Everything you need for writing the best product launch emails

Any Shopify merchant that makes products knows that new product development is a labor of love.  

So botching the unveiling will effectively discard months of hard work. Getting product launch right involves several facets, email marketing included. 

Product launch emails assist in:

• Capturing attention
• Driving engagement
• Generating excitement
• Boosting sales

Product launch emails also add another dimension to your email marketing strategy when you harness them to the fullest. A well-rounded email marketing program creates intrigue and keeps subscribers excited for the next newsletter.  

How effective they are hinges on nailing some key elements. We’re walking through the musts — and the above-and-beyond stuff — for executing an impactful product launch email: subject lines, core messaging elements, multi-newsletter campaign ideas, and segmentation techniques. 
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Craft compelling subject lines

The first step to ringing up sales with a product launch email is getting your subscribers to open it. Hence, the subject line and supporting preheader (the grayed text portion) play an outsized part compared to their overall real estate. 

Newsletters pack the typical inbox. Think of your account and the unopened emails sitting there. What stops your scroll and convinces you to pause and click? 

We wrote a guide on subject lines with all you need to know for creating winners. For product launch email subject lines in particular, keep these tips in mind:

• Be concise 
• Create a sense of urgency
• Enhance with emojis (but don’t go overboard)
• Be authentic and stay true to your brand
• Personalize with the subscriber’s name

Otherwise, every email subject line must relate to the inside content. You need to deliver upon the expectations you set, not misguide or deceive. 

Here are some product launch email subject line examples to get the creative juices flowing:

• We’re launching something pretty special …
• Say “hi” 👋 to our revolutionary ____
• We think you’re gonna love this 💖
• Meet the ____ 
• The secret’s finally out!
• Introducing your new favorite ____ 
• Get ready to upgrade your wardrobe 
• These new arrivals will steal your heart
• Our ___ was already great. We improved it. 
• 😊 Warning: You might do the Happy Dance

Use the preheader text to provide additional information, such as the product name, release date or key features.
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Incorporate the email content musts 

Pretend you have one chance to announce your new product, and it’s with an email. Making an impact is of the essence.

A great design that’s easily scannable is a must. It begins with intentionally thinking through the foundational anatomical structure so that the header, body and footer work harmoniously without overwhelming the subscriber. 

As for the guts of the product launch email — the body — three elements are crucial for persuading subscribers to continue the journey by clicking through to your Shopify site: 

• A unique value proposition
• Polished visuals 
• One or more calls to action (CTA)

A unique value proposition 

If you haven’t thought through what makes your new product so awesome, then you’re due for an exercise in developing a unique value proposition.  

What problem does your product solve? How will it make your subscriber’s life better? What attributes make your product better than your competitors’ products?

After you formulate one or more unique value propositions, condense them into a message that distinctly highlights and explains key aspects and benefits.

Polished visuals

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” If there’s any email deserving of crisp product photography, it’s the product launch email. 

Photos don’t merely break up the text. They serve a super-important purpose in debuting a new release: giving your subscribers their first look. 

‍High-quality product images convey information such as features, design and functionality. In other words, they play a significant role in the selling process.

Here are two tips we found — backed by research — worth reflecting upon:

• An image of a hand holding a product, as seen from a first-person perspective, generates greater purchase intent than a “selfie” image with the product  
• In general, products bathed in light that give off a shiny reflection rate as 23% more attractive than those without; 32% of people say they are more likely to buy them

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Tip: Link all product images to the product page on your Shopify site. More links to your site, the better.

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One or more CTAs

In the case of a product launch email, CTAs are the portals that transport subscribers to your website. We’ve come across too many emails without a CTA. Don’t make the mistake of designing a beautiful email without leading subscribers further down the journey.

Ensure CTAs are:

1. Prominent and easy to find. We recommend adding one toward the newsletter's top (“above the fold”). Feel free to close the message with a second CTA.
2. Direct and action-oriented. Short phrases like “Shop Now” and “Get Yours” work. 
3. Visually appealing. Use contrasting colors that jump out compared to the rest of the email. The text should be easy to read.

Increase exposure with a product launch email campaign

Remember how crowded inboxes can quickly become? And all the sweat that goes into developing your new product?

One email doesn’t do your efforts and Shopify store justice. A series of emails — a product launch email campaign — is a much better route for broadcasting your news. Campaigns give more visibility.  

