How to craft onboarding emails to initiate a customer journey that leads to retention

If you’ve ever bought something that needed assembly but had no instructions included, you know how frustrating it is to be stuck with a product you don’t know how to use.

This is why it’s good to think of onboarding emails as handy setup manuals that ensure your customers never feel stuck after they purchase your product.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to create onboarding emails that take the guesswork out for your customers and ensure your relationship gets off to a great start.

What is an onboarding email?

An onboarding email is the first point of contact after a customer purchases a digital product or signs up for a course or service.

The email contains education, guidance, and instructions on how your product should be used so that customers gain the greatest possible value.

Product onboarding emails are different from a welcome email.

A welcome email goes out to every new email subscriber, and an onboarding email only goes out to customers who purchase a product or service from you.

A welcome email is also more focused on greeting your new subscriber warmly.

In contrast, an onboarding email sequence is more education-centric, showing your new customer how best to use your product or service.

Why digital creators need to use onboarding emails

Onboarding is important because it sets the tone of the overall relationship with your subscribers and customers.

The moment someone signs up for or buys your digital product is not the end of the transaction but the beginning of a longer customer-merchant journey. How well that first interaction goes often determines how successful your long-term relationships will be and whether subscribers will make repeat purchases in the future.

There are three main reasons why digital creators should take email onboarding seriously.

• Create an excellent first impression: When customers receive professional, concise, step-by-step guidance for downloading or using your product, they automatically feel more confident in your product and their choice to use it.
• Engage and educate: 55% of people say they’ve returned a product because they couldn’t figure out how to use it. Email onboarding solves this problem by teaching your audiences what to avoid when using your product and how to get the best results.
• Improve customer retention: 86% say they’d be more likely to stay loyal to a business with solid onboarding content. Happy customers stick around, so equip yours with onboarding emails to ensure they gain value from your product.

Great onboarding email examples for different types of products

Although onboarding emails have the same goal, they can look slightly different depending on your industry, product or service type, and unique objective.

To help inspire your strategy, below are several examples of onboarding emails from real creators.

1. Email onboarding examples for services

Email onboarding for a service should welcome customers, tell them what to expect from the service, and highlight any next steps they need to take.

If you’re onboarding users for a coaching subscription, consult, or other long-term service, you’ll likely need to send more than one onboarding email to support them as they use the service.

You might also need to attach supplementary material, such as a complementary PDF or manual, to help the customer get more out of your service.

Becca Syme’s coaching onboarding email

Fiction writer and writing coach Becca Syme helps other writers accomplish their goals with her Better-Faster Writing Academy coaching program.

This is an effective onboarding email for several reasons:

• It warmly welcomes the new client
• The email subject clearly welcomes new users to the academy
• The email briefly describes what Better Faster Academy does
• It helps new customers access the benefits of their purchase, such as access to an index of podcast episodes
• It introduces customers to Becca Syme and her qualifications

Like all good onboarding emails, you’ll also notice information for new clients to contact the academy if they have additional questions.

Ashley Cummings’s customer onboarding email

Ashley Cummings is a freelance writer and content marketer. She writes content to help software, e-commerce, and marketing companies reach customers.

Ashley sends two onboarding-style emails to potential and new clients. The first one goes out to potential clients interested in working with her, while the second one is the actual onboarding email.

Here are some reasons why these emails work:

• Ashley includes a relevant email subject in her inquiry response so the potential client knows what they’re receiving.
• She also links to her samples and clearly outlines her process upfront.
• When she finally decides to work with the client, Ashley’s onboarding email details the next steps in an easy-to-digest way, bolding the main points so her client knows exactly what to do.
• She also attaches supplementary material (a content brief) to help her work better with the client.

2. Email onboarding examples for digital products

With Kit Commerce, you can sell services and digital products like downloadables.

Customer onboarding emails for downloadable digital products are more straightforward than those for services or non-tangible products like event tickets and newsletter subscriptions.

The most important things to include in your onboarding email are the downloadable digital product (if applicable), a concise manual to help customers use it, and a message thanking them for their patronage.

You can also include additional information like tips for sharing about their purchase on social media and any guidelines regarding the distribution of the product.

For example, many creators add a note to refrain from distributing their downloadable digital products online.

Danny Gregory’s paid newsletter onboarding email

Artist Danny Gregory’s premium newsletter inspires creatives with an essay, a curated list of articles, and other materials to help them improve their art.

Here’s why Danny’s onboarding email is so valuable:

• Danny does a great job of making his subscribers feel welcome and cherished.
• He also reminds them of what to expect from his premium newsletter regarding subject matter and frequency (even though this information is on his sign-up form).

If you’d like to try out Danny’s business model, Kit makes it easy to create and send paid newsletters.

Kit’s event onboarding email

Every year, Kit hosts a Craft + Commerce conference for creators who want to grow, network, and be inspired by like-minded professionals.

Kit’s Craft + Commerce onboarding emails work for many reasons:

• The onboarding emails are warm and enthusiastic, creating excitement for the event
• Both emails bold the customer’s next steps so they’re clear on what to do next
• The second email builds upon the first, sharing helpful reminders closer to the event date
• The second onboarding email also encourages customers to share about their conference experience on social media

Easy-to-implement email sequences for smooth customer orientation

Wondering what kinds of emails should you include in your onboarding sequence?

