14 Email Marketing Templates That Actually Get Responses

Whether you're new to email marketing or have been using it for a while, you should know that it's one of the finest ways to build clientele and boost revenue.

For starters, email campaigns are 40 times more effective for bringing in new customers than other channels like social media. Email is also used by 80% of SMBs (small to midsize businesses) as the primary channel for retaining customers.  

Not only that, but email is among the least expensive marketing strategies available, which is a significant plus for small businesses on a tight budget. 

Email enables businesses to communicate directly with their customers and clients about a variety of things, such as new product or service launches, special promotions, and even engaging content to nurture leads.

If you are running your own business, learn everything you need to know about email campaigns, tips to create your own, and 14 email marketing templates you can use that’ll help you earn more leads and retain business. 

What is email marketing?

Email marketing, often known as mass emails or email blasts, refers to the practice of simultaneously sending one email to a big distribution list. It’s a marketing strategy that can help you build long-term relationships with your customers, encourage upsells on product orders, or even just keep your customers and subscribers in the loop about what’s happening in your company. 

While generating more leads and retaining customers are some great benefits to effective email marketing, another great benefit is that they are very cost effective. For instance, the return on investment (ROI) for email marketing is a staggering $36 for every $1 spent. 

There are six main types of marketing  emails, including:

• Promotional emails: for sharing special offers or sales with customers

• Seasonal emails: for celebrating seasonal events or holidays 

• Loyalty emails: for loyalty programs and discounts for returning customers

• Transactional emails: for transactional follow-ups like shipping alerts, order confirmations and other client notifications

• Merchandising emails: for upsell opportunities like promoting product pairs or upgraded services

• Feedback emails: for engaging customers and asking them what they think of your products or services 

How to make email marketing templates

Email campaigns can be quite successful, but only if you use the appropriate outreach strategies. You most likely won't get any profitable results if you send out dull or irrelevant email blasts.

To reap all of the benefits of email campaigns, your emails should be:

• Clear: Know who your target audience is and how the email should benefit them. 

• Timely: Emails should be sent at relevant times (e.g., a feedback email should be sent right after a customer’s interaction with customer service).

• Engaging: Emails should have a clear call to action (CTA) and should be easy on the eyes (e.g., easy to skim, eye-catching design, etc.).

• Personalized: Use segmentation, the recipient's name and personalized content within your emails (marketing automation can help you do this).

• Measurable: You must be able to monitor who opens, reads, and clicks on links in your emails.

Email marketing templates

To help you successfully implement email blasts into your business strategy, check out these templates below. With a solid set of email blast templates within your reach, you won’t need to create every email from scratch — just customize the template and send! 

1. New customer welcome letter template

Type: Promotional email

A new customer welcome letter is an email sent to a customer after they sign up for something (like a free trial) or purchase from your business. Sending new customers a welcome letter is an excellent opportunity to build good relationships, promote your goods and services, and make your customer feel welcomed, recognized, and valued. 

Welcome after free trial sign-up template:

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Hi [First Name],

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Welcome to [Company Name]. Your free trial starts today!

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What happens next?

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We’ll be sending you the best tips for [Product/Service], so make sure you keep an eye on your inbox. 

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Want to get more out of [Product/Service]? Choose a plan below.

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[Link to pricing page]

2. Email newsletter template

Type: Promotional email

An email newsletter (also known as a newsletter subscription email) is an email sent out on a regular basis (typically once a week) that notifies your customers of the latest news, tips, or updates relating to your business. 

New newsletter subscriber template:

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Hi [First Name],

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Thank you for subscribing to the [Company Name] weekly newsletter!

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By signing up for our newsletter, you’ll be the first to hear all about our [updates, news, special offers, events] and receive exclusive content straight to your inbox every [day newsletter is sent out].

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Want more? Visit our blog and resource pages: [link to blog/resource pages] or follow us on [social media channels] to get a daily dose of helpful tips and industry trends.

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Best,

[Signature]

3. Customer re-engagement email

Type: Promotional email

A customer re-engagement email is often a series of emails created to re-engage subscribers who have stopped interacting with your regular emails (e.g., stopped opening emails or clicking on your email’s CTA links). 

While continuously popping back up in their email inbox could help a customer re-engage with your company, the best method is to offer a special discount so they’ll be more inclined to purchase from you again. 

Re-engagement template with discount code:

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Hi [First Name],

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We haven’t heard from you in a while, but we’d love to!

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Please enjoy [percentage]% off your next purchase of $[amount] or more. Just enter code [code] at checkout.

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[Link to use your discount code now]

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If we still don’t hear from you, we’ll wish you farewell and remove you from our mailing list, but we really hope you’ll stay with us!

