Email marketing examples are useful because they show what actually drives opens, clicks, and revenue – not just what sounds good in a brainstorm. In this guide, you will get a practical framework you can reuse, clear definitions of the metrics that matter, and four proven campaign patterns with copy and structure you can adapt. Although email is not an influencer channel by itself, it is one of the best ways to turn creator-led attention into owned audience growth. That matters when you are running launches, tracking ROI, or trying to reduce your dependence on algorithms. By the end, you will know exactly what to send, when to send it, and how to measure whether it worked.
Start with the numbers: definitions, metrics, and simple formulas
Before you copy any campaign, you need a shared language for performance. Email is measurable, but only if you define your terms and stick to them across campaigns. The list below covers email metrics plus the influencer and paid media terms that often show up when email supports a creator campaign. Use these definitions in your brief so your team does not argue about what success means after the send.
- Reach: the number of unique people who could see a message. In email, the closest equivalent is delivered (sent minus bounces).
- Impressions: total views. Email does not have true impressions, but you can approximate with opens (with limitations due to privacy changes).
- Engagement rate: interactions divided by exposure. In email, a practical version is click-to-open rate (CTOR) = unique clicks / unique opens.
- CPM (cost per thousand impressions): (cost / impressions) x 1000. When you run paid social to grow your list, CPM helps compare channels.
- CPV (cost per view): cost / views. Useful when a creator video drives signups and you want to compare video efficiency.
- CPA (cost per acquisition): cost / conversions. For email, conversions might be purchases, booked calls, or signups.
- Whitelisting: running ads through a creator or partner handle. Email often becomes the follow-up channel after a whitelisted ad drives a lead.
- Usage rights: permission to reuse creator content. If you embed creator assets in email or landing pages, clarify usage rights in writing.
- Exclusivity: restrictions on working with competitors. If a creator promotes your lead magnet, exclusivity can affect cost and timing.
Now anchor your reporting with a few simple formulas. First, Open rate = unique opens / delivered. Second, Click rate = unique clicks / delivered. Third, Conversion rate = conversions / unique clicks (or / delivered if you want a stricter view). Finally, Revenue per recipient = total revenue / delivered. If you sell a product, revenue per recipient is often the cleanest way to compare campaigns with different list sizes.
A 7-step framework to build any email campaign
Examples work best when you can see the structure underneath them. This seven-step method is the structure. Use it for a weekly newsletter, a creator-led product drop, or a B2B nurture sequence. The goal is to make your emails predictable to produce and easy to improve.
- Pick one job for the email. Decide whether the email is meant to generate a reply, a click, a purchase, or a referral. If you try to do two jobs, you usually do neither well.
- Define the audience slice. Segment by intent, not demographics. For example: new subscribers, repeat buyers, webinar attendees, or people who clicked but did not buy.
- Choose one primary metric and one guardrail metric. Primary might be revenue per recipient. Guardrail might be unsubscribe rate or spam complaints.
- Write the offer in one sentence. If you cannot explain the value in one sentence, the email will ramble. Keep the offer specific: what, for whom, and by when.
- Draft the email in blocks. Use a repeatable layout: hook, proof, details, CTA, P.S. This speeds up production and makes testing easier.
- Plan the follow-up. Most revenue comes from follow-ups, not the first send. Decide in advance what happens if someone clicks, ignores, or buys.
- Run one test at a time. Subject line, offer framing, or CTA placement. If you change three things, you learn nothing.
Takeaway: write the one-sentence offer and the follow-up plan before you write the body copy. That single habit prevents most last-minute rewrites.
Email marketing examples: 4 successful campaign patterns you can copy
The four examples below are patterns, not templates. Each one includes what to send, why it works, and how to measure it. If you are working with creators, these patterns also show where influencer content fits naturally: as proof, as a story hook, or as a reason to act now.
Example 1: The welcome sequence that turns attention into intent
When to use it: right after someone joins your list from a creator link, a lead magnet, or a product purchase. The welcome sequence is where you set expectations and collect signals about what the subscriber wants. Because inbox attention is highest on day one, you should treat this like onboarding, not like a generic greeting.
- Email 1 (immediate): deliver the promised asset, restate the value, and ask a one-click preference question.
