Effective Business Email Templates
Learn how to craft effective business email templates for transactional, relational, and promotional campaigns, with tips on subject lines, avoiding spam filters, and using encryption.
Email marketing is a very flexible method of communication. This channel gives you the possibility to send written messages in diverse formats including text, static and dynamic images, tracked URLs, or colorful fonts.
For this reason, most companies use email marketing in their strategies to send out promotions and offer to customers.
If you think all emails are the same, then you are very much mistaken! We can divide the types of email marketing messages into three main formats:
- Transactional emails
- Relational emails
- Promotional emails
It is necessary to keep these distinct formats in mind when crafting your email marketing strategy since each fulfills different goals.
Understand the three types of email marketing campaigns
As we have already mentioned, email marketing is very flexible. If you take a quick look at your inbox right now, you may notice that you receive emails from companies that communicate different messages with different styles.
An email promoting flight tickets, for instance, will not look the same as an online purchase confirmation. Yet both are still considered a part of email marketing!
To understand the fundamental elements of each type of message, best practices, and related marketing strategies, we divide email marketing campaigns into three main categories: transactional, relational, and promotional email types.
Transactional emails
As the name suggests, transactional emails are those which relate to a transaction that has taken place between two parties.
When you make a purchase in an online store, for instance, you may receive a series of transactional emails: one confirming the transaction when you complete the checkout, then one when the company receives your payment, and another when your product has been shipped, etc.
Some examples of transactional emails are:
- Confirmations of transactions
- Receipts
- Delivery notifications
- Return confirmations
- Support tickets
- Password recovery
- Email address confirmations
Relational emails
The main objective of relational emails is the engagement or enticement of your audience.
Relational emails focus on the relationship with your customers and potential customers by sending them content that will educate them and/or bring additional value.
Your relationship emails can contain:
- Welcome messages to new subscribers
- Newsletters
- Emails promoting blog articles
- Confirmation of webinar sign-ups
- Opinion surveys
- Emails about news or trends in a particular industry
- Invitations for courses
Promotional emails
Promotional emails are sent by businesses to their existing and potential customers.
For this reason, it is generally the format that is most strongly associated with email marketing. But as you have seen, there are several types of emails that can be sent and fall under the same category.
In addition to promotions and offers, a promotional email can also contain:
- Info about the launch of new products or services
- Launches of new resources
- Summaries of webinars
- Messages offering free trial periods
- Upgrade offers
But does emailing still work?
Email is still one of the most commonly used communication channels in the world. It is a less invasive and more accurate alternative than many other communication methods. If used properly, emailing creates a solid direct relationship between businesses and their customers.
Its versatility is one key reason for its great reach and efficiency. We could spend literally hours talking about all of the objectives that this tool fulfills. Email continues to be the main way to wrap leads, distribute content, increase sales, and improve customer relationships, just to name a few.
An important fact is that 72% of people prefer to receive promotional content via email rather than through social media (source).
According to Email Monday, 68.9% of recipients view marketing emails on their smartphones 2-3 days per week (source), and 81% of mobile device owners regularly use a smartphone for checking emails (source).
It is impossible to ignore the power of email, and you should be aware of all the possibilities offered by this communication channel. However, what is the most convenient way to use emails in your business? How can you leverage the power of email and do so most conveniently and efficiently? The answer is: using business email templates of all kinds.
What is an email template and what are the benefits of using one?
An email template is an HTML or text template that serves as a guide. The contents can be altered to fit your messaging.
An email template allows you to create email campaigns quickly. All you have to do is adjust the template to your needs by replacing images, text, fonts, and other elements. A good email template is suitable for all kinds of organizations operating in different industries, whether it is e-commerce, tourism, and hospitality, business, gastro, health care, education, or anything else.
Benefits of using an email template
You save time and resources
Instead of writing an email or creating an email template from scratch, you can easily upload your images, change the text, and select new content that is relevant for your database. You don’t have to choose which parts of the email to include, where to insert the images or where to write the text. Instead, with a ready-to-use template, you’ll have more time to create unique content.
