From social media to webinars to video tutorials and more, there are now dozens of ways to share important messages. Though it’s been around for decades, email is still one of the most effective digital marketing strategies to engage your customers. This list of B2C email templates will help you engage your customers in many different situations.
9 B2C Email Templates to Engage Your Customers
These email templates are just a starting point. Feel free to copy and paste the template portions of this blog post as you create your emails, and customize them according to your promotions, products, services, brand, voice, and marketing strategy.
1. Discount or Promotion
Discounts, free samples, free trials, and other promotions are powerful ways to reach out to customers and bring them back to your store. These promotions work best when you customize them for each customer using a CRM system. You might use common customization tags like the customer’s first name in an email, or more complex ones like free samples of products they’ve purchased before. Remember that your customers are busy people, so this email will work best if the text is brief and uses some colorful, eye-catching graphics.
Customize this email template to make an attention-grabbing email using a discount or promotion. Remember to fill in generic fields, like the salutation and what discount you’re offering. Lastly, many customers need some time to think about whether or not they want to make a purchase, so you might follow up this friendly email with one or two more to get the message home.
Subject line: You deserve a treat
Hi [Customer’s name],
We’ve got great news! For a limited time, a [discount or promotion] is all yours! We know you’ve been working hard and we want to make life just a little bit easier.
You deserve a treat—use this [discount or promotion] to get that item you’ve been thinking about.
Best,
[Your name]
2. Conversational Email
Many of us receive multiple stylized emails with discount offers daily. From food delivery services to fashion brands to subscription boxes to local businesses and many more, it can be a lot to process, and most of these emails probably end up in the trash folder. A conversational email from an employee can help cut through the noise.
This email template imitates the type of email a customer might receive from a friend or acquaintance. It doesn’t use images or heavy design elements, so it can be a bit of a risk. These emails might be especially effective for some, and less effective for others, so assess your email campaign results carefully afterwards.
Subject line: RE: A little uplift
Hi [Customer’s name],
Today I got some great news. I got the okay from the higher-ups to pass along a little positive energy. I hope this little uplift will make you feel good (which makes me feel good too)!
You know, it’s not a lot, but I thought a little [discount or promotion] for your favorite item might brighten your day. Instead of pulling out a lot of bells and whistles, I thought I’d just go ahead and send this right to you. Use it anytime! And don’t forget to have a great day (you deserve it!).
Cheers!
Todd the Intern
3. Re-Engagement Email
A re-engagement email has to be extra special. It has to overcome a particular challenge; disinterest. This type of email is specifically designed for customers who have made a purchase in the past and are still receiving emails, but haven’t engaged or made a purchase in a while.
Keep in mind that even the best re-engagement email probably won’t perform as well as other promotional emails, since they’re designed to go to disinterested customers. So, it’s important to have realistic expectations. Customize this re-engagement email template according to your business type, brand and voice, and see how it performs.
Subject line: Still with us?
Hi [Customer’s name]
We haven’t seen you in a while! We know how busy things can get, so there’s no pressure, but we just wanted to let you know that we’d love to see you again!
As a friendly hello-again, we wanted to extend a special offer just for you. Pop into our local shop or online store and use [discount code] to get [promotion or discount]. We also have a lot of new items! You hope you’ll find a new favorite (or rediscover an old favorite!).
Kind regards,
[Sender’s name]
4. Contest
A contest, sweepstakes, or giveaway is a great way to engage your customers. You might use this strategy to generate buzz on social media, bring more traffic to your site, promote your brand, or promote a particular product.
You’ll need to customize this B2C email template with your contest or sweepstakes rules and instructions, as well as what your customers might be able to win. It’s helpful to share this information across other channels as well, like social media and your website, to maximize visibility and get as many participants as you can.
To share your contest over email, start with this template. In this example, we’ll use a photo contest and free products as a reward, but you can customize this template according to your needs.
Subject line: Your photos for free products!
Hi [Customer’s name]
We’ve got great news! We want to share your photos and videos featuring our products and, in return, you can win a year’s worth of your favorite items!
Entering to win is easy! Submit your photos or videos online here [Link] and we’ll enter your name into our contest. If you win, we’ll send you an email!
You can only submit your photos until [End date] so enter today! We hope you win!
Best of luck,
[Sender’s name]
5. Introducing New Products or Features
New products or new features are an exciting way to engage customers. But, your customers need to know about them first. Use this email template to tell your customers about the new additions and bring them back to your store.
If you’ve used customer surveys to find out what products or features your customers really want, highlight this in your email. You might also use a picture of the item and a link to the item in your online store.
