Types of email marketing: 12 emails your business should send (with examples)

Quick answer: There are 12 common types of email marketing, and they fall into three families: emails that add value (newsletter, content, news), emails that build trust (welcome, transactional, surveys, greetings, re-engagement) and emails that sell (promotions, launches, abandoned cart and post-purchase).

When you start out with email marketing, it’s easy to stick to a single format. A newsletter every month and, every now and then, an offer.

It works, but you leave a lot on the table. Your subscribers aren’t all at the same stage: some have just joined, others are deciding whether to buy, and others haven’t opened your emails in months.

Each of those moments calls for a different email. In this guide you’ll find the 12 most widely used types of email marketing, what each one is for and a sample subject line to inspire you.

You’ll also see how to combine them in your calendar without overwhelming your list, and which metric to watch in each case.

What are the types of email marketing?

Types of email marketing are defined by their goal: to inform, to build a relationship or to sell. This table sums up the 12 most common ones:

You don’t need to use them all from day one. The usual approach is to start with three or four and add more once you see they work.

The 3 main groups: emails that add value, build trust and sell

Before going through each type, it helps to look at them as three big families. Every email marketing strategy combines these three types of email:

The most common mistake is sending only sales emails. If every email is an offer, your subscribers will stop opening them or unsubscribe.

On the other hand, if you only send content, you’ll have a loyal list but few sales. The balance lies in alternating them.

Emails that add value

These are the emails that make your subscribers want to stay on your list. They don’t ask for anything in return: they inform, teach or entertain.

1. Newsletter

A newsletter is the email you send to your list on a fixed schedule. It can bring together your latest articles, tips, industry news or updates about your business.

Its strength lies in consistency. If it always arrives on the same day, your subscribers get used to looking forward to it.

Subject line example: “This week’s 3 ideas for selling more by email”

Tip: always open with the most useful content and leave promotions for the end. If your list is growing fast, try a shorter version with just three links.

You’ll find the steps to create yours in our guide on how to create a newsletter.

2. Educational or content email

It shares a specific resource: a guide, a tutorial, a template or a video. Unlike the newsletter, it focuses on a single topic.

It’s the ideal email to show that you know what you’re talking about. And it paves the way for selling later on.

Subject line example: “Free guide: how to get your store ready for Black Friday”

Tip: end with a single next step, such as downloading a template or reading the full article. One button converts better than five links.

3. News and announcements

Use it to share something that has changed: new opening hours, a feature, a service improvement or an award.

Keep it short and make it clear what the change means for the subscriber.

Subject line example: “New: you can now book from the app”

Tip: if the change affects how people buy from you or contact you, explain in one sentence what they need to do. Avoid internal announcements that only matter to your team.

Emails that build trust

These are the emails that build the relationship. Many are sent automatically when the subscriber does something.

4. Welcome email

The welcome email is the first one a new subscriber receives and one of the most opened. Introduce yourself, tell them what they’ll receive and how often, and give them a first reason to stay.

If you want to go a step further, turn it into a series of two or three emails during the first week.

Subject line example: “Welcome to the community: here’s what you’ll receive”

Tip: if you promised a gift or a discount for signing up, deliver it in this email. It’s the best way to get the subscriber to trust what comes next.

5. Transactional email

Transactional emails respond to an action taken by the user: an order confirmation, an invoice, a password change or a shipping notice.

They aren’t campaigns, but they’re part of the experience. A clear, well-designed transactional email comes across as professional.

Subject line example: “Your order 2045 is on its way”

Tip: use your own domain and your brand in these emails too. And make the most of the space with a useful link, such as order tracking or the help page.

6. Survey and feedback request

Ask your customers what they thought of your product or service. You can use an NPS-style question or ask for a review.

The answers help you improve, and reviews help you sell to your next customers.

Subject line example: “How was your experience? Reply in 30 seconds”

Tip: ask a single question in the email itself and leave the rest for later. The fewer clicks you ask for, the more answers you’ll get.

7. Greetings and anniversary

A birthday email, the anniversary of the first purchase or one year since they subscribed. They’re small touches that make customers feel valued.

If you add a small gift or discount, they often drive sales too.

Subject line example: “Today is your day: there’s a gift waiting for you”

Tip: ask for the birthday in the signup form, as an optional field. That way you can automate this email and forget about it.

8. Re-engagement email

It’s sent to people who haven’t opened your emails in months. Remind them what they get from your list, ask whether they want to stay and, if it fits, offer them an incentive.

If they don’t respond, it’s better to remove them from the list. We explain how it works in our winback campaign entry.

Subject line example: “Shall we stay in touch? We miss you”

Tip: first define what an inactive subscriber means to you, for example six months without clicks. Cleaning your list improves your deliverability and your stats.

Emails that sell

These are the emails that turn interest into sales. They work much better when you’ve already added value and built trust.

9. Promotional and seasonal email

It presents an offer, a discount or a special campaign: sales, Black Friday, Christmas or Mother’s Day.