No need to check the formatting
Every time you create a new email template from scratch, you have to check it for errors, because working with a large amount of data risks leaving out important sections or making formatting mistakes. Using a template ensures that your email looks exactly the same as the preview. Regardless, don’t forget to test the template out just in case.
Business emails templates explained
As mentioned above, there are three types of emails: transactional emails, relation emails, and promotional emails. Each of these categories comprises of different emails. We’ve curated a set of business email templates for each category to make it easier for you to launch your first campaign or improve an existing one.
Business email templates – Product launch
New feature release announcement template
Hello [name]!
Our new, updated version of [product/service] is finally up and running!
We made sure to [briefly explain what makes the updated version better than the previous one].
Ready to test the updated version?
Click on the button below and get started!
[CTA button]
Best,
[your name & company’s name]
New physical product launch template
Dear [name],
The new [product name] is finally available!
What makes the [product name] different is [give an intro to the product and say why your audience needs it]
You can order your [product] directly from our store or find it on [name of a platform].
[Add if applicable] The first 100 people that place an order will receive [an extra product/discount/free shipping/unique feature].
[CTA button]
Best,
[your name & company’s name]
Product or service launch email – short template
Hello [name],
We couldn’t be happier to welcome [product or service] into the [company] family.
But what is [a product] actually? It’s a [short description of a product]. You may have heard about such solutions before, but we assure you that [product] is one of a kind.
Bold statement? Just look at this list of benefits [of the product]:
Benefit 1
Benefit 2
Benefit 3
….
Pretty convincing, huh? You’ll have to test our [product/service] to learn about its full potential.
[CTA button]
Enjoy!
Best,
[your name & company’s name]
Find out more about Product Launch Email Templates
Business email templates – Testimonials/reviews
The professional approach testimonial/review email template
Hello [name],
I’m contacting you to let you know that working with you on [project] has been a pleasure.
When we complete projects with such extraordinary clients, we like to end the cooperation with a testimonial that will be displayed on our website.
I wondered if you would be willing to share your thoughts on our recent project? You can see examples of previous reviews on this [link to the page] page.
You can submit your testimonial video in about five minutes. Follow this link [link to a testimonial collecting tool] and record a short video describing our project’s details and your experience of working with us.
Once again, it has been a pleasure working with you!
Best regards,
[your name & the company’s name]
Friendly check-in testimonial/review email template
Hi [name],
We really appreciate you as a customer here at [company].
That’s why we would like to know how you are doing and if there’s anything we can do to make your cooperation with us easier. If you have had a great experience so far, let us know.
You can share your ideas and thoughts here [link] via text or film a video on your laptop or phone at any time.
Thank you!
[your name & the company’s name, contact information]
A positive opinion testimonial/review email template
Hey [name],
The only things that are better for us than happy customers are happy customers who share their positive experiences.
We just wanted to tell you that we recently noticed [trigger here], and that we really appreciate it.
We would love to share your opinions on our own [name of owned media or review website] and on our website. If you have 5 minutes, share your thoughts in written or video format to spread the word.
Have a great day,
[your name & company’s name]
Newsletter email templates
Newsletter related to a holiday or a certain season
Hello [subscriber’s name],
We’re messaging you because it’s a special time of the year – [Name of a season or holiday] is nearing, and we wanted to let you know about the special offers we’ve prepared for you:
Offer no. 1 with a description
Offer no. 2 with a description
Offer no. 3 with a description
…
The only thing you have to do to make use of these [discounts/offers/promotions] is to click the button below and place your order on our website:
[CTA]
Happy shopping and have a nice [Name of the season/holiday]!
Best wishes,
[your name & company’s name]
Newsletter email template for different business sectors
Hi [subscriber’s name],
You are an active subscriber of our mailing list [name of a newsletter – if applicable], that’s why we think you’ll be interested in the latest news and information from [company].
We’re sending you a list of [articles posted by your company/industry articles/industry reports/ebooks] that we’ve curated, especially for those who subscribe to our newsletter.
[A list of the resources with short descriptions and CTAs like “Read more”/”Read the article”/” Download the ebook”/” Check the report”, etc.].
[Don’t forget to use visuals!]
Happy reading!
