Most email campaigns suck.
Not because people are bad at marketing. Because they're copying the wrong things. They see a pretty email, try to recreate it, and wonder why their version flopped. Good campaigns start with solid copywriting, effective CTAs, and proper design.
Here's the thing. Good emails aren't about design. They're about psychology.
The best campaigns have one job. Get the reader to do one thing. That's it.
We're going to break down 7 real email campaigns that actually work. Not just what they look like, but why they work. You'll walk away with ideas you can steal today.
1. The Welcome Email: First Impressions Matter (Duolingo)
Someone just signed up. They're excited. They're paying attention.
This is your ONE shot to get them hooked.
Duolingo nails this. Their welcome email doesn't waste time with "thanks for signing up" fluff. It gets you started immediately.
The email is bright, simple, and on-brand. The green owl mascot is front and center. One giant button: "Start your first lesson."
That's it. No other links. No distractions.
Why It Works
Duolingo understands one thing most companies miss. The goal of a welcome email isn't to welcome someone. It's to activate them.
Single focus. One button. One action. No confusion about what to do next.
Brand reinforcement. The email looks exactly like the app. Same colors, same mascot, same energy. It feels familiar before they even open the app.
Immediate value. They're not asking you to read something or watch a video. They're saying: start learning right now.
What You Can Steal
Figure out the ONE thing a new user should do. Not three things. Not "here are some options." One thing.
Build your entire welcome email around that action. Make the button impossible to miss. Kill everything else.
Your welcome email should feel like a handoff, not a newsletter.
2. The Re-engagement Campaign: Winning Back Inactive Users (Headspace)
Users go quiet. It happens.
The mistake most brands make? They panic and send desperate "we miss you!!" emails with sad puppy energy.
Headspace does it differently. Their re-engagement emails are calm. Understanding. They don't guilt trip.
The email says something like "It's been a while" and offers a simple path back. Maybe a specific meditation. Maybe a discount. Always gentle.
The design matches their brand perfectly. Soft colors, friendly illustrations, zero pressure.
Why It Works
Headspace gets that people don't stop meditating because they hate the app. Life got busy. They forgot.
Empathy first. The copy acknowledges reality without making users feel bad. No "you're missing out!" manipulation.
Benefit, not feature. The CTA isn't "log in now." It's "Find your Headspace." It's about the outcome, not the task.
Low friction. They offer one specific thing to do, not a menu of options. Makes the decision easy.
What You Can Steal
Segment your inactive users by how long they've been gone. Someone gone 30 days needs a different message than someone gone 6 months.
Lead with understanding, not desperation. And give them ONE easy thing to do. Not "come check out all our features." One meditation. One article. One simple action.
3. The Abandoned Cart Email: Catching Lost Sales (Casper)
Someone added your product to their cart. They were about to buy. Then they didn't.
This is the highest-intent audience you'll ever email. And most companies blow it with boring "you forgot something!" subject lines.
Casper, the mattress company, does it right. Their abandoned cart emails are clever without being annoying. Subject lines like "Come back to bed" play on their product in a memorable way.
The email is clean. Shows the exact product left behind. One clear CTA. Sometimes a small incentive (free shipping, small discount) to close the deal.
Why It Works
Abandoned cart emails convert 5-10x higher than regular promo emails. Not a typo. That's real.
Timing matters. Casper sends within hours, not days. While the intent is still fresh.
Product reminder. They show the exact item with a photo. Visual reminder of what the person wanted.
Objection handling. Often includes social proof or a small incentive to overcome whatever hesitation caused the abandonment.
What You Can Steal
Set up your abandoned cart emails to send within 1-4 hours. That window is where the magic happens.
Show the actual product. Include a photo, price, and one-click path back to checkout.
Consider a small incentive (free shipping works better than discounts for most products). But don't train customers to abandon carts for discounts. Test what works for your audience.
For more on recovery strategies, check out our guide on improving email open rates.
4. The Product Launch Email: Building Anticipation (Apple)
Apple could send a blank email and people would still buy their products.
But they don't. Their product launch emails are masterclasses in restraint.
When a new iPhone drops, the email is minimal. A stunning product photo. A short headline. "iPhone 15 Pro. Titanium." A link to learn more or pre-order.
No feature lists. No "revolutionary" marketing speak. Just the product, beautifully presented.
Why It Works
Apple understands that less is more when you have something genuinely exciting.
Visual focus. The product is the hero. Everything else fades into the background.
Curiosity over explanation. They give you just enough to want more. The email isn't meant to sell, it's meant to get you to the landing page.
Confidence. No "limited time!" urgency. No "don't miss out!" desperation. Just "here's what's new."
What You Can Steal
If you're launching something good, let it breathe. Don't cram every feature into the email.
One killer image. One strong headline. One CTA.
Save the details for the landing page. The email's job is to get the click, not close the sale.
Build anticipation before launch with teaser emails. "Something new is coming" works better than you'd think.
