20 Types of Email Marketing Every Marketer Must Know

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for any marketer. It’s personal, direct, and has one of the highest ROI (Return on Investment) among all digital marketing channels.

Did you know? For every $1 spent on email marketing, a whopping $36 comes back, according to Litmus data. That’s a mind-blowing 3600% return on investment!

If you’re using email marketing for your business, sending random emails won’t cut it. You need a structured email marketing campaign with the right type of email for every stage of the customer journey. That’s why we’ll walk you through different types of email marketing that every marketer should know and how to use them effectively to engage your audience and boost your sales.

What is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy that involves sending emails to prospects, customers, and subscribers to inform, engage, and convert. It’s one of the most effective marketing tools for building relationships and driving sales. 

Whether you’re sending a promotional email to new subscribers or a re-engagement email to customers who haven’t purchased in a while, email marketing is essential for keeping your audience engaged and driving conversions. 

By using marketing automation, businesses can send the right type of email marketing at the right time, ensuring maximum impact.

Most Common Types of Email Marketing

While there are countless ways to use email, here are some of the most common types of email marketing you’ll encounter. These are the types that every marketer should be familiar with to craft a more effective email campaign.

1. Welcome Emails

Welcome emails are the first impression your brand makes after someone subscribes to your email list. And first impressions matter—big time. These emails should be warm, inviting, and set expectations for what subscribers can expect from you moving forward.

Best Practices:

• Personalize the message with the subscriber’s name.
• Provide a clear value proposition.
• Include a call-to-action (CTA), such as a link to your product or service or a special offer.

Benefits:

• Welcome emails have some of the highest open rates because they are expected and relevant.
• They build trust right off the bat and give subscribers a reason to stay on your email list.

2. Email Newsletters

An email newsletter is typically a regular communication that keeps your audience informed about the latest updates, news, and promotions. Whether you’re sending a weekly roundup of blog posts, upcoming product launches, or exclusive offers, newsletters are a great way to nurture your relationship with your subscribers.

Best Practices:

• Keep the content valuable and relevant.
• Include a mix of informative articles, product updates, and special offers.
• Use a clear, engaging subject line to improve open rates.

Benefits:

• Helps maintain long-term relationships with subscribers.
• Provides consistent value to your audience, ensuring they stay engaged with your brand.

Also read: Email Newsletter Format

3. Dedicated Emails

A dedicated email is just that—an email that is solely focused on one product, offer, or message. Unlike newsletters that have multiple pieces of content, dedicated emails focus on one specific goal, such as promoting a new product or announcing a sale.

Best Practices:

• Focus on one clear objective.
• Include a strong call-to-action (CTA).
• Keep the email simple and visually appealing.

Benefits:

• Great for specific promotions, product launches, or time-sensitive offers.
• Helps drive higher engagement since the message is focused.

4. Lead Nurturing Emails

Lead nurturing emails are part of a series of emails aimed at turning a lead into a customer. This type of email marketing focuses on educating, engaging, and building trust over time, with the ultimate goal of converting leads into buyers.

Best Practices:

• Segment your audience to send relevant content.
• Include educational resources, customer testimonials, or case studies.
• Offer valuable incentives or exclusive content.

Benefits:

• Helps move leads down the sales funnel.
• Increases conversions by building relationships and trust with potential customers.

5. Sponsorship Emails

Sponsorship emails are usually sent in partnership with another brand. These emails promote products or services that are relevant to your audience but come from a different company.

Best Practices:

• Choose a partner whose product or service complements your own.
• Ensure the offer aligns with your audience’s needs.
• Maintain transparency with your subscribers about the partnership.

Benefits:

• Expands your reach by tapping into a partner’s audience.
• Provides additional value to your subscribers through curated offers.

6. Transactional Emails

A transactional email is triggered by a specific action, like a purchase, a form submission, or an account update. These are typically automatic messages that confirm an action or provide the recipient with important information regarding a transaction.

Best Practices:

• Provide all the necessary details, such as purchase confirmation, order tracking, etc.
• Make sure the tone aligns with your brand, even for automated messages.

Benefits:

• Often opened and read because they contain important information.
• Helps keep customers informed and engaged with their purchase.

7. Re-Engagement Emails

Sometimes subscribers lose interest and stop opening your emails. A re-engagement email is aimed at rekindling that connection and getting subscribers active again.

Best Practices:

• Use compelling subject lines that grab attention.
• Offer an incentive, such as a discount or special offer.
• Ask for feedback or why they haven’t engaged recently.

Benefits:

• Increases engagement by reigniting interest.
• Reduces list churn and helps maintain a healthy email list.

Also read: Retargeting vs Remarketing

8. Brand Story Emails

Brand story emails are a great way to connect with your audience on a deeper level. These emails typically share the origin story of your brand, your mission, and the values that drive your business.

Best Practices:

• Be authentic and transparent about your brand’s journey.
• Use storytelling to evoke emotions and create a bond.
• End with a call-to-action that encourages further engagement.

Benefits:

• Helps build brand loyalty and trust.
• Strengthens the emotional connection between your brand and your subscribers.

9. Video Emails

Videos are incredibly engaging, and video emails are an excellent way to spice up your email marketing efforts. Whether it’s a tutorial, product demonstration, or a personal message from your CEO, video can increase click-through rates and engagement.

Best Practices:

• Keep videos short and to the point.
• Include a clear CTA directing recipients on what to do next.
• Make sure videos are optimized for mobile viewing.

