Ready-to-Use Templates
Copy these templates and customize them for your needs. Each includes HTML and plain text versions.
You're one step away from {{valueProp}}
You started setting up {{productName}} — let's finish so you can {{benefit}}.
You just {{achievement}} with {{productName}}
Nice work. Here's what to try next.
See what others are building with {{productName}}
Users like you are getting results. Here's how they got started.
Need help getting started with {{productName}}?
We noticed you started setting up but haven't come back. Here's a quick way in.
Best Practices
Define your activation criteria clearly — what action makes a user 'activated'?
Show progress checklists so users know exactly what steps remain
Celebrate the first value moment immediately with specific data
Suppress activation emails once the user reaches the goal
Use social proof emails for users who stall — show what others achieved
Common Mistakes
Sending activation emails to already-activated users
Generic 'come back' messaging instead of targeting the specific stalled step
Celebrating trivial milestones that don't represent real value
Not including time estimates — users need to know the commitment before clicking
Giving up after one email — activation sequences should be 3-5 emails
Subject Line Examples
Timing & Performance
Personalization Tips
Activation is the metric that matters most
If you could only track one metric, make it activation rate. Users who reach their first value moment are dramatically more likely to convert, retain, and expand. Activation emails exist to accelerate this journey — not to nag, but to remove the friction between signup and value.
Define your activation moment precisely. "Created an account" is not activation. "Sent their first campaign" or "invited their first team member" is.
Target the stalled step, not the user
The most effective activation emails are specific. Instead of "come back and explore," say "you created your workspace but haven't invited your team yet — here's how." When you name the exact step they're stuck on, users feel like you're helping, not selling.
Use a progress checklist to show completed steps (with checkmarks) and the next step (highlighted). This visual makes it obvious what's left and reduces the perceived effort.
Social proof unblocks hesitation
When users stall, they're often unsure if the product is worth the effort. Social proof emails showing what other users have achieved with the same product validate the decision to sign up and motivate action. Include specific outcomes (not just praise) from users in similar roles or industries.
Build Beautiful Email Sequences for Your SaaS
Sequenzy helps SaaS founders create automated email sequences that convert. From onboarding to retention - all in one platform.