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Respectfully,

[Signature]

4. Thank you email template 

Type: Transactional email

A thank you email is an email sent to customers to show your appreciation for them purchasing something from your business. It's also an opportunity to build rapport and improve customer satisfaction by sharing helpful information or discounts.

Post-purchase thank you template with discount code:

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Hi [First Name],

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Thank you for your order!

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We truly value our loyal customers, so as a token of our appreciation, use code [code] to receive [percentage]% off your next purchase with us.

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In the meantime, here’s a summary of what you ordered this time:

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[Summary of customer’s order details]

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Until next time,

[Signature]

5. Review request email

Type: Feedback email

A review request is a message you send to a consumer requesting that they provide a review about their experience with your business or a particular item or service they purchased. 

Make it easy for your customers to leave a review by including links to multiple platforms where they can leave their review, providing specific prompts to get them thinking, or even including an example or a template for those who haven’t written a review before.

Review template for product/service:

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Hi [First Name],

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We hope you’re enjoying your [Product/Service]!

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We are committed to continually improving the customer experience, and feedback allows us to do that.

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Please leave a review on our review page(s) here: [link to review pages]

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It’s the easiest way you can help us better help you in the future!

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We know your time is valuable, and we appreciate you taking two

minutes to let us know how we’re doing.

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Thank you,

[Signature]

6. Cold outreach email template

Type: Promotional email

There have been claims that cold calling is dead (spoiler: it’s not!), but there are other cold outreach methods that are proven to be more successful, like email. In fact, 80% of business purchasers prefer cold emails to cold calls when it comes to outreach. 

Cold outreach emails are effective at attracting B2B clients because they’re sent with the intention of beginning a possible business relationship. Build a solid prospect list first, and then use a template to tap into that vast market.

Cold outreach template for lead generation:

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Hi [First Name],

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If you’re like most executives, you know how frustrating [common business problems that your product/service solves] can be.  

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Our [Product/Service] changes that. [Explain how your product/service solves the problem and include any relevant social proof].

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If you’d be willing to give me just 10 minutes of your time, I’ll show you how you can achieve the same results with our [Product/Service]. 

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What’s the best time to connect next week for a personalized demo?

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Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Best,

[Signature]

7. Event email template

Type: Promotional email

An event email is an invitation to inform your customers and subscribers of an upcoming event, such as a webinar, conference, or presentation, and persuade them to attend. Events are a great way to boost lead generation and customer engagement.

Webinar event invitation template:

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Hey [First Name],

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There’s just one week left until our [topic of presentation] webinar!

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When: [Date and time of event]

Where: [Platform where they can view event]

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If you’re still making up your mind about whether or not to attend, here are some exciting reasons to attend:

• [Key learning #1]
• [Key learning #2]
• [Key learning #3]
• [Key learning #4]

Sign up today here: [link to sign-up page]

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We’d love to see you there! 

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[Signature]

8. Holiday email template

Type: Seasonal email

Holiday emails are messages sent to your customers to promote your new seasonal products/services or special offers during a specific holiday. These types of emails work especially well for e-commerce and retail industries.

While popular holidays like Christmas and New Years are great times to send these types of emails, don’t forget to capitalize on smaller holidays like Small Business Saturday, Giving Tuesday, or any other holiday that’s relevant to your business.

General seasonal sale template:

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Hi [First Name],

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It’s official — [season — e.g., winter] is here!

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This season is bringing more than just [typical season weather — e.g., snow], like amazing deals saving you up to [percentage]% on select items. 

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[insert images of product items on sale]

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Click here to shop now [insert link to product page]

9. Upsell email template

Type: Merchandising email

An upsell email is one that you send to existing customers to encourage them to make a larger purchase than they had originally planned. This usually entails persuading customers to upgrade to a more expensive model of your offering or purchase a similar item. 

Upsell upgraded product/service template:

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Hi [First Name],

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We noticed that you’ve been using [Product/Service] for a while now and we’re so grateful that you trust us with helping you [what product/service is helping with].

‍

We’re reaching out today with a small tip about the upgraded version of [Product/Service].

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By purchasing [upgraded version], you’ll get [value the new version brings].

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You can find more details here [insert link to product/service landing page].

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If you have any questions, feel free to reach out @[email address] or give us a call at [phone number].

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All the best,

[Signature]

10. Survey email template 

Type: Feedback email

Survey emails are a type of data collection technique that involves sending surveys or questionnaires to a target audience via email. They are an easy and straightforward approach to get consumer feedback, which will help you learn how to improve the customer experience. 

To encourage more responses, include an incentive like a free gift card or giveaway. 