Make the offer clear in the subject line and the first line, and include a deadline if there is one.

Subject line example: “Until Sunday only: 20% off the entire store”

Tip: prepare the campaign in advance and let your best customers know a day early. Feeling first in line is an incentive in itself.

10. Product launch

It introduces a new product or service. It works best as a short sequence: a sneak peek, launch day and a reminder.

You’ll find ideas to prepare it in our product launch guide.

Subject line example: “It’s here: discover the new collection”

Tip: segment the people who have already shown interest, for example those who clicked on the sneak peek, and send them a more direct message.

11. Abandoned cart

It is sent when someone leaves products in the cart without paying. Show what they left behind, answer questions about shipping or returns, and add a button to come back.

It’s all explained in our abandoned cart email entry.

Subject line example: “Your cart is waiting: can we help you finish?”

Tip: one to three emails is usually enough. The first one a few hours later; the last one with an incentive, only if your margin allows it.

12. Cross-selling and post-purchase

After a purchase, suggest products that go with what they already have: an accessory, a refill or an upgraded version. It is the basis of cross-selling and upselling.

Subject line example: “Get more out of your purchase”

Tip: wait just long enough for the customer to have used what they bought. Don’t recommend a refill the next day; wait until it’s about to run out.

Which types of email each business needs

Not every business needs the same emails. These are good combinations to start with:

If you run a store, you’ll find all the details in the email marketing for ecommerce guide.

One-off campaigns or automated emails

Types of email marketing can also be divided by how they’re sent. Some you schedule yourself and others go out on their own when the subscriber does something:

Automated emails are set up once and work all year round. If you want to start with them, check out the email marketing automation guide.

How to combine the types of email in your calendar

What matters isn’t sending more, but alternating well. A good rule of thumb to start with is to send two or three value emails for every sales email.

Here’s what a month could look like for a small online store:

Adapt the pace to your business. You’ll find more ideas in our guides on the ideal sending frequency and the best time to send email marketing.

Which metric to watch for each type of email

Not all emails are measured the same way. This is the main metric for each one:

The open rate is useful for comparing subject lines, but since Apple Mail Privacy Protection it shows inflated figures. Focus above all on CTR and sales.

Common mistakes when choosing types of email

The most common one is using the same type of email for everything. A newsletter doesn’t replace a welcome email, and a promotion doesn’t replace a survey.

Other mistakes to avoid:

• sending only offers and burning out your list;
• forgetting about transactional emails, which are also part of your brand;
• sending the same email to everyone without segmenting;
• not testing subject lines with an A/B test;
• leaving inactive subscribers on the list for months on end.

Two templates to copy and adapt

To give you a starting point, here are two short texts. Replace the details in square brackets with your own. If you need more, check out these 20 email marketing examples in full for other moments and industries.

Welcome email template

Subject: Welcome to [brand]: here’s what you’ll receive

Hi [name], Thanks for joining. Every [day of the week] we’ll send you [what you’ll send] to help you [benefit]. As promised, here’s your [gift or discount]: [link]. If you have any questions, just reply to this email and we’ll help you.

Re-engagement email template

Subject: Shall we stay in touch, [name]?

We haven’t heard from you in a while and we want to make sure our emails are still of interest to you. If you want to keep receiving them, click here: [link]. If not, no worries: we’ll stop writing to you in a few days.

You’ll find more ideas in our email templates.

How to create each type of email with Mailrelay

With Mailrelay you can prepare all these emails from the same dashboard. For campaigns, you have a visual editor, hundreds of templates and an AI assistant to help you write.

Automated emails, such as welcome, abandoned cart or re-engagement emails, are set up with automations. And you can send transactional emails via SMTP or API.

To measure each type, you have real-time statistics with a click map and A/B tests.

With the free account you can send up to 80,000 emails a month to 20,000 contacts. If you have questions, our support team can help you by chat, ticket or phone on every plan.

Frequently asked questions about the types of email marketing

These are the most common questions about the types of email marketing.

What are the 3 types of email in email marketing?

Emails that add value, such as the newsletter. Emails that build trust, such as the welcome email or transactional emails. And emails that sell, such as promotions or abandoned cart emails.

Which type of email should I send first?

The welcome email. It’s the most opened email and it sets the tone of the relationship from the start. After that, a newsletter at a frequency you can keep up.

What’s the difference between a newsletter and a promotional email?

A newsletter adds value on a regular basis: content, news or tips. A promotional email has a single goal, selling, and usually revolves around an offer.

Are transactional emails email marketing?

Not exactly. They’re sent in response to a user’s action and don’t need their marketing consent. Even so, they’re part of your brand experience and it’s worth taking care of them.

How many types of email should my business use?

To start with, three or four are enough: welcome, newsletter, transactional emails and a promotion every now and then. Once they’re working, add re-engagement, abandoned cart or post-purchase emails.

Jose Argudo

CMO at Mailrelay. Writes about email marketing, copywriting, and conversion for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

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