Best,
[your name & company’s name]
Email newsletter template for sending informative messages
Hi [subscriber’s name],
Here’s a dose of [weekly/bi-weekly/monthly/quarterly] news from [company].
We’re going to launch/We’ve just launched a new [product/feature/service] this [week/month/quarter] and we wanted you, our valued newsletter subscriber, to be one of the first to hear this exciting announcement.
[A description of an item(s) that the message refers to.]
If you are interested in purchasing any of these [product/feature/service], just click the button below.
We’ve prepared a special offer that is only available for the recipients of this message.
or:
Check your inbox frequently. Our subscribers are always the first to know about our new releases, and we always prepare special offers and discounts just for you.
[CTA]
Best,
[your name & company’s name]
Find out more about Newsletter Email Templates
Business email templates – Onboarding
Onboarding welcome email
Hi [name],
Thanks for joining [name of company].
We built [product/service] to [story behind it, explanation what pain points your offering solves].
We are really curious why you signed up for [product/service].
Your feedback will really help us improve our offering, as we always aim to deliver exactly what our customers expect.
Let me know by replying to this email and sharing your thoughts about [company].
Over the next few weeks you can expect a few more emails from us. All these messages will help you get the most out of [product/service].
We’ll also share our tips and tricks on how we use [product/service].
Thanks!
[name and company]
An onboarding email template that comes from an actual human being
Hey [name],
I’m [name], the founder of [company name], and I’d like to personally thank you for [signing up to our service/buying our product/subscribing to our…].
We established [company name] to [mission/values of company/pain points that a product/service solves].
I’d love to hear what you think of [product/service]. Is there anything we should work on or improve? Let us know!
I’m always happy to help and read our customers’ suggestions.
[name and company]
“Thank you for joining us” onboarding email template
Hey [name],
I really appreciate you joining us at [company], and I know you’ll love finding out how easy it is to deliver personalized support to every customer.
We started [company] to help [small] businesses [of all size] grow, and I hope that we can achieve that for you.
If you wouldn’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you answered one quick question: why did you [sign up for a service/ buy a product/subscribed]?
I’m asking because knowing what made you sign up helps us make sure that we’re delivering what our users expect.
Reply to this email and let me know what you think.
By the way, over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be sharing some tips from [industry], checking in with you and showing you how some of our other customers use [company/product/service] to grow their businesses.
Thanks, [name of the CEO], [company name]
Find out more about Client Onboarding Email Templates
Business email templates – Feedback request
Rate products you bought feedback request email template
Hello [name],
We are constantly striving to improve, and we’d love to hear from you about the following [company] products:
Rate your [purchased product no. 1]
[a scale from 1 to 5]
Rate your [purchased product no. 2]
[a scale from 1 to 5]
Your feedback helps us improve and reach more great customers like you.
Always yours,
[company] team
Thank you for a joint project feedback request email template
Morning [name],
Thanks for your time on [date], it was great working with you, and I’m glad we could complete your project.
When we complete projects with outstanding customers, we like to finish up by asking for their opinions and suggestions about how we, [company], can improve.
If you have a few minutes, we’d love to get feedback on your experience.
Follow this link to access the feedback form [link to a feedback form].
In the meantime, please reach out if you have any questions.
Best wishes,
[name & company]
Share your thoughts via video feedback request email template
Hi [name]!
Now that you’ve had a chance to try [product/service], we’d love to know what you think about it.
Follow this link to record some video feedback [link], or simply write a review.
Tell us about the features you enjoyed, how you use [product/service], and anything else that comes to mind!
We appreciate your help.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Best,
[name & company]
Find out more about Feedback Request Email Templates
Business email templates – Call invite
Initial outreach call invite email template
Hey [first name]
My name is [name], and I work at [company].
We work with businesses like yours [company] to [overcome pain points/deliver benefits].
Are you the right person to discuss solutions to such issues? If not, could you connect me with the right person at your company to talk about this?
I’d love to get in touch with you or your colleague over the phone, as I really value human-to-human contact.
If that would be possible, click this link to schedule a call [link] — choose a time and date that suits you the most!
Cheers,
[name & company]
Follow-up to a call invite email
Hello [name],
It’s [name] from [company]. As I mentioned in my previous email, we help [company type] to [overcome pain points/deliver benefits].
