15 Email Campaign Examples to Create High-Converting Campaigns

Learning from great email marketing campaign examples will make you a better marketer, regardless of your industry. You’ll also know what you don’t want to do. Maybe it’s not suitable for your brand, or you can improve upon what others are already doing.

The thing is, no one format works for all audiences. That’s why testing and experimenting become so important. However, starting with a firm knowledge of best practices can help you succeed faster.

Plus, you might not know the types of emails you could send your customers. Years ago, it was all email newsletters. Brands would send their subscribers a few paragraphs about news from the company, and that was it.

Email marketing has become far more advanced, and email marketing tools are more complex. It’s also much more effective as a result.

Let’s deconstruct email campaigns and look at some prime email marketing campaign examples that work.

What Is the Definition of an Email Campaign?

An email campaign is a series of tasks you perform to collect email addresses from potential customers and promote products or services to them via email. It usually starts by putting a top bar or exit popup on your website to encourage people to sign up.

Email campaigns can be a one-time occurrence or evolve into a series of messages sent out gradually.

When opting for a series, it’s crucial to maintain a consistent theme throughout, even if the calls to action (CTAs) vary from one email to another.

It helps keep everything cohesive and engaging!

A smart move is to segment your audience into different groups based on their interests or needs. This ensures that each individual receives content tailored to their preferences and needs.

We created this one via Hello Bar in fewer than 20 seconds.

As you collect email addresses, you funnel them into your email management system, which allows you to send targeted emails to your audience. Your emails can inform, inspire, entertain, or provide other types of value.

Think of it as a cycle. You’re inviting people to sign up for your email campaign and subsequently providing them with valuable content with the hope that they’ll reciprocate and buy your products or services.

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What Is an Email Marketing Strategy?

An email marketing strategy is a plan that outlines how to effectively use email to connect with your audience and promote your offering. It provides direction and purpose for executing your email marketing campaigns.

Every email marketing strategy is unique, but they all tend to follow five key steps.

First, you need to determine your objectives. What do you want to achieve with email marketing, and how does it fit into your overall marketing plan?

Next, identify your target audience; the more specific, the better. Then, find a mailing list that matches your target audience and consider segmenting it further for personalized messages.

Decide what types of emails you’ll send, like welcome emails, promotions, or product announcements.

Finally, create compelling content with an enticing offer and a clear call to action.

So, how does it help grow your business? It builds relationships. Engaging emails help you stay top-of-mind and become a trusted source.

When people need what you offer, you’ll be the first they think of. Plus, you can track results and see what resonates, so you can keep getting better.

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What Is an Email Drip Campaign?

An email drip campaign is a series of emails bound by a common theme or process. It’s similar to an assembly line. You’re building up your prospects to nurture them toward a sale.

For instance, you might send new subscribers a welcome email drip campaign. The first email welcomes them to the club and provides a brief overview of your company and most popular products. The second might introduce your team or provide some pro insight.

Keep going with your welcome emails until you culminate with one that has a call to action to buy a product. You might offer a discount, a code for free shipping, or other incentive.

What is an E-shot?

An e-shot is a short marketing email that many consumers find annoying. However, they’re differentiated from spam because they’re not unsolicited.

Here is an example of a car dealership e-shot.

It’s heavy on the images and low on the text. Most e-shots also have some sort of countdown (to create urgency) and hyped-up prose.

Are e-shots bad? Not necessarily. For some consumers, the allure of a good deal is enough to motivate them to take action, regardless of the email’s format or structure.

In our opinion, text-based email campaign examples always work better. They’re more likely to find their way into consumers’ inboxes instead of the promotions folder, and they’re readable for people who only accept plain-text emails.

As always, if you’re interested in creating e-shots, test them with your audience. People might respond favorably, in which case you can maneuver them into your email campaign regularly.

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How can I grow my email list fast?

Growing your email list is a worthwhile investment that requires patience and consistent effort. Just as a garden needs time for seeds to sprout and flourish, your email list will gradually grow as you nurture it.

Here is how to nurture your email list to get more email signups.