We’ll show you some easy examples to help your customers feel welcome and supported.

Remember: you can easily set up these sequences with Kit using the Automations feature.

Services onboarding email flow

First two common questions about onboarding email sequences:

What should service onboarding emails include?

Your services onboarding emails should include information that helps your customers use your product effectively and enjoyably.

What is the best time to send a service onboarding email?

The best time to send your first services onboarding email is right after purchase.

Imagine buying a new gadget and getting the manual in the mail three days or even a week later! How frustrating would that be?

Your onboarding sequence will vary wildly depending on which service you offer.

For example, if you’re a freelance writer, it might only be one or two emails long, while if you’re running a coaching program, it may be 3-6 emails long.

Feel free to tweak this example as needed.

Email 1: Thank you email

• Best sent immediately after the purchase is complete
• Welcome your newest customer and thank them for buying your service
• Tell them what to expect about your service, e.g., start dates, platforms, payment schedule, etc.
• Include any supplementary information or download necessary

Email 2: Check-ins

• Do this a few days after your service has begun
• Check that everything is running smoothly for your client and that you’re both on the same page
• If your consulting, coaching or service runs over multiple weeks, it’s wise to do weekly check-ins to ensure things are on track

Email 3: Feedback request

• Although you can and should open the door to feedback throughout your service period, the best time to request comprehensive feedback is toward the end of your service period
• Use a survey or ask customers to write back to you about their experience
• Take time to respond to and rectify any issues raised

Email 4: Request testimonials

• Send out testimonial requests at the end of your service period
• Email exceptionally pleased customers to request testimonials
• Remind them to also share their positive feedback on social media

You can customize Kit’s simple onboarding template to work for your service or digital product onboarding email workflow. Just remember to edit the emails in the sequence and attach your downloadable, if applicable.

Digital product onboarding email flow

If you sell digital products, here are some ideas for your email sequence. But first two common questions about onboarding email sequences:

What should digital product onboarding emails include?

Your digital product onboarding emails should include a thank you message, the downloadable digital product (or information about how to access it), and guidelines for using and sharing it.

What is the best time to send a digital product onboarding email?

Like with services onboarding emails, the best time to send your first digital onboarding email is right after purchase.

Email 1: Thank you/Your download is available

• Send this email as soon as the purchase is complete
• Welcome new customers with their ready-to-use product or information about when they will receive it or how to access it
• Remind them of any sharing and use guidelines
• Include any supplementary information, such as a video message
• Include contact information in case they have any issues

Email 2: Check-in email

• Depending on how extensive your product is, check in within days or one week of your first email
• Find out how they’re enjoying the product and whether they have any issues with it

Email 3: Request feedback/Testimonials

• After at least a week (could be more if your product is extensive), request a testimonial or review
• Encourage positive reviewers to share their thoughts on social media

Tips to achieve the best results with your email onboarding sequences

Whether you’re sending services or product onboarding emails, these email marketing tips will help you make a success of them:

Know how to write a customer onboarding email

The first step is knowing the key components of a helpful onboarding email. Remember that your onboarding email should always include:

A warm welcome: This builds trust and fosters a sense of safety and comfort.

Guidance on how to use your product: This is the main goal of your onboarding email. Show your customers how to use the product in as much detail as possible. If necessary, include screenshots, videos, or a manual to guide them.

Contact information: Ensure that your reply-to email is functional so customers can contact you if they have any issues with the product or service.

Setup separate sequences for active and inactive users

Once your users start receiving onboarding emails, it’s time to segment them and create different drip campaigns for them based on their engagement levels.

For example, you can set up automation workflows to track all those who’ve clicked on the download links to receive their product or start their service.

You can also track those who respond to your check-in emails and follow up appropriately with those who don’t. This helps you deliver personalized attention to each customer.

Personalize your customers’ onboarding experience

Segmentation is one way to personalize your emails appropriately.

For example, you could email a customer about the actions they’ve taken or not taken so far, such as checking to see why they haven’t downloaded their digital product yet.

Other simple ways to personalize your email include addressing each customer by their first name in your emails or taking their geographic location or birth date into consideration when you email (for special holidays or their birthdays).

Never stop learning more about your ideal customer

You can never learn enough about your customer—so don’t stop. Keep checking in with them to see what interests them and how you can serve them better.

Kit’s link triggers allow you to tag customers based on whether they click a link (indicating their interest in a specific topic).

When you tag your subscribers, it’s easier to group them into segments based on multiple tags. This allows you to send emails about subjects that matter to them instead of simply sending generic content.

Send onboarding emails that make a difference

They say first impressions matter—and it’s true!

When a customer commits to trying your service or product, you have a golden opportunity to validate their choice by making a professional, personable impression. Welcoming them warmly and guiding them through using your product will immediately put them at ease.

Whether you’re looking for ways to personalize or automate your onboarding email sequences, there’s a Kit feature for you.

Sign up now to create impactful onboarding emails that retain your customers and build loyalty.