Onboarding Email
Emails sent to new users or customers to help them get started and find value with your product or service.
Definition
Onboarding emails are automated messages sent to new users or customers designed to help them successfully start using your product or service. An onboarding sequence guides new users through key actions, educates them on features, and helps them reach their first success milestone. Effective onboarding increases activation, reduces churn, and builds long-term engagement.
Why It Matters
The first days after signup are critical for retention. Users who do not engage early rarely become active later. Onboarding emails guide users through the 'aha moment' - the point where they recognize your product's value. Strong onboarding dramatically improves activation rates and reduces early churn.
How It Works
Onboarding sequences trigger when a new user signs up. Emails guide them through setup, key features, and first actions. Modern onboarding is often behavior-based - emails adapt based on what the user has or has not done. The goal is helping users succeed, not just sending a schedule of emails.
Example
SaaS onboarding email sequence:
Day 0: Welcome email + quick start action Day 1: Complete your profile (if not done) Day 2: Try key feature 1 (if not used) Day 3: Success story from similar user Day 5: Try key feature 2 (if activated feature 1) Day 7: Check-in - need help? Day 14: Tips for power users (if highly active)
Behavioral triggers skip or change emails based on user actions.
Best Practices
- 1Focus on helping users succeed, not product features
- 2Make each email actionable with one clear CTA
- 3Use behavior-based triggers, not just time-based
- 4Personalize based on user segment or use case
- 5Monitor activation rates and optimize accordingly