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Be honest: are your onboarding emails actually getting users excited about your product?
The onboarding process is obviously make-or-break if you’re in SaaS. Either your sign-ups stick around for the long haul or those could-be users disappear into the abyss.
Meanwhile, it’s oft-cited that ~50% of SaaS users will log into an account and never return. Couple that with a ~21% open rate for software emails as of 2020, and it’s clear than sign-ups are anything but a sure thing.
But hey, it’s not all gloom and doom.
Granted you’re putting together messages that actively engage those sign-ups to take action.
In this guide, we’ll hook you up with some onboarding email templates to do exactly that.
9 onboarding email templates that pull users into your product
Below we’ve put together nine onboarding emails that are fair game for any SaaS company.
Of course, you’ll need to tweak and adapt these according to your brand voice, product and so on.
Also, you might consider swapping out or duplicating these templates based on how long your onboarding series is (think: a week versus 10 days or two weeks).
1. The welcome email
Your onboarding welcome emails are arguably the most important in your series.
After all, you’re tasked with making a meaningful first impression on your new sign-ups. You obviously want to hook them here and score that ever-so-important initial login.
Your end-game? Get your product in their hands ASAP.
Subject: Welcome to {app name}! 
/ Let’s get started with {app name} / {app name} welcomes you / {customer name}!
Hey {user name},
Thank you for signing up for {app name} and welcome to the community!
We’re stoked to see what you’re able to {action (create, do, etc)} with our {app, tool, service}.
To get started, we recommend checking out our {quick-start guide} that’ll walk you through the basics of {app name} step-by-step. We also have a {two-minute intro video} if you’re more of a movie buff.
And if you’re ready to start {action (creating, exploring, etc)}, you can log in below!
{CTA button}
Cheers!
{signature}
Here’s a solid welcome example from Moz, doing double duty of inviting new users into their community while also highlighting some of the tools’ top features.
2. The pro-tip
Sometimes sign-ups need a bit of nudge to get started with a new SaaS tool.
Maybe they’re initially overwhelmed by your interface. Perhaps they remember signing up but need a quick refresher as to why they need your service.
And hey, you never know. There are tons of reasons why someone might have slept on your welcome message (lost among Amazon shipping notifications, deleted by accident, weird time zones, etc).
Your goal here is to highlight basic features and suggested steps to get a taste of what your software is capable of.
Subject: How to start {benefit (saving, earning, driving traffic, etc)} with {app name} / Your account is active! Now what? / Tips for taking the next step with {app name}
Hey {user name},
Need a bit of help getting started with {app name}?
Hey, we get it: there’s so much you can do!
Here are a few suggestions to get better acquainted with us (and start {seeing benefit}):
-
{Action/feature #1, optional link and/or corresponding resource to help}
-
{Action/feature #2, optional link and/or corresponding resource to help}
-
{Action/feature #3, optional link and/or corresponding resource to help}
If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to us at {contact}.
Cheers!
{signature}
This message from Canva highlights multiple points for users to land based on what’s relevant to their interests. Allowing users to explore specific features makes the product more actionable versus directing them to a general login page.
3. The case study suggestion
Food for thought: case studies are among the most effective types of content for B2B buyers.
Bringing up customers and case studies is a brilliant way to invite your sign-ups to feel like they’re part of a community. Highlighting use cases also makes your product seem much more actionable.
And if nothing else, these types of messages are prime for attention-grabbing subject lines that include striking stats and numbers.
Subject: How a {app name} user saved
