Email marketing is a powerful way to directly engage with your target audience.
There are a number of ways to communicate with an audience online, but email continues to be one of the most effective ways to drive traffic, increase conversions, and ultimately impact your bottom line. In fact, email is more effective at acquiring customers than social media.
Having an active email list is especially important if you have a membership business as it can be used to welcome people into your community, personalize your products or services to subscribers, and share relevant updates.
But to stand out in your audience’s inbox, you have to know what makes an email marketing campaign successful. Below, we’ll go over the different types of email marketing campaigns and some of the best examples of them.
Table of Contents:
- 5 Types of Email Marketing Campaigns
- 30 Email Marketing Campaign Examples
- Promotional Email Marketing Campaign Examples
- Welcome Email Marketing Campaign Examples
- Trigger Email Marketing Campaign Examples
- Newsletter Email Marketing Campaign Examples
- Brand Awareness Email Marketing Campaign Examples
5 Types of Email Marketing Campaigns
The type of email marketing campaign you send to your subscribers depends on your goals.
Do you want to make new members feel welcomed into your community? Create an automated welcome email that shares everything they need to know about their membership. Or maybe you want to promote a product launch or upcoming event? Send a creative promotional email with a discount code.
No matter what type of email marketing campaign you run, the key to a successful email — one with high open rates, click-through rates, and conversions — is to make it personal and valuable to your subscribers.
Here are five types of email marketing campaigns to use in your email marketing strategy.
Promotional
Promotional emails are intended to directly promote an element of your business. These types of emails can include sales, discount codes, seasonal promotions, and event invites. Promotional emails are essential to an email marketing strategy, regardless of industry. In fact, research from HubSpot found that the top reason consumers subscribe to an email list is to receive promo codes, coupons, and sales notifications.
While it may be tempting to promote your products or services all the time, it’s important not to overdo it with these types of emails. Over half of consumers will unsubscribe from an email list if the business sends emails too often, according to the same poll from HubSpot.
Welcome Email
A welcome email sets the tone for what people can expect from being part of your list. This type of email will automatically land in a subscriber’s inbox when they sign up for your list. A welcome email is a great opportunity to make new subscribers feel like they’re part of a community.
There are a few ways to make your welcome email more valuable to subscribers:
- Introduce your founder or the brand’s backstory
- Outline ways to participate in the community or details of their membership
- Provide a discount to start shopping
- Share helpful links or landing pages as next steps you want subscriber’s to take
Trigger
Trigger emails are automated emails that are sent when a user’s action triggers it. For example, an abandoned cart email can be sent when a customer adds something to their cart but doesn’t complete a purchase.
It’s important to set up trigger emails if you have an ecommerce brand or a membership business that sells products so subscribers will automatically receive an email about a product and you don’t have to stay on top of your shop 24/7.
Newsletter
The best email newsletters keep subscribers up to date on recent news, trends, or events. Newsletters are also a great way to distribute content for both B2B and B2C brands with an active blog.
These types of emails are typically sent on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. No matter the frequency, be sure to stick to a set schedule to give subscribers something to look forward to.
Brand Awareness
Brand awareness emails help establish your brand as a credible resource, give subscribers a better idea of what you do and why, and warm people up to a purchase without directly selling to them. Examples of a brand awareness email marketing campaign include sharing your backstory, demonstrating your product or service in action, or sharing valuable tips.
There should be a balance of brand awareness emails and promotional emails in your overall email marketing strategy as they each help promote your brand in a different way.
30 Email Marketing Campaign Examples for 2022
If you’re looking for inspiration for your next email marketing campaign, these examples will spark some fresh ideas for ways to engage your community, drive traffic to your site, or increase sales.
Here are 30 examples of all types of email marketing campaigns from promotional emails to newsletters.
Promotional Email Marketing Campaign Examples
1. Gantri
Type: Promotional
Subject Line: Introducing Kero Table Light
Why it Works: Gantri is a B2C lighting brand and this email was used to promote a brand new product. Rather than just sending an email that says “new lamp now available!” Gantri took a storytelling approach by providing the backstory of the designer and descriptions of the product that paint a picture of how it can be used (“ambient glow for al fresco dinners on your patio”). Not to mention, the images are lifestyle shots rather than product photos which provide more context and promote the product in an organic way.
2. Curie
Type: Promotional
Subject Line: Deodorant Schmeodorant 
Why it Works: Not only is this a great email marketing example from body care brand Curie, but it was an altogether smart business move. In the email, Curie admits to a typo on its latest batch of grapefruit deodorant sticks — the ‘t’ is missing from the word “bright.”
Instead of pretending it didn’t happen, Curie leaned into the mistake by owning it upfront and making a light hearted joke out of it by purposely omitting letters from several places throughout the email. Most importantly, the brand offered a 15% off discount for the product with the promo code “TYPODEO.”
