Wow New Subscribers
A welcome email series introduces new subscribers to your brand and gets them excited about what’s next. It should build trust, encourage them to check out your products or services, and keep their interest piqued for future updates.
Miro Makes Users Feel at Home
Subject line: Welcome to Miro! See Our Quickstart Resources.
Miro welcomes new users with a warm greeting. The email outlines clear steps to get started, which makes users feel confident as they explore the platform. It also uses friendly visuals to make the email easier to follow.
Key Takeaways:
- Highlight quick wins: Emphasize how quickly users can achieve something valuable with your product. Show the value immediately.
- Include clear instructions: Break down the onboarding process into easy steps. This way, new users can get started without feeling overwhelmed.
- Add support resources: Reassure users that support is available and help them feel confident when interacting with your product or service.
A Flavorful Welcome from Spicewalla
Subject line: Welcome To Our Spicy Family 🌶️
Spicewalla, a company that sells high-quality spices, sends an inviting message to spice enthusiasts who join their mailing list. The email creatively introduces the brand, offers a welcome discount, and highlights multiple product categories. The colorful design and friendly tone make the reader feel like part of the Spicewalla family right away.
Key Takeaways:
- Offer a welcome gift: Include a special offer, like a coupon code, to encourage immediate engagement and make the new subscriber feel rewarded for signing up.
- Highlight key products: If you’re an e-commerce business, showcase your best products to spark interest and guide new subscribers toward their first purchase.
- Use bright and engaging visuals: Design your email with eye-catching visuals that reflect your brand’s personality.
4 Amazing Promotional Email Examples That Convert
Promotional emails help businesses connect with customers, promote products, and drive sales. These emails need to grab attention, provide clear information, and include a call-to-action. Eye-catching designs, engaging copy, and clever subject lines make all the difference in promotional emails.
Get Connected with Hey! Broadband
Subject line: Switch to Hey! Broadband full fiber
In this email marketing campaign example, Hey! Broadband, a UK-based ISP, highlights its competitive pricing. The message emphasizes affordability, high-speed offers, and customer-friendly policies. Plus, the playful character adds a fun element to the message to make it more memorable.
Key Takeaways:
- Present clear pricing and benefits: Display your offers with clear pricing and the benefits of each option to help customers make quick decisions.
- Include a sense of urgency: Use phrases that create a sense of urgency and excitement about your offers.
- Make it easy to take action: Provide clear, clickable email CTAs, such as “Choose a package,” to guide recipients toward the next steps.
Chaco and Brave Trails Support LGBTQ+ Families
Subject line: Make the world more like camp 💗🏳️🌈
Let’s look at a direct email marketing example for a cause. Chacos, an outdoor footwear manufacturer, partnered with Brave Trails, a non-profit organization supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
The two organizations launched a colorful sandal collection for Pride Month. The email showcases the collection, introduces Brave Trails, and mentions that 10 percent of each sale goes to LGBTQ+ family camps.
Key Takeaways:
- Link your product to a cause: Connect your product or service with a social or charitable cause that resonates with your audience.
- Provide detailed information about your partners: Offer a brief description of partners or causes you support to educate your subscribers and deepen their connection to your brand.
- Emphasize exclusivity: Mention the unique benefits of your partnerships to make your subscribers feel valued and part of something special.
Ubisoft Reaches for the Stars
Subject line: Our fate rests in the hands of the Galaxy’s greatest heroes!
This example of great email marketing from Ubisoft generates excitement and anticipation for their upcoming release, “Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope.” The email frames the release as a galactic mission where “You’re the galaxy’s last hope.” This approach makes the promotion feel more like a story than an advertisement.
Key Takeaways:
- Keep the message focused: Keep your email content focused on a single message or theme to avoid overwhelming the recipients.
- Leverage pre-orders: Pre-orders build anticipation and secure early sales. Give customers an incentive to commit to purchasing before the official product launch.
- Use powerful language: Strong, action-oriented words make your subject lines and content more compelling and engaging to the reader.
Untamed Wants to Make Cats Happier
Subject line: Don’t let your cat wait 🐱
Untamed, a high-quality cat food retailer in the UK, connects with pet owners on an emotional level through this attractive sales email.
The message conveys the product’s premium quality and emphasizes how it can make your pet happier. Then it invites cat owners to experience the benefits firsthand by offering a low-cost trial pack.
