How to write better customer onboarding emails

First impressions are important — especially in your inbox. For many new customers, your onboarding emails are the first real interaction they have with your brand.

But creating a novel, memorable, and positive impression every time you write an email can be challenging and time-consuming. Instead of writing every message from scratch, start with a few proven onboarding email templates and adapt them to your product, trial model, and pricing.

To get started, try using one of these 10 customer onboarding email templates for common scenarios. Plus, check out our quick checklist of best practices to make sure every message is clear and helpful.

Best practices for customer onboarding emails

Before you choose a template, it helps to have a simple checklist for what good onboarding emails look like. In general, there are three golden rules to follow: get your readers to their ‘aha’ moment, remove friction, and set clear expectations. Keep these best practices in mind when finalizing your onboarding email strategy to achieve those goals:

1. Set one clear goal per email. These are typically tied to an activation action, like creating a project, completing account setup, or beginning a trial.
2. Proactively address bottlenecks by linking to tutorials, knowledge-base content, and quick-start guides.
3. Trigger emails from behavior, not just timing, so customers get the right instructions at the right moment in a way that’s unique to their journey.
4. Lead with benefits, not features, and remind customers why they signed up in the first place.
5. Write like a human, using a friendly tone, real names, and a reply-to address that makes customers feel comfortable asking questions.
6. Celebrate milestones, like completing setup or hitting usage goals, and guide customers toward next steps.
7. Keep your CTA simple and clear, with one main action per email.
8. Close the free-trial loop by explaining what happens next, what they’ll lose, and why upgrading is worth it.

Now that you have best practices under your hat, explore these onboarding email templates and see which ones you can adjust to fit your needs.

1. Welcome onboarding email template for new customers

After your users sign up for your product or service, you’ll need to help them get started with onboarding. Send this immediately following a purchase to set expectations and confirm their account.

2. Product setup/next steps onboarding email template

Users may not be aware that they have to complete a few initial setup tasks before they can use your product. Try sending this email a day or two after initial sign-up to move users along through key activation steps.

Subject: 3 quick steps to get more from [Product]

Hi [First name],

Now that you’ve created your [Product] account, let’s make sure you’re set up for success.

Most customers see their first results when they:

1. [Key action #1, e.g., “Publish their first form/project.”]
2. [Key action #2, e.g., “Connect [integration] so data flows automatically.”]
3. [Key action #3, e.g., “Invite teammates who will use [Product] daily.”]

We’ve pulled together a short getting-started guide to walk you through each step:

[Link: Getting started with Product]

Take a few minutes to work through the guide today, it’ll save you time later. And if you get stuck, reply to this email, and we’ll jump in.

Best,

[Your name]

3. Free trial welcome onboarding email template

When someone starts a free trial, it’s important to iterate the value of your product early on so their trial converts into a sign-up. Use this template to offer a clear explanation of what they have access to and how they should expect to proceed.

Subject: Your [X]-day [Product] trial starts now 🎉

Hi [First name],

Welcome to your [X]-day free trial of [Product. You now have full access to [key features, e.g., “all core templates, automations, and integrations”].

During your trial, you can:

• [Benefit 1, e.g., “Build unlimited forms and workflows.”]
• [Benefit 2, e.g., “Connect to tools like [integrations.]”]
• [Benefit 3, e.g., “Invite your team to collaborate.”]

Your trial ends on [end date]. Before then, we recommend:

1. Completing this quick setup checklist: [link]

2. Testing [feature] with a real use case

3. Booking a 15-minute onboarding call if you’d like a walkthrough: [booking link]

We’re here to make sure you get real value from your trial. Just reply to this email with any questions.

Cheers,

[Your name]

4. Mid-trial check-in onboarding email template

If your team notices that a user isn’t engaging with their free trial, it’s important they be proactive. Sending this email can help nudge users toward actions and information that will help them connect with your product.

Subject: Still exploring [Product]? Here’s how to get more from your trial

Hi [First name],

You’re halfway through your [Product] trial, and we wanted to check in.

We’ve seen that trial users who [1–2 key actions, e.g., “build one live workflow and invite at least one teammate”] are much more likely to see real results.

If you haven’t already, try:

• [Action 1 + link to guide]
• [Action 2 + link to guide]

Need ideas tailored to your use case? Reply to this email with a quick description of what you’re trying to do, and we’ll send back a personalized setup suggestion.

Talk soon,

[Your name]

5. Free trial ending/upgrade onboarding email template

As a user’s free trial approaches its end, you need to remind them of the value your product offers and encourage them to upgrade. Use this template to summarize their usage and highlight the benefits an upgrade can provide.

Subject: Your [Product] trial ends soon. Explore what’s next

Hi [First name],

Just a heads up, your [Product] trial ends on [date].

So far, you’ve used [Product] to [1–2 observations if available, or general benefits].

To keep your workflows running without interruption, you can upgrade to a paid plan here: [Upgrade link]

When you upgrade, you’ll keep:

• Access to your existing data and setups
• [Key feature 1, e.g., “Automated approvals & notifications”]
• [Key feature 2, e.g., “Integrations with [tools]”]

If you’re not quite ready to decide, reply to this email. We’re happy to review your options or extend the trial in exchange for feedback. 