Encourage Referrals: Including social sharing buttons and an “Email to a Friend” button. This encourages subscribers to share and forward your emails, allowing you to tap into your recipients’ networks and expand your contact list. Add a simple “Subscribe” CTA at the bottom of your emails for easy opt-in.

Distribute Opt-in Links: Strategically place clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) with opt-in links across all digital platforms to capture potential leads.

Encourage Webinar Registration: Promote upcoming webinars across multiple channels, providing valuable content as an incentive for prospects to share their email addresses.

Host Giveaways and Contests: Offer attractive rewards to users in return for their email addresses to generate buzz and encourage email capture.

Publish Guest Posts: Expand your reach by engaging with other platforms while subtly including a CTA to encourage sign-ups.

Segment Your Email Lists: Segmenting your email lists can significantly increase click-through rates. By sending emails tailored to your subscribers’ interests, you can capture their attention and encourage them to engage with your content. Use different types of email subscriptions to send targeted content to different groups of people.

Create Valuable Lead Magnets: Create a new gated lead-generation offer, such as a free ebook, and host it on a landing page that requires visitors to provide their email to download it. You can also develop a free online tool or resource that requires sign-up. These tools make users’ lives easier while gathering their email addresses.

Types of Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing campaigns require careful planning and thoughtful execution. You also need to diversify when experimenting with different email marketing campaign types.

Here are some of the most effective marketing types:

Welcome Emails: A welcome email is the first communication you send to new subscribers, setting the tone for your relationship. It should express gratitude for their subscription and provide an overview of what they can expect from your brand.

Monthly Newsletters: They are a great way to inform your audience about company updates, industry news, and valuable content. They help maintain engagement and foster a sense of community among your subscribers.

Promotional Email Campaign: These emails highlight special offers, discounts, or new products. These promotional email campaigns aim to drive immediate sales and encourage subscribers to take action.

Seasonal Email Campaigns: Seasonal campaigns capitalize on holidays or specific times of the year to promote relevant products or services. These emails create urgency and excitement, motivating subscribers to make purchases.

Transactional Emails: Specific actions, such as order confirmations or shipping notifications, trigger transactional emails. They provide essential information and reinforce the customer experience.

Educational Emails: These emails offer valuable insights, tips, or how-to guides related to your products or services. They position your brand as an authority and help build trust with your audience.

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15 Proven-To-Work Email Campaign Examples

Let’s get to the good stuff. We’ll go through some of the best email campaign types to pursue and share email marketing campaign examples we’ve stumbled across and admired.

Welcome series email campaign examples

A welcome email series helps make new subscribers feel appreciated and wanted. It’s an introduction to your brand and your opportunity to show your generous, giving side.

What do we mean by that?

Your subscribers have given you something of value: their contact information. If you abuse it, they will turn against you.

Instead of bombarding them with e-shots and other marketing messages, talk to them as though they’re friends. Give them something generous, such as a free tool or a discount code that doesn’t expire.

Then, continue to connect with them. Ask if you can help in any way. Provide them with multiple ways to contact you.

Let’s look at some of the best welcome email campaign examples we’ve seen.

Ikea

Ikea’s welcome email exudes warmth and personality. It mentions the “Ikea Family” and invites you to join. There’s a small paragraph containing facts about the company, but everything else is geared toward the subscriber.

We love the last line in particular: “Are you ready to get inspired?” This email isn’t about selling products. It’s about making you feel safe, appreciated, and wanted.

Amazon

We really like Amazon’s welcome email, and it’s no surprise this company gets it right. Unlike Ikea’s email, this one is more instructional. We have the stack of branded boxes, which reflects Amazon’s brand as a whole, and a list of things you can do now that you’ve signed up.

It’s also personalized, which is a big plus in our book. The best email marketing campaign examples mention the subscriber’s name at least once, such as in the subject line or the body content.

Squarespace

We’re big fans of Squarespace’s welcome email because of its minimalistic design. The subscriber has just signed up for a two-week free trial, so Squarespace gets right to the point. It gives the subscribers the information they need to get started.

The last bit is the best. “We are here to help.” There’s a link to the help desk and photographs of people — either stock images or photos of real Squarespace customer support professionals. Either way, it’s a nice touch.

