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9 Types of Email Marketing Campaigns You Should Be Sending

Discover key email marketing campaign types, including welcome, lead-nurturing, and re-engagement emails, to boost audience engagement and conversions.

Author Dominika Krukowska

5 minute read

Types of email marketing campaigns

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Short answer

What are the main types of email marketing?

  1. Welcome emails

  2. Lead-nurturing emails

  3. Newsletter emails

  4. Promotional emails

  5. Re-engagement emails

  6. Confirmation emails

  7. Abandoned cart emails

  8. Survey emails

  9. Milestone celebration emails

Types of marketing emails that support business growth

Email marketing is one of the best ways to connect with your audience. In fact, 41% of marketers say that email is their most effective marketing channel.

But to make the most out of it, you need to know what types of emails to send.

Each type of email serves a unique purpose—whether you’re welcoming new subscribers, nurturing leads, or re-engaging inactive ones.


Let’s look at the types of emails you should have in your marketing arsenal.

1) Welcome emails

Welcome emails are your first impression when someone joins your email list. They’re the friendly handshake, the warm smile, the “Hey, we’re glad you’re here!” message.

A welcome email sets the tone for your communications and reassures new subscribers they made the right choice.

So, use this opportunity to share what readers can expect from your emails.

You can even give them a special offer or a free resource. It’s all about starting the relationship on a good note.


Here’s a good example from Airtable:

Image source
Welcome email - Airtable

2) Lead-nurturing emails

We use lead-nurturing emails to turn prospects into loyal customers by giving them valuable information and building relationships over time.

To make your lead-nurturing emails work, you need a well-planned drip campaign.

Drip campaigns guide prospects through the buyer's journey. They provide relevant content at the right time based on a subscriber’s behavior and interactions with your brand.

As a result, leads stay engaged and continue to move closer to making a purchase.


Check out the lead-nurturing email example below from Buoy:

Image source
Lead nurturing email - Buoy

3) Newsletter emails

Newsletters keep subscribers in the loop about what's new with your business. Maybe you’ve launched a new product or you’re running a special offer.

Or perhaps you have some company news you’re excited to share. Email newsletters are the perfect way to get that information out.

When you regularly send out valuable content, readers will be more likely to stay interested and interact with your brand.

This can lead to more website visits, social media shares, and, ultimately, more sales.


Here’s a good newsletter example from Lovely Planet:

Image source
Newsletter - Lovely Planet

4) Promotional emails

Promotional emails are the bread and butter of email marketing. You can use them to announce special offers or other promotional materials.

When you send a well-crafted promotional email, like a limited-time offer or exclusive discount, you're directly reaching out to potential customers with a tempting offer.

This can push them to act quickly and make a purchase they might have otherwise postponed.


Here’s a good promotional email example from Zound:

Image source
Promotional email - Zound

5) Re-engagement emails

A re-engagement email (or win-back email) acts as a gentle nudge to subscribers who haven't interacted with your brand for a while.

Think of them as a way to rekindle that spark and remind them why they signed up in the first place.

You can offer a special discount, share exciting news, or ask for feedback in your win-back emails.

The goal is to show inactive subscribers the value they’re missing out on. If they respond, great! If not, you can clean up your email list and focus on the folks who are really interested.


Here’s a good re-engagement email example from Zoom:

Image source
Re-engagement email - Zoom

6) Confirmation emails

As the name implies, confirmation emails verify an action a customer has taken. It could be a purchase, a booking, or even a subscription.

These emails are meant to give customers peace of mind. So, they usually include details specific to the action taken.

For instance, the email might list the items purchased, the total cost, and the expected delivery date.


Here’s an excellent example from hims:

Image source
Transactional email - hims

7) Abandoned cart emails

Cart abandonment is a common problem among e-commerce stores. The Baymard Institute indicates that the average cart abandonment rate is 70.19%.

We send abandoned cart emails to recover these potentially lost sales. It's like giving customers a gentle nudge to come back and finish what they started.

Abandoned cart emails often have incentives. Sometimes, a little push, like a discount or free shipping, can make all the difference and encourage shoppers to complete their purchases, which can boost sales.


Here’s a good example from Kizik:

Image source
Abandoned cart email - Kizik

8) Survey emails

Think of survey emails as a way to get direct feedback from the people who matter most—your customers. They help you understand what your target audience likes and doesn’t like.

With such information, you can make better decisions and tailor your products or services to meet their needs.

When you send a survey email, keep it short and sweet. No one wants to spend ages filling out a questionnaire. Ask clear, simple questions so customers can easily respond.


Check out the example below from Miro:

Image source
Survey email - Miro

9) Milestone celebration emails

Milestone celebration emails are messages we send to subscribers to celebrate important events. Think of anniversaries, customer birthdays, or a user's one-year membership with your service.

These emails can also be a good opportunity for some light promotion.

For example, you can offer a special discount to celebrate the milestone, which can make your customers feel special and encourage them to purchase.


Here’s a superb example from Duolingo:

Image source
Anniversary email - Duolingo

Happy emailing!

Dominika Krukowska

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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