Thanks for trying [Product],

 [Your name]

6. Post-purchase service onboarding email template

When users sign up for a service, they may not know what to expect next. Walking them through an outline of your onboarding process can help streamline their transition.

Subject: Thanks for choosing [Service]! Here’s what happens next

Hi [First name],

Thank you for choosing [Service] from [Company]! We’re excited to help you [primary outcome, e.g., “streamline your onboarding process”].

Here’s what to expect over the next few days:

1. Kickoff call: We’ll schedule a [length]-minute call to clarify goals and timelines.

2. Setup and configuration: Our team will [brief description].

3. Training and handoff: We’ll walk your team through the setup, answer questions, and share best practices.

To get started, please complete this short intake form so we can prepare for your kickoff:

[Intake form link]

If anything is urgent, reply to this email and we’ll prioritize it.

Best,

[Your name] | [Title] | [Company]

7. Feature activation onboarding email template

If a user unlocks a new feature of your product, this will likely change how they use it. It’s your responsibility to highlight the changes they can expect, provide guidance on next steps, and offer assistance using a template like the following.

Subject: You’ve unlocked [Feature] in [Product]!

Hi [First name], 

Great news — you’ve just activated [Feature] in [Product] 🎉

[Feature] helps you [main benefit, e.g., “automate repetitive steps so your team can focus on higher-value work”].

To get the most from it, we recommend:

1. Completing this quick setup guide: [link]

2. Testing [simple use case]

3. Reviewing this help article for advanced tips: [link]

If you’d like feedback on your setup, reply with a quick description or screenshots. We’re happy to take a look.

Cheers,

[Your name]

8. High-touch B2B onboarding email template (from a CSM)

Some B2B accounts require more hands-on assistance than others, typically due to the scale of their usage. In these instances, they will likely have a customer success manager (CSM) assigned to their account. This email template acts as an introduction between you and your account contact, outlining expected outcomes and setting up an initial call.

Subject: Welcome to [Product],  I’ll be your main point of contact

Hi [First name],

I’m [Your name], your customer success manager here at [Company].

I’ll be your main point of contact as you get up and running with [Product].

My goal is to help your team [key outcomes, e.g., “launch your first workflows, train your users, and hit your adoption targets”] over the next [timeframe].

Here’s how we’ll kick things off:

• A [length]-minute onboarding call to align on goals and timelines
• A recommended rollout plan tailored to your use cases
• Regular check-ins to review progress and optimize your setup

You can book our first call here: [booking link] 

In the meantime, feel free to reply to this email with any questions or context about your current process. It’ll help us make the most of our first call.

Looking forward to working with you,

[Your name] 

[Title] 

[Company] 

[Contact details]

9. Re-engagement onboarding email template for inactive new users

If your new users aren’t engaging with your onboarding process, they may need a push in the right direction. Use this email to help get them started.

Subject: Need a hand getting started with [Product]?

Hi [First name],

We noticed you haven’t had much time to explore [Product] yet; totally understandable, things get busy.

To help you maximize value quickly, we’ve put together a simple “first 10 minutes” checklist:

• Log in and [key action #1, e.g., “create your first workflow/form”]
• Try [key action #2, e.g., “submit a test entry”]
• Invite [suggested team member] to test it with you.

You can work through everything here: [quick start link] 

If you’d like us to suggest a setup tailored to your use case, just reply with a sentence or two about what you’re trying to improve, and we’ll make some recommendations.

Best,

[Your name]

10. Multi-user/team-seat onboarding email template

When a new user or multiple users are added to an existing product account, you’ll need to onboard them quickly and efficiently. Use this template to guide them through the process and explain what to expect.

Subject: You’ve been added to [Product]. Learn how to get started!

Hi [First name], 

You’ve been added to your team’s [Product] account by [Admin name]. [Product] will help your team [team-level outcome, e.g., “collect requests in one place, assign work, and track progress”].

To get started:

1. Log in using this link: [login link]
2. Review your assigned workspace(s) or projects.
3. Complete your profile and notification settings.

We’ve also pulled together a short guide just for team members: [“Getting started as a team member” link]

If anything looks off about your access or permissions, reply to this email, and we’ll help you sort it out.

Welcome aboard,

[Your name or team name]

Turn these onboarding emails into time-saving workflows with Gmail Agent

Although writing and sending these onboarding emails manually is doable, it gets exhausting fast. So how can you avoid burning out on onboarding emails without sacrificing quality? Add a digital helper like Jotform Gmail Agent to your outreach process.

Jotform Gmail Agent is an AI-powered assistant for your inbox, drafting on-brand replies to new customer messages and follow-ups based on your past emails. While you stay in control of every send, you no longer have to type from scratch, hunt for old interactions, or manually label and sort each message. Gmail Agent also works alongside your existing Jotform AI Agents and knowledge base, so your customers receive consistent guidance across chat, forms, and email. 

Customer onboarding emails are a top priority. Gmail Agent can help you respond faster, stay organized, and keep customers moving through the funnel. Learn more about Gmail Agent and see how it can support your onboarding emails.