- Email 2 (day 2): your origin story plus one proof point (testimonial, creator quote, or metric).
- Email 3 (day 4): your best “quick win” tutorial with a single CTA.
- Email 4 (day 6): soft pitch with a deadline or limited bonus.
Copy structure you can adapt: Subject: “Here is the [asset] + one question”. First line: “You signed up for [reason], so here is [deliverable].” Then: “Quick question so I can send better emails: are you here for A or B?” CTA buttons: “A” and “B”. This creates segmentation without a long form.
How to measure: track reply rate (if you ask for replies), click rate on the preference buttons, and conversion rate on Email 4. Decision rule: if Email 1 has low clicks, your lead magnet promise and delivery do not match.
Example 2: The creator-led product drop with a tight narrative arc
When to use it: when a creator collaboration, limited edition product, or seasonal bundle needs a clear beginning, middle, and end. The mistake brands make is sending one announcement and hoping the list does the rest. Instead, build a short arc that moves from story to proof to urgency.
- Teaser (48 to 72 hours before): announce the problem and hint at the solution. No link needed.
- Launch (day 0): reveal the offer with one primary CTA.
- Proof (day 1): show creator content, reviews, or behind-the-scenes constraints.
- Last call (final day): restate who it is for, what they get, and when it ends.
Practical tip: if you have creator assets, embed one short quote and link to the full video on your site. Keep the email itself fast to scan. For more ideas on turning creator performance into owned growth, browse the InfluencerDB.net blog on influencer marketing strategy and map the best-performing creator angles into your subject lines.
How to measure: revenue per recipient per email, plus the share of revenue from returning subscribers versus new. Decision rule: if Launch email clicks are strong but conversions are weak, your landing page or offer clarity is the bottleneck, not the email.
Example 3: The re-engagement campaign that cleans your list without killing revenue
When to use it: when deliverability declines, open rates slide, or you have a large inactive segment. Re-engagement is not just about “do you still want my emails?” It is about giving people a reason to raise their hand again, while protecting sender reputation.
- Email 1: “Still want this?” with a clear keep-me button.
- Email 2: value email: your best resource list or a short playbook.
- Email 3: final notice: “I will pause emails unless you click.”
Concrete takeaway: move people who do not click into a suppressed segment rather than deleting them immediately. That way, you can still target them later through paid channels or a one-time high-value announcement without hurting day-to-day deliverability.
How to measure: reactivation rate = unique clicks / delivered to inactive segment. Also watch spam complaint rate closely. If complaints rise, shorten the sequence and tighten targeting.
When to use it: when you want steady growth and lower dependence on launches. This pattern works for creators, agencies, and brands because it builds trust through repetition. The key is to make the newsletter feel like a product: consistent sections, consistent voice, and one clear action.
- Section 1: one insight (a trend, a teardown, or a lesson learned).
- Section 2: one example (a campaign, a creator post, or a screenshot).
- Section 3: one tool or resource.
- CTA: one offer, rotated weekly (book a call, buy, refer, or reply).
How to measure: CTOR and weekly revenue per recipient. Decision rule: if CTOR is low, your email is too broad or your CTA is buried. Move the CTA higher and make the “one example” more specific.
Planning table: what to send, when to send it, and who owns it
Execution is where most teams stall. A simple campaign table keeps production moving and prevents the “we will send something next week” loop. Use the template below and assign an owner to every row.
| Phase | Primary goal | Owner | Deliverable | Success metric | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prep | Segmentation setup | Target the right audience | Lifecycle marketer | Segments and exclusions | List match rate |
| Prep | Creative brief | Align on message | Marketing lead | One-sentence offer + CTA | Approval in 24 to 48 hours |
| Build | Email draft | Clarity and scannability | Copywriter | Hook, proof, CTA, P.S. | Internal QA pass |
| Build | Landing page check | Reduce drop-off | Growth marketer | Message match + fast load | Conversion rate |
| Send | Launch email | Drive clicks and sales | Lifecycle marketer | Final send + tracking | Revenue per recipient |
| Learn | Post-send analysis | Decide next test | Analyst | 1-page recap | Test backlog created |
Takeaway: if you do not assign an owner, the task is not real. Put names next to every deliverable before you write the first subject line.