5. The Design Toolkit: Bringing Examples to Life (Beefree)
Finding good email examples is easy. Building them is harder.
Beefree is a design tool that helps you create professional emails without touching code. It's not an email sender, it's a builder.
You design in Beefree, then export to whatever platform you use (Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo, whatever).
Their template library has 1,700+ starting points. Drag and drop editor. No developer required.
Why It Works
Beefree solves a real problem. Most email platform editors suck. They're limited, clunky, and frustrating.
Template-first. Start from something good instead of a blank page. Saves hours.
Platform agnostic. Design once, send anywhere. You're not locked into one ESP's limitations.
Non-designer friendly. The interface is intuitive enough that marketing managers can build campaigns that look professional.
What You Can Steal
Stop fighting with your email platform's built-in editor. Use a dedicated design tool.
Build a library of your own templates for common campaigns (welcome, promo, newsletter). Saves time and keeps branding consistent.
Check out email onboarding best practices for ideas on what templates to build first.
6. The Interactive Email: Beyond the Click (Stripo)
What if subscribers could take action without leaving their inbox?
That's what AMP emails do. Stripo is a design platform that makes building them accessible.
Their templates include interactive elements: surveys you can complete in-email, image carousels, accordions that expand and collapse.
The user doesn't have to click to a landing page. They engage right there in Gmail.
Why It Works
Every click is friction. Every friction point loses people.
Instant engagement. User can respond, browse, or RSVP without leaving their inbox. Lower effort means higher completion.
Data collection. Interactive surveys and polls get way higher response rates than "click here to take our survey."
Memorable experience. Most emails look the same. An interactive email stands out.
What You Can Steal
You don't need to go full interactive right away. Start simple.
Could your NPS survey be a one-click response in the email? Could your product showcase include a carousel instead of static images?
Always build a fallback. Not all email clients support AMP. Stripo handles this automatically, but make sure your non-AMP version still works.
7. The Data-Driven Re-engagement: Proving Value (Grammarly)
Grammarly doesn't just ask you to come back. They show you what you're missing.
Their re-engagement emails are personalized weekly reports. Words checked, unique words used, productivity compared to other users.
Subject line: "Your weekly writing update."
The email shows your stats from when you were active. "You were more productive than 88% of Grammarly users." Makes you feel accomplished. Reminds you of the value.
Why It Works
This is brilliant because it flips the script. Instead of asking for something, Grammarly gives you something.
Personal data as hook. Seeing your own numbers is irresistible. You can't help but look.
Value proof. The stats demonstrate what Grammarly did for you. No claims needed, just evidence.
Low friction CTA. "Open Grammarly." Simple. Not asking for a purchase or a commitment.
What You Can Steal
What data do you have about user activity? Usage stats, savings, goals achieved, progress made?
Turn that into a personal report card. Make them feel good about their past engagement.
Frame it as achievement, not guilt. "Look what you accomplished" beats "look what you're missing" every time.
Comparison: 7 Email Campaign Tools and Platforms
| Platform | Complexity | Cost | Best For | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inbox Connect | Agency-led, 2-3 week setup | Custom pricing | eCommerce, SaaS, newsletter creators wanting done-for-you | End-to-end service, revenue-focused results |
| Really Good Emails | Minimal, browse only | Free/low-cost Pro | Designers needing visual inspiration | Large curated gallery, code view |
| Milled | Minimal, research tool | Free with limits | Competitor research, seasonal planning | Extensive retail email archive |
| Mailchimp | Low-medium, all-in-one | Scales with list size | SMBs wanting integrated solution | Templates + sending + analytics together |
| Beefree | Low, design and export | Free starter, paid tiers | Teams needing beautiful templates for any ESP | 1,700+ templates, multi-platform export |
| Stripo | Low-medium, advanced options | Tiered pricing | Teams needing interactive/AMP emails | Interactive elements, broad ESP compatibility |
| Envato Market | Medium, requires adaptation | One-time purchase | One-off projects, tight budgets | Wide variety, low per-item cost |
Put This Into Practice
You've seen 7 campaigns that work. Now pick one thing to try.
Not seven things. One thing.
If you're losing new users: Steal Duolingo's single-focus welcome email approach. One CTA. One action. Kill the clutter.
If users are going inactive: Try Headspace's empathy-first re-engagement. Or Grammarly's data-driven approach if you have usage stats.
If carts are abandoned: Get your timing right. Send within hours, show the product, make checkout one click away.
If your emails look boring: Use Beefree or Stripo templates as starting points. Stop fighting with bad editors.
The pattern across all these examples? Simplicity. One goal per email. Clear value. Easy action.
That's it. That's the secret.
Want an email and SMS program that actually drives revenue? Not just opens, but attributed sales? Inbox Connect builds data-driven strategies for ecommerce and SaaS brands. We do the work. You see the results. Book a free strategy call.