3. Surreal
Type: Promotional
Subject Line: The rumours ARE NOT true
Why it Works: Surreal is a UK-based cereal brand that offers high protein, low-carb, and zero-sugar cereals. This promotional email campaign is a creative way to showcase their differentiator. Also used customer reviews to provide social proof of its cereal.
4. Bloomscape
Type: Promotional
Subject Line: IT’S BACK! The Tradescantia Nanouk
Why it Works: This email from Bloomscape is a perfect example of how to hook your subscribers immediately with an effective subject line. Bloomscape cuts to the chase to let customers know that a best-selling item is back in stock.
If you’re a Bloomscape customer who has been wanting to get your hands on this plant, seeing this in your inbox would immediately get you to click through and shop.
5. P.F. Candle Co.
Type: Promotional
Subject Line: IT’S HERE!
Why it Works: Popular candle brand, P.F. Candle Co. kicked off the start of fall — AKA, candle season — with a cheeky announcement to its subscribers. It’s safe to assume that if you subscribe to this candle company’s email list, you probably share in the excitement over fall. P.F. Candle Co. knows its audience and this promotional email speaks to that.
6. Avocode
Type: Promotional
Subject Line: Discount for all Students and Graduates
Why it Works: This promotional email from Avocode is timely and clear. It follows a seasonal theme — back-to-school — and presents a straightforward discount code in a large, clear font that’s hard to miss. The design is scannable, which is essential considering 60% of emails are opened on mobile.
Welcome Email Marketing Campaign Examples
7. Ubisoft
Type: Welcome
Subject Line: Welcome to the republic, Rider!
Why it Works: This welcome email example comes from video game company Ubisoft and is used to welcome players who sign up for the email list for one of the brand’s games, Riders Republic.
The intro to the email is written by one of the main characters of the game to make it feel immersive. The content of the email is also helpful and guides subscribers to clear next steps.
8. Wine Enthusiast
Type: Welcome
Subject Line: Thanks for joining Wine Enthusiast!
Why it Works: This welcome email from media brand Wine Enthusiast lets subscribers know what they can expect from upcoming emails including exclusive offers, first access to new products, and helpful content like ratings and recipes.
9. Fleur & Bee
Type: Welcome
Subject Line: Here’s 20% OFF your first order!
Why it Works: Fleur & Bee provides value from the moment people subscribe to its email list. The brand uses its welcome email as a chance to encourage people to shop with a discount code. It also uses branded language throughout the email with words like “hive” and “buzz” that tie in with its overall brand and leaves a lasting impression on new subscribers.
10. Capiche
Type: Welcome
Subject Line: Welcome to Capiche! 
Why it Works: As a community built around software, it makes sense that Capiche’s welcome email feels like joining a club. The email highlights everything members have access to and recommends helpful pieces of content that subscribers should read next.
11. Zapier
Type: Welcome
Subject Line: Getting started: What’s a Zap?
Why it Works: Zapier does a great job of providing value to its subscribers as soon as they sign up. The welcome email explains how to use its automation software so new users can get started with ease.
12. Niice
Type: Welcome
Subject Line: 
Get more visibility over your team’s creative.
Why it Works: Video is a great way to welcome new subscribers to your email community as video is personal and tends to be more engaging than photos. Niice includes an introduction video at the top of its welcome email to help walk people through its product.
Trigger Email Marketing Campaign Examples
13. Indie Lee
Type: Trigger
Subject Line: We want to hear from you!
Why it Works: Skincare brand Indie Lee sends an automated email after a customer makes a purchase to ask them to leave a review for the product they bought. A trigger email like this is a great way to keep customers engaged and improve your brand’s social proof through reviews.
14. Alex Mill
Type: Trigger
Subject Line: Get Them for 15% Off!
Why it Works: This abandoned cart email from Alex Mill is a double whammy. Not only does it remind the customer of the items they added to their cart, but it also offers a discount code to encourage them to check out.
15. Luno
Type: Trigger
Subject Line: Your Luno Air Mattress Order
Why it Works: Camping brand Luno proves that it knows its customers with this email marketing campaign. Luno personalizes its abandoned cart email by using brand language that resonates with its customer.
16. Le Puzz
Type: Trigger
Subject Line: Missing a puzzle?
Why it Works: Another great example of a trigger email is this abandoned cart email from Le Puzz. The puzzle brand uses humor to pique the subscriber’s curiosity and remind them of the puzzle they were previously browsing.
17. YNAB
Type: Trigger
Subject Line: 1 day left
Why it Works: Budgeting app You Need a Budget (YNAB) sends an automated email to remind subscribers when their free trial is about to end. The best part about this trigger email is the subject line — it creates a sense of urgency that will ideally encourage the customer to take action quickly.