Benefits:

• High engagement rates and increased click-through rates.
• Provides a more interactive experience for your subscribers.

10. Review Request Emails

After a customer has made a purchase, review request emails ask them to leave feedback. This is an excellent way to gather testimonials and improve social proof.

Best Practices:

• Personalize the email and make it easy for customers to leave a review.
• Offer an incentive for leaving feedback.
• Keep the email short and focused.

Benefits:

• Builds trust through customer testimonials.
• Helps improve your product or service based on customer feedback.

11. Onboarding Emails

Once a new customer or user subscribes or purchases from you, onboarding emails are a great way to guide them through the initial steps with your product or service.

Best Practices:

• Create a series of emails to walk the customer through the setup process.
• Include helpful tips, tutorials, and FAQs.
• Provide links to customer support in case they need help.

Benefits:

• Reduces customer frustration and churn.
• Helps users get the most out of your product or service.

12. Promotional Emails

Promotional emails are designed to drive immediate action, whether it’s buying a product, signing up for a service, or taking advantage of a limited-time offer.

Best Practices:

• Use urgency and scarcity to encourage immediate action.
• Personalize offers based on customer preferences or past behavior.
• Make the email visually appealing and easy to read.

Benefits:

• Drives sales and conversions.
• Generates excitement and encourages immediate action.

13. Discount & Offer Emails

When you have a sale or limited-time discount, discount and offer emails are a powerful way to notify your email subscribers.

Best Practices:

• Highlight the value of the discount or offer.
• Use eye-catching design and clear CTAs.
• Create urgency by including a countdown timer or limited availability.

Benefits:

• Boosts sales and customer engagement.
• Attracts budget-conscious customers who are looking for deals.

14. Abandoned Cart Emails

One of the most well-known types of email marketing is the abandoned cart email. These emails target users who add products to their shopping cart but fail to complete the purchase.

Best Practices:

• Send a reminder email soon after the cart is abandoned.
• Offer an incentive, like a discount or free shipping, to complete the purchase.
• Use dynamic content to show the exact products left in the cart.

Benefits:

• Recovers potentially lost sales.
• Increases conversion rates by encouraging customers to complete their purchases.

15. Survey Emails

Survey emails are designed to gather feedback from your subscribers. These can help you understand customer preferences, improve your products, and make data-driven decisions.

Best Practices:

• Keep surveys short and easy to complete.
• Offer an incentive, like a discount or a chance to win a prize, to increase response rates.
• Analyze the results to improve your business strategy.

Benefits:

• Gathers valuable insights from your customers.
• Helps improve your product, service, or marketing efforts.

16. Product Announcement Emails

When launching a new product, product announcement emails are an essential part of your email marketing strategy. These emails generate excitement and inform your subscribers about the latest addition to your product lineup.

Best Practices:

• Create a sense of excitement with an engaging subject line.
• Highlight the product’s unique features and benefits.
• Include a strong CTA, directing users to the product page.

Benefits:

• Creates buzz and anticipation around new releases.
• Drives immediate interest and sales.

17. Upsell & Cross-Sell Emails

Upsell and cross-sell emails encourage customers to purchase related products or upgrades to what they’ve already bought.

Best Practices:

• Recommend products based on past purchases or browsing behavior.
• Provide exclusive deals or discounts for upgrades or additional products.
• Keep the email personalized and relevant.

Benefits:

• Increases the average order value.
• Helps maximize revenue from existing customers.

18. Holiday & Seasonal Emails

Holiday and seasonal promotions are a great way to capitalize on special occasions and holidays. Holiday and seasonal emails promote limited-time offers, sales, and products that align with specific times of the year.

Best Practices:

• Use festive designs and language.
• Tailor offers to the season or holiday (e.g., Christmas, Black Friday).
• Create a sense of urgency with time-limited offers.

Benefits:

• Drives sales during peak seasons.
• Attracts customers who are looking for holiday deals.

19. Win-Back Emails

Win-back emails aim to re-engage customers who haven’t interacted with your brand in a while. These emails typically offer an incentive to return and make a purchase.

Best Practices:

• Personalize the message and remind them of the value of your product.
• Offer a special deal or discount to reignite interest.
• Ask for feedback to understand why they stopped engaging.

Benefits:

• Re-engages inactive customers.
• Reduces churn and boosts customer lifetime value.

20. Anniversary or Milestone Emails

Anniversary or milestone emails celebrate important dates like the anniversary of a customer’s first purchase or the birthday of a subscriber. These emails are personal and can foster a deeper connection.

Best Practices:

• Personalize the message with the subscriber’s name and details.
• Offer an exclusive discount or special offer to celebrate the milestone.

Benefits:

• Strengthens customer loyalty.
• Increases retention by making customers feel valued.

Also read: What Is Customer Relationship Marketing?

Conclusion

Understanding the types of email marketing and how to use each one effectively is crucial for any marketer. From welcome emails that kickstart your relationship to abandoned cart emails that recover lost sales, the right email can nurture relationships, build trust, and increase conversions.

By integrating these email marketing strategies into your overall digital marketing plan, you’ll not only engage your email subscribers but also enhance the value you deliver, ultimately driving your marketing efforts to new heights. The key is knowing when and how to use each type of email, ensuring that every message you send resonates with your audience and meets your business objectives.

FAQs: Types of Email Marketing