Key Takeaways:
- Emphasize the emotional benefits: Focus on how your product makes the customer happier. Speak directly to your audience’s desires or concerns.
- Highlight expert recommendations: If experts or professionals recommend your product, mention this to add credibility and trustworthiness.
- Introduce an easy entry offer: Make it simple for retail email marketing subscribers to try your product with an introductory offer or trial that minimizes risk.
2 Best Newsletter Examples
Growing a newsletter lets you build a community of engaged users. It gives you a direct line to share updates, insights, and stories that matter to you and your subscribers. Plus, regular communication helps establish trust as your readers start to see you as a reliable source of information.
Campaign Refinery Shows the Power of Plain Text
Subject line: Most people don’t ‘win’ for this one reason
Let’s look at a great email marketing example from our CEO and resident email marketing guru, Travis Ketchum. He writes his emails in plain text with only a few links and images. This simplicity is the strength of his approach.
Plain-text emails usually go straight to the main inbox, exactly where you want your newsletters to land. If they don’t, you’ll miss out on the exposure and engagement your content deserves.
Key Takeaways:
- Focus on value creation: Think about what moves your audience toward their “dream state” and make that the main focus of your content.
- Stick to simple content: Don’t use too many links and images in your emails to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Create curiosity with your subject lines: Your subject line is the first thing recipients see. A compelling one encourages recipients to open the email.
Figma’s Guide to Keeping You At the Forefront of Design
Subject line: Find your people, find your footing
Figma sends out a bimonthly newsletter about product leadership with stories and insights from various industry experts. The layout goes from prominent blocks of featured articles to smaller sections with clickable links. This structure adds visual variety and keeps the reader engaged.
Key Takeaways:
- Deliver immediate value: Even if your readers don’t click through to read more, they should still benefit from the summaries or key points in the email.
- Educate your audience: Inform your audience about emerging topics. Keep them up-to-date and establish your brand as a go-to resource in your field.
- End with a memorable note: End with a lasting impression, such as an inspiring quote or a thoughtful insight. This encourages readers to reflect on the message and remember your newsletter after they’ve read it.
3 Prime Announcement Email Examples
Whenever you have big news at your company, like a marketing event or a rebrand, an announcement email will help you build momentum. It’s the perfect way to drum up excitement and inform your audience about what’s coming.
Grab Your Milkman Day Specials from Bored Cow
Subject line: Mark. Your. Calendars. 🚚🥛🧑
This announcement email from Bored Cow, an alternative milk brand, brilliantly capitalizes on a holiday related to milk — National Milkman Day. The design takes you back to the days of milk delivery. And, in true milkman spirit, the company offers multiple ways to buy your alternative milk online and have it delivered.
Key Takeaways:
- Tie promotions to unique events: Find quirky or lesser-known holidays relevant to your product to create unique and memorable campaigns.
- Emphasize convenience: Highlight how your product or service can make life easier for your customers.
- Offer discounts for bulk purchases: Provide discounts when customers buy in larger quantities to increase sales volume and customer satisfaction.
Kizik Expands with a New Store in Utah
Subject line: Exciting news for Kizik!
Kizik, a shoe manufacturer, opened its flagship store in Utah last year. Their announcement email features vivid images of the new venue and conveys a sense of excitement for the opening. It ends with a message to reassure customers outside Utah that they’ll also get a chance to visit a Kizik store soon.
Key Takeaways:
- Use real images: Include photos of your venue or product in action. This makes your email more relatable and helps customers visualize the experience.
- Be inclusive: Address all your customers even if the announcement doesn’t apply to them. Make sure everyone feels valued and included.
- Write with a personal tone: Speak directly to your readers. Phrases like “See you soon!” create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere.
Pelago Steps Forward, Leaving “Quit” Behind
Subject line: Introducing Pelago (formerly Quit Genius)
The Quit Genius app helps people quit smoking through psychology and gamification. The company changed its name to Pelago last year because the word “quit” brought up negative feelings for many users. The announcement email communicates the new name and the positive, supportive environment Pelago wants to create.
Key Takeaways:
- Address potential concerns: If your email addresses a significant change, like a rebrand, explain why the change is happening and address potential concerns.
- Focus on the benefits: Connect changes back to their benefits for the user. This will help your audience understand the value of what you’re offering.