I’m curious about how you handle [an issue that your product or service helps with] at [company].
We’re experts at [your expertise], and I’d love to show you what we have been working on recently.
Are you available for a short call this week? Click the link below to schedule your demo — choose a time and date that suits you the most!
[CTA]
Best,
[name & company]
“Schedule a call?” call invite follow-up email template
Hello [contact name],
Are you still looking for a hand with [pain point]?
If you haven’t found answers to your questions, hit the button below to schedule a call. I can walk you through the solutions and show you exactly how we can help.
[CTA]
Regards,
[name & company]
Find out more about Call Invite Email Templates
Business email templates – Call follow-up
When you want to sum up a meeting
Hi [name],
Thank you very much for finding the time to talk with me about [the matter of your conversation]. I really appreciate it!
I just wanted to sum up our call and double-check if we both agree on the next steps:
Next step 1
Next step 2
Next step 3
…
As we discussed, I’ll [send you a new offer/prepare a special offer for you/present a new product or service, etc.], and then we can proceed with fulfilling the terms of our agreement.
Let me know if that works for you.
If you need anything else, I will be happy to help!
Best,
[name & company]
When you want to arrange a meeting
Dear [name],
It was very nice to talk to you.
I really enjoyed our conversation and learning more about [topic covered]. Thank you for your advice and your views on the field of [your industry].
As I told you, I can support you in [the prospect’s target]. That’s why I would like to meet with you to talk about [clear purpose].
I’m usually free on [days of the week and hours when you’re free]. Would one of those slots be suitable for you? I can adjust my schedule to yours if that’s convenient for you.
I hope we can talk soon.
Yours sincerely,
[name & company]
When you want to promote your product or service directly
Hello [name],
Many thanks for finding the time to talk with me [today/yesterday/last Friday] and sharing more information about [company].
I’ve been thinking about the difficulties your company has with [business challenges], and I think [your company] could help you solve this problem by [solutions].
To date, many companies like yours are using our [product/service] and are very satisfied with it.
Check out my [portfolio/brochure/website of your company] and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our [product/service].
Could we talk on the phone sometime this week to continue our conversation?
Best,
[name & company]
Find out more about Call Follow-up Email Templates
Business email templates – Discount offer
Formal discount offer email template
Hello [name],
Thank you for being with us! We’re thrilled to offer you a special discount on our [products]. Please use the code below at the checkout to activate your X% discount:
[code]
The discount offer is valid until [date].
Have a great day,
[name of the company/employee]
Casual discount offer email template
Hi [name],
We’re so happy to have you on board! As a thank you, we’ve got a special X% discount for you! Just use this code at the checkout and that’s it:
[code]
The offer is valid until [date]. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Best,
[name of the employee/company]
General discount code email template
Hello [name],
We’ve got good news for you: a special discount code for our [products/services]! Please find it below:
[code]
The code is valid until [date]. You can use it at the checkout!
Hope you enjoy it,
[employee name, company]
Find out more about Discount Offer Email Templates
Subject lines for the various business email templates
Product launch email subject lines:
- Struggling with [a problem]? We’ve got you covered! [product]
- It’s finally here! Meet [product]: You will now get [benefit]
- New [product or service] from [company]: A solution to your [problem]
- Say hello to [product]! Now [benefit] is at your fingertips
- Tired of [problem]? Worry no more! [product] is here to help you out!
- Available Now: [product], the solution to [problem]
Testimonial/review email subject lines:
- Many thanks from the [company] team!
- Thank you for your purchase/How do you rate our service?
- Your free subscription/gift
- So, what do you think about [company/product/service]?
- Share a few words and get [an incentive]
- Thanks for your help
Newsletter email subject lines:
- There’s no better time than now
- A dose of the latest news from [company] especially for you, [name]
- [name], it’s your last chance to save big this [name of a holiday/season]
- Get your free [product/or service] by simply reading this email
- Ever wonder how [a certain area of expertise] works at [a Fortune 500 company/any other list of successful/renowned companies]?
