Onboarding Email Sequence
A 5-email welcome series that activates new users within 72 hours. Built for SaaS products with a 7-day trial window.
Overview
This sequence guides a new signup from “I just signed up” to “I can’t live without this.” Each email has one job — no multi-CTA noise. Timing is tuned for morning delivery in the recipient’s local timezone.
Sequence
Day 0 — Immediate
Welcome to Meridian 🚀
Confirm email, set expectations, deliver quick win.
Day 1 — 24h later
Your first [result] is waiting
Pull them back to finish setup. Show progress.
Day 2 — 48h later
The one feature power users love
Introduce a sticky differentiator. Social proof.
Day 4 — 96h later
Your trial ends in 3 days
Urgency + recap of value delivered so far.
Day 6 — 144h later
Last chance to keep your [outcome]
Hard close. Direct CTA to upgrade.
Rules
- 01Plain-text only — no HTML templates. Reads like a human wrote it.
- 02One CTA per email. If you need two, split the email.
- 03Personalize with {first_name} and {product_name} merge tags.
- 04Suppress if user converts mid-sequence. Never sell to a paying customer.
Metrics to Watch
| Metric | Healthy | Warning |
|---|---|---|
| Open rate | > 45% | < 30% |
| Click rate | > 12% | < 5% |
| Trial → Paid | > 18% | < 8% |
PRO TIP
Send email #1 from the founder’s personal address. Reply-to goes to a real human for the first 30 days post-launch. This alone can lift trial-to-paid by 6–9%.