Product launch email sequence: the emails, timing and templates
A launch works best as a short story told over a couple of weeks, not one big announcement. Here is a sequence you can copy.
Quick answer
A strong product launch sequence has about six emails over two to three weeks: a teaser, a problem or story email, the launch announcement, a social proof email, a last chance reminder, and a thank-you or follow-up. Send the teaser 7 to 10 days before launch, and keep the launch-day email short with one clear button.
The 6-email sequence
| # | When | Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teaser | 7 to 10 days before | Build curiosity. Hint at what's coming. |
| 2 | Problem or story | 3 to 5 days before | Show the problem the product solves, or why you made it. |
| 3 | Launch | Launch day | Announce it, show the main benefit, one button. |
| 4 | Social proof | 2 to 3 days after | Early reviews, photos, questions answered. |
| 5 | Last chance | Final 24 hours of any offer | A clear, honest deadline. |
| 6 | Follow-up | After the offer ends | Thank buyers; ask non-buyers what held them back. |
Subject line examples
- Teaser: Something new is coming next week
- Story: Why we spent a year on this
- Launch: It's here: meet [product]
- Social proof: What our first customers are saying
- Last chance: Launch price ends tonight
- Follow-up: Thank you (and a quick question)
Pair each with good preheader text, and preview them with the subject line tester.
Launch-day email template
Subject: It's here: meet [product]
Hi [First name],
[Product] is live. It [main benefit in one sentence].
Here's what you get:
- [Benefit 1]
- [Benefit 2]
- [Benefit 3]
For launch week, it's [offer] until [date].
[Button: Get [product]]
Thanks for being here from the start,
[Your name]
Hi [First name],
[Product] is live. It [main benefit in one sentence].
Here's what you get:
- [Benefit 1]
- [Benefit 2]
- [Benefit 3]
For launch week, it's [offer] until [date].
[Button: Get [product]]
Thanks for being here from the start,
[Your name]
Best practices
- Clean the list first. A launch is often the biggest send of your year. Old addresses bounce, and bounces hurt delivery for everyone else. Verify the list with Veml before launch week.
- Warm up a cold list. If you haven't emailed in months, send a normal update first so the launch isn't your first email in a long time.
- One goal per email. One main button, not five links.
- Honest deadlines. Only say "ends tonight" if it does.
- Split the follow-up. Buyers and non-buyers need different messages. Most email platforms can segment by purchase or click.
- Don't overload one day. If your list is large, check the platform's sending limits and your deliverability basics.
Questions people ask
- How many emails should a product launch sequence have?
- Five to seven is common. Fewer can work for a small update; more risks unsubscribes unless each email adds something new.
- How long before launch should I start emailing?
- About 7 to 10 days before launch for the teaser. For a big launch with a waitlist, you can start a few weeks earlier.
- Should I send launch emails to my whole list?
- Send to people who have engaged recently. Long-inactive subscribers are more likely to ignore or report the email, which can hurt delivery.
- What should a pre-launch email say?
- Enough to create curiosity: what problem is being solved and when, without giving everything away. Invite replies or a waitlist sign-up.