- Are you a [name of a certain profession] who wants to [desired outcome]
Re-engagement email subject lines
- Still want to receive our newsletter? Whatever your decision, you need to tell us the truth
- Be honest with us [name]… We can’t wait any longer
- Do you miss us? Let’s reconnect!
- It’s been a while. We’ve been counting the hours and the days
- Are we breaking up or what?
- Do you still want to hear from us?
Client onboarding email subject lines:
- Welcome to [company], [name and surname]
- [name], welcome to the [company] community!
- [name], let’s get you moving!
- [name], you deserve the best
- Welcome to [company], [name]. Your quotes are here!
- New to our [company] world?
Feedback request email subject lines:
- A quick thank you from the [company] team
- We’d love to know your opinion about [product/service]
- How did we do, [name]?
- Share your thoughts about [product/service/company]
- Thanks for purchasing [product/service]. How was your service?
- We need to talk, [name]…
Call invite email subject lines:
- Let’s talk, [name]
- [name], are you ready for a quick chat?
- Still struggling with [pain point]? Let’s discuss some solutions!
- Let’s meet over the phone, [name]
- We need to talk, don’t we?
- Don’t miss out on our call
- We’d love to hear from you – literally
Call follow-up email subject lines:
- It was nice talking to you [name]!
- Thanks for finding the time to talk with me
- Here’s what we agreed during our call on [date and time]
- Summary of our call on [date and time]
- Thanks for taking the time to speak to me today, [name]
- It was so nice to meet you, [name]
- Thanks for discussing your concerns about [one of your prospect’s challenges] with me
- I’ve just left you a message
Discount offer email subject lines:
- X% off – find your discount code inside
- Special offer: X% off
- X% off – discount code inside!
- X% off on all items!
- Today only: X% off on all items!
- X% off your favorite [products]
- X% off all subscriptions!
- Get X% off on all plans!
Sending business emails – best practices
If you want your business emails to drive the expected results, you need to follow certain rules. We won’t even mention obvious things like placing a CTA at the bottom of your email, segmenting your subscriber’s list, measuring and analyzing each campaign, or personalizing every message as much as possible. You already know all that, right? Let’s talk about some less popular but still important aspects of email marketing that you need to take care of if you want to run the best email marketing campaigns possible.
1. Use secure SSL servers for email communication
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is an encryption technology that allows you to communicate with your email server using enhanced security. It uses two separate “keys” to encrypt all of the data in an email: a public key and a private key, which only the recipient has access to. This means that in the unlikely event of an email being intercepted, it will not be readable by the intercepting party without the private key.
When configuring your desktop clients such as Outlook, Thunderbird, or mobile devices, please try to use our secure ports and servers.
2. Avoid SPAM words in your messages
Email providers have anti-spam filters in place to prevent us from receiving junk messages in our inboxes.
This is a very positive thing for all of us (it’s awful to receive SPAM every day, isn’t it?), but it’s also a challenge that all those involved in email marketing must overcome.
Your newsletters will likely end up in SPAM folders if you are not careful enough. And, if this happens, then every time we send an email from our server it will go straight to that user’s SPAM folder.
There are different factors that email providers take into account when placing an email in the SPAM folder. One of them is identifying words that are commonly associated with spammy messages.
If you want your email to land in your customer’s inboxes smoothly, avoid words like: free, gift, best price, special promotion, discount, sale, click here, make money, buy, best price, lowest price, only for, free call, investment, 50% less, why pay more, eliminate your debt, now, do it now, start today, for a limited time, seen on TV, and lose weight, etc.
3. Change passwords and redirect accounts of former employees
This ensures that when employees leave your organization, they no longer have access to your accounts or business operations. Forwarding ensures that if anyone answers a business email sent using the account of a former employee, a current employee can complete or delegate the ongoing communication.
4. Don’t send mass emails with your mail service
When you send bulk emails to your contacts, either for advertising, announcements, or newsletters, don’t do so from your webmail or desktop client. Why? Because such an action puts your domain reputation at serious risk. You can get all of your emails cataloged as spam in the long run, or even cause the closure of your mail service.
To send bulk emails securely, you must ensure that you follow certain rules and procedures. Usually, this is done through specialized providers that will help you comply with anti-spam regulations.