Welcome email key takeaways

Use the subscriber’s name
Focus on the customer
Provide a few details about the brand
List useful links
Add tasteful images

Cart abandonment email campaign examples

Cart abandonment means customers have put items into their virtual shopping cart, then left the page. This happens for many different reasons.

Maybe the customer has found the desired products at a better price elsewhere, or maybe they just got busy.

The important thing is to re-engage that customer with cart abandonment emails. If the user simply forgot or ran out of time, you can remind them that those items are still available in the cart.

If you want to increase the chances of your prospect returning and buying, consider offering a percent-off coupon or a code for free shipping.

Here are some of our favorite cart abandonment email campaign examples.

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Fab

If you want to see a really good cart abandonment email, Fab shows you how to craft one.

The copywriting on this page is excellent, from the headline to the call to action.

“Smile,” tells the customer that something good is coming. That’s always a positive thing. You want your prospect in a positive frame of mind.

Then it lets the customer know his or her desired item is still up for grabs. That’s followed by a call to action in a bright color: “Still want it?”

The big red “BUY NOW” button reflects that same call to action. That’s an effective psychological tool, complemented by an attractive product photo and helpful information about how to get in touch with Fab.

Teefury

You can also learn from Teefury’s cart abandonment emails. This is just the top segment, but it’s jam-packed with best practices.

It uses the same headline as Fab did above: “Still want it?” It’s another psychological hack. The word “still” implies that the prospected wanted the item at some other time, and might still desire it.

But what really strikes out in this cart abandonment email is the literary/film references. The company is known for referencing pop culture, and it continues that trend in an email with references to “Lord of the Rings.” It’s even in the call to action with a play on words: “Grab Your Baggins.”

Glossier

Glossier’s cart abandonment email gets it done, too. You have a humorous plea followed by a joke: “If you add things to an online shopping bag, but no one’s around to check out…does it make a sound?”

Plus, there’s a photo of a woman looking quizzically at the question above. That’s good marketing.

Then we get the punchline of the joke: “No. But it does trigger this email.” Your takeaway? Don’t be afraid to poke fun at your own email marketing campaign.

Cart abandonment takeaways

Use images of the actual item(s) in the shopping cart
Add other images that help direct the eye
Incorporate humor and branding
Incorporate positive imagery and words

Transactional email campaign examples

A transactional email doesn’t actually have to refer to an email that asks the customer to make a financial transaction. Essentially, this type of email simply asks the customer to do something. You might be nurturing the customer toward a future purchase or asking them to purchase now.

The important point is to focus on engagement. You want your subscribers to engage with the email and click on your call to action or forward it to a friend.

How do you boost engagement levels? You offer an incentive. It’s reciprocity in action. You want your subscribers to feel like they’ve received something of value and then respond in kind.

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Charity: Water

We love how Charity: Water’s marketing email makes it clear that they’re in partnership with their donors. They title the email “A Spring Member Exclusive.”

Both “member” and “exclusive” imply exclusivity, of course. That’s designed to make the relationship between Charity: Water and its donors feel personal.

Then the company shares its journey toward providing safe drinking water to the denizens of Cambodia. You’re invited to watch a full episode on the topic so you know where your donation dollars are being spent.

Well done!

It’s also very nicely designed, which helps.

Starbucks

Starbucks is definitely no slouch when it comes to marketing emails. This transactional email campaign example is based on the company’s loyalty programs, which allows members to earn stars toward free beverages at the coffee chain.

This transactional email campaign example offers bonus stars to people who follow through on the call to action. Notice that this has nothing to do with an online activity. Starbucks is inviting people into their stores to take advantage of the offer.

The email itself is minimalistic and focuses exclusively on the offer.

Airbnb

In Airbnb’s email marketing campaign examples, you see evidence of the company’s specific branding everywhere. We have the Airbnb logo, the beautiful image of a faraway resort destination, and the signature blue color on all the major hot points of the email.

The company has decided to focus specifically on Bangkok, highlighting more than 900 listings there. It’s a great use of a high number to encourage engagement.

Then, of course, you have the very obvious CTA: Book Now.