Measurement table: benchmarks and what to do when you miss them
Benchmarks vary by industry and list quality, so treat these ranges as starting points. What matters more is the action you take when a metric is off. The table below gives you a practical “if this, then that” playbook.
| Metric | Healthy range (typical) | If it is low | Fix to try next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open rate | 25% to 45% | Weak subject line or deliverability issues | Test a clearer promise, remove spammy words, warm up sending domain |
| Click rate | 1.5% to 4% | Offer not compelling or CTA buried | Move CTA above the fold, reduce links, tighten to one job |
| CTOR | 8% to 20% | Email content does not support the CTA | Add proof, add a specific example, rewrite CTA to match intent |
| Conversion rate (post-click) | 1% to 5%+ | Landing page mismatch or friction | Align headline with email, shorten form, add social proof |
| Unsubscribe rate | 0.1% to 0.5% | Wrong audience or too frequent | Segment more tightly, add frequency options, improve expectation setting |
Example calculation: you send to 20,000 delivered recipients, get 700 unique clicks, and 35 purchases. Click rate = 700 / 20,000 = 3.5%. Post-click conversion rate = 35 / 700 = 5%. If the campaign cost $1,400 in creative and tooling, CPA = $1,400 / 35 = $40. That lets you compare email to creator spend or paid social on the same CPA basis.
Common mistakes that make good emails underperform
Most email failures are not about writing talent. They come from unclear goals, weak measurement, or a mismatch between promise and landing page. Fixing these issues usually lifts results faster than rewriting every line of copy.
- Too many links. If you give five options, you get no decision. Keep one primary CTA and one secondary link at most.
- No segmentation. Sending the same pitch to new subscribers and loyal buyers lowers relevance for both.
- Subject line does not match the email. Opens without clicks train subscribers to ignore you later.
- Relying on opens as truth. Privacy changes can inflate opens, so prioritize clicks and conversions.
- Forgetting the follow-up. One email is rarely enough, especially for higher-priced offers.
Takeaway: audit your last five campaigns and count how many had a single clear CTA and a planned follow-up. If the answer is fewer than three, start there.
Best practices you can apply this week
These are high-leverage habits that improve performance without adding complexity. They also help if you are coordinating email with influencer posts, because they keep messaging consistent across channels.
- Write the CTA first. If you cannot write a clear CTA, the email is not ready.
- Use one proof point. A single strong testimonial, creator quote, or stat beats a paragraph of vague claims.
- Make the first 120 characters count. Many inboxes show preview text, so treat it like a second subject line.
- Send from a real person. A recognizable sender name often improves replies and reduces the “brand blast” feel.
- Keep a test backlog. After each send, write down one hypothesis for the next test so learning compounds.
If you want to ground your testing in broader marketing measurement standards, review Google guidance on campaign tagging and attribution at Google Analytics UTM parameters. Then, apply consistent UTM naming to every email link so you can compare email performance to creator traffic and paid campaigns in one dashboard.
Compliance and trust: what you must get right
Email marketing is permission-based, and the fastest way to damage performance is to treat compliance as optional. Use confirmed opt-in where appropriate, honor unsubscribe requests immediately, and be transparent about what subscribers will receive. If you are collecting emails through creator partnerships, make sure the landing page clearly states who is sending the emails and what the subscriber is signing up for.
For teams operating in the US, the FTC also publishes guidance on advertising and endorsements that matters when creator claims appear in your emails. Read the official overview at FTC endorsements and influencer marketing guidance, and mirror those disclosure principles in email when you reference creator partnerships or sponsored claims.
Quick checklist: build your next campaign in 30 minutes
Use this as a pre-send checklist. It is short on purpose, because you should be able to run it even on busy launch days.
- One job: I can describe the email goal in one sentence.
- One audience: I know exactly who receives it and who is excluded.
- One offer: the value is specific and time-bound if needed.
- One CTA: the primary link is obvious and repeated once.
- Tracking: UTMs are consistent and conversion events are verified.
- Follow-up: the next email is drafted or at least outlined.
When you treat email as a system instead of a one-off message, performance becomes easier to predict. Start with one of the four patterns above, run one clean test, and keep the learning loop tight.