Many brands use holiday campaigns to make noise during Black Friday Cyber Monday and the winter season, but email campaigns are appropriate for many other instances throughout the year. A collection of newsletters with a consistent look and feel helps build excitement around your product release.  

Choose from seven email types to extend and boost product launch excitement. Your product and its complexity will determine what’s most appropriate.  
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#1 The teaser email

Social media isn’t the only channel for building anticipation and curiosity. Send a “something’s coming” email before the launch. A couple of days before the launch or a week ahead? It’s your choice. If you want to provide hints, mentioning unique features is an option. You could also include a signup for VIP access, like U Beauty does. 

#2 Early access email

Debut your product by giving email subscribers the first look plus the chance to pre-order. It’s a great tactic for creating a sense of exclusivity, especially when including a pre-launch Shopify discount available for a limited time. (Pssst: we recommend a unique discount code to play up the exclusion factor while avoiding coupon abuse.) 

Instead of sending it to the entire subscriber list, you could reward loyal customers by confining the early access email to your VIP segment.  

#3 Product announcement email

If you skip the early access email or send it only to a select group, this is the official product launch email sent to your entire list. You’ll want to include everything we outlined in the “email content musts” section above — a brief overview of key features, benefits and how the new product solves pain points. 
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#4 Product how-to email

Let subscribers know how to use your new product. Educational content is always a winning approach because it helps subscribers understand your product’s value. You’re potentially supplying the confidence someone needs to pull the trigger. 
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#5 Product feature email

If you follow our script, you touched on features within the product announcement email. Return to specific product features or functionalities and expand upon them. It’s a chance to spotlight unique selling points in greater depth and explain how they address your audience’s needs.

#6 FAQs email

A frequently-asked-questions email poses an excellent avenue for acquainting subscribers with a new product with some complexity. You’re a step ahead if you already feature an FAQ section on your product page. Pluck them out and format them for email.
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#7 Testimonial email

Once you’ve rounded up some glowing customer reviews (hint: ask for them through an automated review request after the purchase), showcase them. Choose customer testimonials or other user-generated content that speak to different aspects of their positive experience. 

Social proof goes far in cultivating credibility and trust in your product and brand. One study discovered 49% of consumers trust reviews as much as recommendations from friends and family.

Seguno saves you time with a starter campaign template for product launch. It includes a customizable four-part email series with the option to add more newsletters. 

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Elevate your product launch with email segmentation

Consumers want brands to tailor their communications. One survey shows 59% are motivated to purchase because of personalized content.   

Email segmentation for a product launch provides a fantastic opening for personalization. 

Segmentation is about leveraging your first-party subscriber data. It involves creating lists of smaller, more targeted groups based on criteria such as preferences, behavior, and characteristics. You build content specifically for a segment and send it to them only. 

Here are some segmentation ideas for a product launch email. Providing a special offer might be appropriate for some: 

• Purchase behavior. Already have a product that’s complementary to your new product? ID the past purchasers — this is your opportunity to cross-sell with behavioral targeting. Another angle: an email for the VIPs per your definition (have met a spending threshold, have made more than two purchases, etc.)  
• Demographics. Characteristics like age, gender and location could merit a targeted email. For example, if you’re hosting an in-person product launch event, invite those residing in the area.  
• Interests/preferences. Did you collect extra information about your new subscriber through an email popup form field? Let’s say your jewelry shop is debuting limited-edition bangles, and you want to catch the eye of those who indicated they like bracelets. You can also cater to preferences via past purchases.   

Jump on the chance to leverage segmentation. Shopify’s segmentation tool makes it easy to get started. You’ll increase your brand’s relevance for a portion of subscribers. The messages' quality, timing and pertinence influence brand perception for 69% of online consumers. 

Better brand perception equals higher engagement, conversion rates and sales.  
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Launch and learn 

While product launch emails are one small part of the product launch process, they have tremendous potential for creating buzz and supporting your product’s success. 

At a minimum: 

• Craft attention-grabbing subject lines
• Hone in on your unique value proposition(s)
• Put your best product photos forward
• Include action-oriented CTAs

 
Kick it up a notch with a campaign and email segmentation. 

And monitor the performance of your product launch emails. Analyze open rates, click-through rates and conversions to see what resonates. 

Record what you learn. Then use your findings to guide your next product launch.