Transactional email takeaways

Incorporate tasteful images
Keep the design minimalistic
Add an obvious CTA
Make the message feel personal

Newsletters and promotions email campaign examples

Newsletters and promotional email campaigns are designed to integrate the subscriber with the brand and promote specific products.

Let’s explore promotional email marketing campaign examples to see what they’re doing right.

Buzzfeed

It’s hard to argue with the notion that Buzzfeed has cornered the market on niche email marketing. This one focuses specifically on animals. The headline — “Let the Cute Come To You” — is appropriately cutesie for the subject matter.

We also like the section that tells you when you’ll get the newsletter. Buzzfeed is clear on what subscribers can expect from this newsletter.

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Taco Bell

Lots of companies, including Taco Bell, use sponsorships, ad campaigns, and limited-time offers tied to popular sporting events.

That’s pretty genius, especially for a brick-and-mortar store. This technique increases brand visibility and also links Taco Bell with the excitement and camaraderie associated with sports, resulting in increased customer interest and revenue.

Promotional email takeaways

Set clear expectations for subscribers
Use CTAs and headlines that are geared specifically to your audience
Tie in your offer with a pop culture reference
Consider the opportunity to upsell or cross-sell

Retention email campaign examples

Customer retention is just as important as customer acquisition.. You want customers to keep coming back for more.

You can use email to re-engage customers who haven’t been buying your products or engaging with your emails. The trick is to make them realize how much you value them.

To do so, you have to provide value in some way. We’ll look at a various retention email campaign examples to see how it’s done.

Grammarly

Grammarly does an excellent job of retaining its customers through email campaigns.

First the email is personalized. This is essential for making the subscriber feel wanted and appreciated. It also shows that Grammarly is tuned into its audience.

Next, Grammarly doesn’t just beg the subscriber to come back or restart his or her subscription. Instead, the email uses a new Grammarly feature to entice the subscriber. It’s like saying, “Hey, your subscription just got better. Come see how!”

The CTA echoes the body content. Instead of a generic call to action, it says, “Get Grammarly for Your Browser.” That’s a nice choice.

Dollar Shave Club

The same is true of Dollar Shave Club. Remember when we mentioned that retention emails should provide something of value? That’s exactly what this email does.

It’s offering the wayward subscriber a free month of Dollar Shave Club. We like the copywriting here, too: “Still on the fence about Dollar Shave Club? That’s cool. While you’re thinking it over, try the Club for a month on us.”

Very cleverly written.

Retention email takeaways

Offer an incentive to re-engage the customer
Mention a new feature or product in which the recipient might be interested
Focus on creating engaging copy that surprises the reader

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Do Not Forget to Keep Growing Your Email List Using Hello Bar

We’ve spent a lot of time on email campaign examples today, but we don’t want you to forget about email collection. After all, it’s essential to collect emails if you want to create an email campaign.

This is easy enough to accomplish through Hello Bar. Sign into your account and select the option to grow your email list.

Next, type in what you want your headline and CTA to say.

Maybe you want to create a modal popup. You can select your theme, then customize the colors and text to make it perfect.

Of course, you can also create top bars to generate great results.

A/B test different options until you find the most high-converting combination of bars.

Email Marketing Campaign Best Practices

No matter what kind of business you have, effective email marketing is essential for reaching and engaging your audience.

However, its success depends on whether your email is opened or not. To achieve this, here are a couple of best email marketing campaign practices to follow:

1. Cultivate Your Contact List Organically

It is always better to have more quality emails than more number ones. Buying contact lists, might seem like a quick fix, but it will only hurt your open rates and land you in the spam folder.

Focus on growing your list naturally through opt-ins and interactions with people already on your list. This keeps you in line with data privacy laws like the GDPR and ensure that the people you send your content to are actually interested in it.

2. Write Compelling Subject Lines

Your subject line is the gatekeeper to your email’s success. It needs to be compelling enough to make recipients want to open and read your message.

Aim for subject lines around 50 characters, and experiment with different tactics like creating a sense of urgency, asking a question, or using personalization and emojis (if appropriate for your audience).

Remember to A/B test your subject lines to see what resonates best, and consider using AI-powered tools to help you craft the perfect subject line.