Subject line: This is new!
Hi [Customer’s name]
You asked, and we listened! A brand new product has hit our shelves! This is one that our customers have been looking forward to (and we’ve been looking forward to, too!).
Take a look at the new [product] and place your order today. We’ve received a lot of requests for this item, so order yours as soon as you can!
Kind regards,
[Sender’s name]
6. Purchase Follow-Up
After your customer makes a purchase, it can be helpful to follow up with them to create a stronger connection and increase the odds of a repeat purchase. In this email, you might simply ask your customer about their experience, or you might ask for a review.
Subject line: So, how was it?
Hi [Customer’s name],
We hope your new product is working great! We wanted to follow up to thank you for choosing [Company Name] and make sure everything is going well.
If you’ve had a great experience, we’d love it if you’d share your thoughts in a review! It only takes about two minutes and reviews help us out so much. If you’ve had any issues, feel free to get in touch with us. If there’s a problem, we want to fix it!
Kind regards,
[Sender’s name]
More Difficult Email Templates
The previous emails are mostly positive, and are all about sending good news to customers. However, some emails are important for addressing problems or negative situations. If there’s a problem, or if your customer has moved on, or another issue arises, it’s important to address it properly. Email is a great way to directly communicate with your customers and be honest and forthright.
7. Abandoned Shopping Cart
Research shows that nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned. If you got your customer’s email before they abandoned their cart, it’s helpful to follow up with them. A gentle reminder a day or two afterwards may help a customer return to complete their purchase.
It’s helpful to use personalization tokens in emails like these. This can help you grab your customer’s attention, and establish a better connection.
Subject line: Your (item) is waiting for you!
Hi (Customer’s name),
We noticed you pulled a few things off our electronic shelves the other day, and we wanted to let you know we’ve put your cart aside in a safe place for you. We’ll have to put these items back soon, but they’re still here for you.
If you had some time to think it over and you’d like to pick up where you left off, just click this link (link here). We hope you’ll pop in again soon!
Kind regards,
[Sender’s name]
8. Solving a Problem
Problems are inevitable. But, how businesses handle the problem can vary widely. Whether you encountered a shipping issue, a product defect, website crash, or something else, it’s helpful to explain the problem and let your customers know how you’ll fix it. It’s tempting to simply not address the problem and hope that customers forget, but this can shake your customers’ confidence in you.
Here’s an example of an email template you might use to address a problem. In this example, we’ll use extended shipping times as a problem that needs to be addressed. It always helps to extend a special offer with an apology and explanation, but you can always edit this part of the email accordingly.
Subject line: We’re on it!
Hi [Customer’s name],
You may have noticed that your order has been delayed. We’ve experienced very high demand recently and we’re working hard to keep up! We apologize for the delay, and we want to let you know that we haven’t forgotten about your order.
We hope this won’t discourage you from ordering your favorite items in the future. To show our appreciation for your patience, use the coupon code [code here] on your next order and we’ll cover the shipping!
If you have questions about your order, contact us at [phone number or email address]. We’ll do our best to answer your questions and make sure your order is on track!
Kind regards,
[Sender’s name]
9. We’re Sorry to See You Go
Even when you do your best, sometimes customers will inevitably move on. Maybe their interests or needs changed, and there was nothing you could do. Or, maybe they had a bad experience. In any case, a brief email can let them know that you’re still available, and happy to help. Your customer might change their mind again, and come back. This is also a good chance to gather some important data. Ask your customer why they’re leaving, and you might uncover some problems that you didn’t know needed fixing.
If your customer cancels their membership or gives you another sign that they won’t be visiting or buying again, you might send them an email like this.
Subject line: Leaving the door open for you…
Hi [Customer’s name],
I noticed that you canceled your membership recently. Sometimes situations change and that’s okay! But I want to let you know that the door is always open for you.
If you encountered a problem, we want to fix it. Even if this won’t change your mind, this would really help us improve our business, and improve other customers’ experience too. If you have two minutes to spare, could you let us know why you’re leaving? Our team and our future customers appreciate it a lot!
[Form field here]Thanks again for your patronage. We wish you the very best in the future. (And if you ever want to visit again in the future, we’ll be here!)
Kind regards,
[Sender’s name]
Emails are still a great way to reach your customers. With the right message, you can engage and re-engage your customers, and keep everybody on the same page. Use these email templates and remember to bring a positive attitude to your emails, so your customers feel welcome and appreciated. With the right language and timing, you can really make an impact.