- Offer extra resources: Provide additional materials to deepen the user’s engagement with your product or service. These could be eBooks, reports, or links to detailed articles.
2 Awesome Re-Engagement Email Examples
Your email list isn’t static — it decays over time. About 25 percent of your subscribers will stop engaging with your emails each year. However, you can rekindle the interest of nearly half of these disengaged subscribers.
A re-engagement sequence involves sending targeted emails to remind unengaged subscribers of the value you provide.
Reconnect with Duolingo and Learn Together
Subject line: You made Duo sad 😢
This re-engagement email makes the Duolingo owl, “Duo,” seem like he’s learning Japanese on his own. It compares Duo’s progress to a university course. This humorous approach re-engages the user and reinforces the brand’s friendly image.
Key Takeaways:
- Incorporate humor: If it fits your brand, humor can make your emails more enjoyable and memorable.
- Encourage immediate action: Invite users to take a simple, quick action to re-engage them immediately.
- Use email personalization: Tailor the content to reflect the user’s previous interactions. This makes the message more relevant and engaging.
Zoom Invites Pro Users to Come Back
Subject line: Are you ghosting us?
In this re-engagement email, Zoom tries to win back former Pro users. The email highlights new features and benefits, especially the AI-driven collaboration tools. The message stays true to Zoom’s brand by focusing on what Pro users want most: efficiency and advanced functionality.
Key Takeaways:
- Highlight improvements: If you’ve made any recent changes to your business, explain their benefits and how they solve previous pain points or add new value.
- Use timing to your advantage: Send re-engagement emails at strategic times, such as after releasing significant updates that could attract previous users.
- Create emotional appeal: Evoke a sense of nostalgia with your headings to create an immediate connection. If users feel missed, they’ll be more likely to re-engage with your business.
3 Excellent Cart Abandonment Email Examples
Many people add items to their cart but don’t finalize their purchase. This happens to almost 70 percent of buyers for various reasons. They might get distracted or have doubts about paying. You can send abandoned cart emails to encourage these subscribers to complete their purchases.
How Jack Wills Nails Cart Abandonment Emails
Subject line: Your basket is having abandonment issues… 🙁
Jack Wills, a premium casual clothing brand in the UK, takes a confident approach with its cart abandonment emails. It acknowledges customers may get distracted and forget their shopping cart. So, it offers a friendly reminder. It also reassures them that their items are still saved and offers free delivery.
Key Takeaways:
- Use a creative subject line: A playful and emotionally engaging subject line for your abandoned cart email captures attention and increases open rates.
- Offer incentives: Highlight perks, such as free delivery, to encourage the customer to complete their purchase.
- Include related suggestions: Suggest similar or complementary items the customer might like based on their abandoned cart to increase potential sales.
BetterBrand’s Secret to Reducing Cart Abandonment
Subject line: You deserve something Better
BetterBrand, a healthy snack company, takes a proactive approach. Instead of assuming customers just forgot, they address doubts head-on. The email highlights the health benefits of their products. It also builds a sense of community and shared values, which makes customers feel like they’re part of a movement toward better health.
Key Takeaways:
- Personalize your emails: List the items left in the cart with the price to remind the customer of their potential purchase.
- Highlight your unique selling points: Communicate the benefits of your products to persuade customers to complete their purchase.
- Encourage reconsideration: Provide compelling comparisons to alternative products. Doing this helps customers see the value of your product and may convince them to choose it over others.
Set Yourself Up for Email Marketing Success with Campaign Refinery
Your email service provider plays a huge role in your email marketing success. The platform’s IP reputation and features impact your deliverability, open rates, and overall campaign effectiveness.
At Campaign Refinery, we’ve spent countless hours perfecting every aspect of our platform to make sure you get the best results:
- Our spotless IP reputation means your campaigns always reach their intended targets. That’s because we only work with vetted customers and constantly monitor for spammy behavior.
- Our innovative tools let you create flexible and effective email campaigns. With our intuitive automation builder, advanced segmentation, and comprehensive campaign library, you can easily tailor your messages to meet your audience’s needs.
- We make it fun for your subscribers to interact with your emails. Our engagement gamification rewards your audience for their interactions. When subscribers rack up enough points, you can give them exclusive gifts.
With Campaign Refinery, you get a powerful, reliable platform that helps you achieve business growth. Make the smart choice and see the difference for yourself.