5. Less is more
In most cases, the simplest emails work much better than those filled with images, different colors, or complicated designs…
Less is more: your email has to be simple. The less it resembles typical newsletters (those that are laid out in different columns, full of huge images or with headers), the better.
We are used to associating SPAM with “well laid out” newsletters. That’s why, interestingly, a plain email that looks like a “normal” message, like one that a friend would send us, usually delivers better results.
The rule is as follows: keep it simple, stupid (KISS).
Ready to put our business email templates to use?
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Frequently asked questions
Should I write a plain text email or send an email in HTML?
A plain text email contains only text without any formatting. It also enables you to embed simple visuals or gifs into the email copy. At the same time, an HTML version contains images, colors, and other text formatting options. The choice depends on your email marketing strategy, branding, style guide, and many more factors.
It seems reasonable to use emails based on HTML code, especially in the case of B2C products, as this kind of email gives you more options to visually present your product. However, 62% of marketers say they send a hybrid of HTML and plain text emails to their subscribers (source).
Typically, good results are:
- Delivery rates of 95% or more
- Open rates of 30%
- Over 10% for click-through rates
- Less than 2% for bounce rates
However, these rates and benchmarks vary from industry to industry. The most important elements that influence these results are the campaign’s data quality and the value of the content.
How big should my email database be?
This is an individual aspect of every business. If you are selling a mass B2C product that is available for many types of customers (like a mobile phone, a scarf, or an economical car), your database will be huge and consist of hundreds of thousands of contacts. However, if you offer a highly-specified B2B shipping management software, your database will obviously be smaller. The most important thing here is to segment your database.
How long should my emails be?
Content should be short, scannable, and presented in small chunks. Recipients spend seconds skimming over emails, picking up on general keywords and topics. If they spot something relevant, they will slow down and read your message more carefully. Start by writing your email and editing it down until you only have the key information left.
How can I measure the success of my business emails?
The basic and most useful metrics for measuring the success of an email campaign are delivery rate, open rate, click-through rate, and bounce rate percentages. All reliable marketing agencies or email marketing tools will provide these statistics.
- The delivery rate is the ratio of emails that didn’t bounce to the number of emails sent.
- The open rate is the ratio of subscribers who opened your emails to the number of emails delivered.
- The click-through rate is the ratio of people who clicked links to the number of emails delivered.
- The bounce rate is the ratio of email addresses in your mailing list that did not receive your message, because their mail servers or clients returned them, to the total number of email addresses in your list.
This article offers various email marketing templates for e-commerce businesses, including delivery notifications, return confirmations, post-purchase emails, and reminder emails. It emphasizes the importance of building up a database of interested subscribers through producing valuable content and effective promotion. Best practices for composing reminder emails are also provided. The article concludes with sales contact information and a newsletter subscription option from LiveAgent, a customer service software provider.
E-commerce welcome email templates
Welcome emails are an important part of establishing a connection with new customers in eCommerce. They fall into the category of transactional emails and can build brand loyalty and increase ROI. There are several welcome email templates that businesses can use, including ones that thank users for joining the online store community and highlight the value customers will get from shopping with the business. The ideal length of a welcome email depends on the goals of the business, but being concise is recommended. A welcome email should be sent immediately after a user registers or creates an account. Information that can be included in a welcome email may include a greeting, setup instructions, a brief message from the CEO, useful links, or a call-to-action.
Reminder emails are important in email marketing campaigns as they can increase engagement and encourage specific actions among customers. Marketers can use reminder email templates for various occasions, such as reminding users of trial expiration, renewing subscription or membership, and notifying clients of overdue payments or upcoming events. The templates offer subject lines and content for inactive user reminders, trial expiration reminders, upcoming payment reminders, overdue payment reminders, credit card expiration reminders, and account cancellation reminder emails. Best practices include keeping the emails short and professional, including an obvious call to action, and sending a series of emails for maximum effectiveness.
The text provides a guide on how to create a promotional email campaign. It suggests using email templates to maintain consistency and save time. Tips on creating effective subject lines and engaging content are also given. The importance of personalization and testing are emphasized. The text also includes several examples of promotional email templates.
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