18. Aweber
Type: Trigger
Subject Line: Your Cocktails 101 Recipes 
Why it Works: This email marketing campaign is a great example of how to send an automated email following an event, whether you host a webinar or networking event. In this case, people who attended a happy hour with Aweber received cocktail recipes and shopping links for bar tools in this email.
Newsletter Email Marketing Campaign Examples
19. Clearbit
Type: Newsletter
Subject Line: I’m not Brad. (Monthly Newsletter)
Why it Works: Clearbit offers a great newsletter example for B2B companies to follow. The tone is playful and casual, which makes it easy to digest what could be considered dry content. The newsletter content shares the brand’s recent updates and content worth checking out.
20. Calm Company Fund
Type: Newsletter
Subject Line: Calm Company Dispatch: what founders do for fun
Why it Works: Calm Company Fund organically weaves in important CTAs and announcements within the intro of its newsletter — including a mention of its invite-only community, Founder Summit. The intro is written by the brand’s Head of Product, which helps the newsletter feel more personal — a key element for anyone running a membership site or community.
21. Courier
Type: Newsletter
Subject Line: Do you really need an MBA? 
Why it Works: Courier sends a weekly email newsletter that curates the media brand’s latest articles, as well as links to relevant trends and news. Best of all, content itself is scannable with important elements and links clearly highlighted so the reader can easily navigate to what interests them. This is essential when you send a newsletter that’s content-heavy.
22. Sidekick by Morning Brew
Type: Newsletter
Subject Line: 
So long, farewell
Why it Works: Morning Brew is a media brand that began with a daily newsletter and has since created several sub-newsletters across different industries and topics, including this one called Sidekick. Sidekick, along with the rest of Morning Brew’s newsletters, follows a readable, scannable format that includes a bulleted list at the top of the newsletter that gives subscribers an overview of what to expect.
23. InVision
Type: Newsletter
Subject Line: Words UX should know
Why it Works: InVision is a company focused on visual collaboration, and its email newsletter, Inside Design, clearly represents that. The newsletter shares recent articles and presents them with big, bold visuals to draw the reader in.
24. HeyOrca
Type: Newsletter
Subject Line: 
Instagram changed its mind on these two features
Why it Works: Social media scheduling tool, HeyOrca, sends a weekly newsletter at the beginning of each week that rounds up the latest social media news. The newsletter is not only timely but valuable for subscribers as the brand’s audience is social media professionals who need to stay on top of industry news and trends.
Brand Awareness Email Marketing Campaign Examples
25. Grammarly
Type: Brand Awareness
Subject Line: A Message From Grammarly’s Co-Founder, Max Lytvyn
Why it Works: When Grammarly sends its premium members their first email, it includes a backstory about the founders and the reason behind why the company was started. The note from the co-founder helps build a personal connection to the brand and give subscribers a better idea of the company’s mission.
26. The Goodfor Company
Type: Brand Awareness
Subject Line: Our customers are thrilled.
Why it Works: Customer reviews and testimonials are an excellent way to establish social proof for your brand or membership community. This email from The Goodfor Company isn’t promotional — it simply shares what customers love about the brand, which helps position the company in a positive light.
27. Article
Type: Brand Awareness
Subject Line: An update on our pricing
Why it Works: This email from furniture company Article lets subscribers know about a pricing increase. Sending a straightforward message like this can help establish brand trust which is what makes this a helpful email marketing campaign example to follow.
28. Prezi
Type: Brand Awareness
Subject Line: The most purrfect presentation
Why it Works: This email marketing campaign example comes from presentation-making tool, Prezi. The brand showcases its presentation-making features in action to show — not tell — subscribers the benefits of the platform.
29. Miro
Type: Brand Awareness
Subject Line: 5 easy tips to become a Miro PRO user
Why it Works: The key to a good email marketing campaign is to share value. Miro does this by sharing quick, actionable tips that subscribers can put to use right away if they are current users of the platform.
30. Brooks Running
Type: Brand Awareness
Subject Line: Oops, we’re running late.
Why it Works: As part of its welcome email, Brooks Running makes its brand values clear by sharing its running philosophy: “How you run is up to you, all that matters is that you get out there.” This statement lets subscribers and customers know what the brand is all about from the start.
Email marketing continues to be a valuable way to build direct relationships with your community outside of social media. No matter which email marketing platform you work with, MemberSpace’s flexible membership software offers the integrations and expert guidance you need to stand out in your members’ inboxes and take your brand’s email marketing to the next level.
Want more tips for marketing your membership business? Check out these 16 proven marketing strategies for subscription businesses!