3. Avoid Sending Emails With “No-Reply” in the Address

Sending emails from a “no-reply” address is a big no-no. It creates a barrier between you and your subscribers, preventing them from engaging with your content or opting out if they wish to do so.

Instead, use a first name in your email address, like jamie@mycompany.com. This small change makes a big difference in making your emails feel more human and approachable.

4. Keep Your Email Design Clean and Legible

Stick to a maximum of three typefaces to keep your message clean and visually appealing.

Use web-safe fonts between 10-point and 12-point to ensure your email is legible on all devices and email clients.

Take inspiration from the example below of Greenhouse, a recruiting SaaS company, which uses just two fonts in their email design. This prevents readers from becoming distracted by the styling and allowing them to focus on the content.

Image via Reallygoodemails

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Types of Email Marketing Campaigns

Email marketing campaigns require careful planning and thoughtful execution. Experimenting with different email marketing campaign types requires diversification.

Here are some of the most effective email marketing campaigns people employ to promote their businesses:

Welcome Emails: A welcome email is the first communication you send to new subscribers, setting the tone for your relationship. It should express gratitude for their subscription and provide an overview of what they can expect from your brand.

Monthly Newsletters: They are a great way to inform your audience about company updates, industry news, and valuable content. They help maintain engagement and foster a sense of community among your subscribers.

Promotional Email Campaign: These emails highlight special offers, discounts, or new products. These campaigns aim to drive immediate sales and encourage subscribers to take action.

Seasonal Email Campaigns: Seasonal campaigns capitalize on holidays or specific times of the year to promote relevant products or services. These emails create urgency and excitement, motivating subscribers to make purchases.

Transactional Emails: Specific actions, such as order confirmations or shipping notifications, trigger transactional emails. They provide essential information and reinforce the customer experience.

Educational Emails: These emails offer valuable insights, tips, or how-to guides related to your products or services to position your brand as an authority and help build trust with your audience.

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FAQs

Q1. What are the key elements that make an email campaign high-converting?

High-converting email marketing campaigns typically include compelling subject lines, personalized content, clear calls-to-action, and optimized send times. Additionally, segmenting your audience can improve relevance and engagement.

Q2. What are some effective ways to integrate user-generated content into email campaigns?

In your emails, you can showcase user-generated content by featuring customer photos, reviews, or testimonials. This adds authenticity and encourages other subscribers to engage with your brand.

Q3. How do seasonal and holiday-themed email campaigns impact conversion rates?

Seasonal and holiday-themed email campaigns often lead to higher conversion rates due to their timely relevance and the urgency they create. They tap into consumer emotions and can drive sales during peak shopping periods.

Q4. What role does multimedia content (videos, GIFs, etc.) play in enhancing email campaign effectiveness?

Multimedia content, such as videos and GIFs, can capture attention and increase engagement by making emails more visually appealing. They can also convey messages more effectively than text alone.

Q5. How can you leverage customer testimonials and case studies in email campaigns to build credibility and trust?

Including customer testimonials and case studies in your emails can enhance credibility by showing real-life success stories. This social proof helps build trust and encourages potential customers to take action.

Conclusion

An email marketing campaign isn’t difficult to create. Anyone can write a few words in an email and send to their subscribers, but it takes education and creativity to generate engagement and conversions.

These high-converting email marketing campaign examples can help you improve your marketing efforts. Whether you’re writing a long-form email to long-term subscribers to thank them for their patronage or firing off an e-shot, focus on design, copywriting, the headline, and the CTA in particular.

You can grow your email list quickly with email campaigns, but you have to target your audience in very specific ways.

Start with welcome emails. They bring your new subscribers into the fold and make them feel wanted.

Next, try cart abandonment emails. If someone abandons a shopping cart in your e-commerce store, you want them to return. Personalize these emails with the actual item(s) to jog their memories.

Transactional, newsletter, and retention emails can also help boost conversions. Running all these email campaigns at once will generate more revenue.

Of course, remember to continue collecting emails. You don’t want your list to fizzle out, right? As older subscribers drop off, you want to replace them with new ones.

What’s the best ROI you’ve ever gotten on an email campaign?