Survey template with free incentive:

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Hi [First Name],

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We just wanted to express our gratitude for having you as part of our community. At [Company Name], we strive to ensure that our members feel valued and heard.

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We’re conducting this [link to survey] to learn more about your experience with our [Product/Service]. It should only take you five minutes.

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Once you finish the survey, you'll receive a free [gift card/giveaway entry] from us as a thank you, just to express how much your feedback means to us.

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Thank you for being part of our [Brand] family!

‍

[Signature]

11. Discount offer email template

Type: Promotional email

Emails with discount offers are sent to customers to let them know about exclusive sales on all or a select number of products and services. It can even be used to help you get a lapsed customer back to make a purchase or remind them of their abandoned cart. When used properly, they can produce significant sales growth and assist you in hitting your monthly goals.

Lapsed customer template with discount incentive:

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Hello [First Name],

‍

It’s been awhile since you’ve opened any of our emails — we miss you! So, of course, we’ve been wondering: is it us? Is it you? What can we do differently?

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How about [percentage]% off your next purchase?

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It’s our way of saying we’ve missed you. Just enter code [code] at checkout.

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Click here to shop now [insert link to product page] 

12. Onboarding email template

Type: Promotional email

Onboarding emails are sent to new clients or customers to make it easier for them to use and benefit from your product or service. In these emails, you’ll want to educate your consumers on how to get started, what the next steps will be, and the primary benefits of using your offerings. 

With these emails, you want to make sure you attach a video tutorial or landing page that will help them easily navigate through the process. 

New customer/client onboarding template:

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Hi [First Name],

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We’re so excited to welcome you to the [Brand] family!

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Each and every one of us is here to make sure you’re happy with [Product/Service]. Let's start by making sure your account is set up properly.

‍

Watching our onboarding tutorial will help you familiarize yourself with [Product/Service]. It covers how to complete your setup process, key features of your account, plus some handy tips and tricks.

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[Insert onboarding tutorial video]

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If you need any help at all, send us an email at [email address] or give us a call at [phone number]. We’ll be more than happy to help!

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[Signature]

13. Loyalty program emails

Type: Loyalty email

Loyalty programs are used to reward your loyal customers and encourage them to continue making purchases from your business. Send these emails to encourage customers to sign up for your loyalty programs so they can receive special rewards and discounts.

New loyalty program launch template:

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Hi [First Name],

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We’re excited to announce the launch of our new [Loyalty Program]. We’ve added lots of exciting and exclusive rewards to say thank you to our amazing customers, like you!

‍

Earn [number of points] points for every $[amount of money] you spend [online and/or in-store] to unlock exclusive rewards.

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[Reward Title 1] – [number of points] points to redeem

[Reward Title 2] – [number of points] points to redeem

[Reward Title 3] – [number of points] points to redeem

‍

Join the [Loyalty Program name with link to sign up] today!

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Have any questions? We’re here to help. Contact us at [best method of communication — e.g., phone, email address, or social channel] or visit our FAQs page [insert link to page].

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[Signature]

14. Influencer marketing email template

Type: Promotional email

Influencer marketing is a type of outreach marketing strategy that uses online influencers to promote your products or services. You’ll want to find an active influencer who creates content relevant to your brand and has a sizable and engaged audience.  

Once you find the perfect influencer, send them an email to see if they’d like to try your product/service for free in exchange for a written review or piece of content on their platform promoting your offering.

General influencer collaboration template:

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Hey [First Name],

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I have been following your [social media platform and/or website] for a while now and really loved your [specific piece of content — e.g., blog post, tweet, Instagram reel]. [Add another sentence to compliment their platform that adds a human element].

‍

At [Company Name], we [what you sell/do]. Since [insert their passions or favorite topics that are related to your brand], I thought I would reach out to see if you would be open to testing our [Product/Service]. I’d be happy to send you a free [trial/sample] for you to review and share on your blog and social channels. 

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We’d love to hear your thoughts and work out a potential partnership.

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Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Thanks,

[Signature]

Let Smith.ai handle your new inbound leads

With the help of these email marketing templates, you’ll have no problem generating new inbound leads. So who do you have handling all your new leads? 

Being responsive is essential for earning and retaining customers, so making sure their calls and messages are answered promptly and handled appropriately is just as crucial as launching an effective outreach effort.

Leave it to professionals like the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai. To make sure you’re providing first-rate customer service, we can answer your calls 24/7, screen your leads, and send email or SMS follow-ups after phone calls.

Visit our pricing page or book a free consultation to find out how our virtual receptionist service can help your business succeed.

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‍Sources: McKinsey & Company | Oberlo | Litmus