8 irresistible customer loyalty email examples to win over your audience 

Customer loyalty is more important than ever. Loyal customers are not only more likely to make repeat purchases, but they’re also more likely to recommend your brand to others. This translates to increased sales and brand awareness for you.

But how do you cultivate customer loyalty? Email marketing is a powerful tool that can be used to nurture relationships with your customers and keep them coming back for more. 

In this article, we’ll share eight irresistible customer loyalty email examples to help you win over your audience and build long-lasting relationships with your customers.

1. Welcome email

First impressions matter in any interaction, and the digital world is no exception. Your welcome email is your golden opportunity to create a positive and lasting impression on new subscribers, customers, or members. 

Your welcome email is the first direct communication your customers receive from you. Therefore, it should be warm, inviting, and informative. Use this opportunity to introduce your brand, highlight your unique selling proposition, and provide a clear call-to-action that motivates your customers to take the next step.

In this Build-A-Bear Workshop “Welcome to the Bonus Club” email example, the brand has truly nailed the look and feel of a warm and engaging welcome, seamlessly introducing their loyalty program to new customers.

Here’s what you can learn from the brand’s approach:

1. Show appreciation: Start by thanking your new customer with a visually attractive banner, just as Build-A-Bear does in its welcome email. This simple gesture goes a long way in making your new customer feel valued.
2. Pique curiosity: Build-A-Bear captivates its readers by presenting the benefits of its Bonus Club right below the welcome banner. Find a similar way to give a brief overview of what your customers will enjoy by signing up for your program or service.
3. Guide your customer: Consistent with its bear-stuffing workshop ambiance, Build-A-Bear provides step-by-step illustrations that show customers how to get started with its offerings. Take inspiration from this and provide clear, concise instructions or links to relevant resources, tutorials, or support articles.
4. Invite exploration: Finally, take a cue from Build-A-Bear’s email footer, which encourages customers to connect on social media and visit its website, promoting continued engagement. Similarly, invite your customers to take a look at everything you have to offer to keep them engaged with your brand and discover more products or services that could interest them.

By crafting a welcome email that embodies these principles, you’ll be off to a great start in building a lasting relationship with your new customers.

2. Special offer email

Special offers are a great way to encourage customers to purchase by providing them with attractive discounts or deals. You can include these offers in your loyalty program, such as a percentage off their next purchase, a complimentary gift with a purchase, or early access to new products. You can also personalize these offers based on their past purchase history or interests to make it even more appealing.

Catherines is a clothing brand that recently created an email campaign to offer exclusive rewards to its customers. The email was designed around a secret sale deal that customers could win by flipping a card. By analyzing the specific elements within the email, you can learn how to capture the attention of your audience and motivate them to participate in your exclusive offer:

1. Engaging headline: Catherines catches the reader’s attention right away with its headline: “What’s today’s secret sale deal?” Similarly, you should craft your headlines in a way that piques curiosity and encourages readers to find out more about what you’re offering.
2. Gamification:The “Flip to find out” feature adds an exciting interactive aspect to the email. It stimulates engagement, prompting the reader to flip the card and discover the brand’s exclusive offer. Consider incorporating interactive features like this in your emails to increase customer interest.
3. Relevant product showcase: Providing a selection of clothing items below the offer allows customers to visualize the products they can purchase with the discount. Display personalized product recommendations in your exclusive offer emails to maximize the likelihood of customers utilizing your promotion.

By applying these tactics in your exclusive offer email campaigns, you can make your customers feel valued and special, fostering loyalty to your brand and increasing engagement with your offers.

3. Re-engagement email

It happens to the best of us – sometimes customers lose interest. If a customer hasn’t purchased in a while, send them a re-engagement email. Remind them of the value you offer and the benefits of being a customer. You could also highlight new products, features, or content that your customers might be interested in.

In this re-engagement email, Office Depot and Office Max are reaching out to their customers who haven’t shopped with them in a while by offering an attractive incentive. Let’s take a closer look at the key elements of the email so that you can apply these strategies to create an effective re-engagement campaign for your own customers.

1. Attention-grabbing headline: The subject line of the email, “We Miss You,” immediately grabs the reader’s attention and conveys both appreciation and a sense of loss. Creating a captivating headline like this can help you reignite your customers’ interest and make them feel valued.
2. Special offer: The brand gives customers the chance to receive a coupon, which instantly catches their attention and incentivizes them to visit and shop. To re-engage your dormant customers, offer them a valuable incentive such as a discount, free shipping, or an exclusive product.
3. Preference center: The email includes a dynamic preference center, which offers the recipient four options. They can choose to receive a coupon, take a 15-day pause on emails, receive fewer emails, or unsubscribe completely. Giving the recipient control over how they wish to continue engaging with the brand can help improve their satisfaction and loyalty.

Incorporating these tactics in your re-engagement email campaigns can help you reconnect with dormant customers, remind them of your brand’s value, and encourage them to re-engage and make a purchase.

4. Birthday or anniversary email

A simple birthday or anniversary email can go a long way in showing your customers that you care. You can offer them a special birthday discount or a free gift to celebrate. This is a great way to reconnect with them and encourage them to make a purchase.

Laura Mercier Cosmetics does an excellent job of making its customers feel special on their birthday with a personalized email that offers a generous discount. Let’s break down how they created an effective birthday email and how you can do the same for your customers:

1. Personalization: The headline “Happy Birthday, Ira” establishes a personal connection with the customer right away. Use a headline or subject line that includes the customer’s name or birthday to make your email stand out in their inbox.
2. Special offer: Laura Mercier Cosmetics rewards its customers with a birthday discount code. Consider giving your customers a similar incentive, such as a discount, free gift, or free shipping on their special day.
3. Visual impact and birthday theme: Laura Mercier’s birthday email features elegant design and celebratory elements such as balloons, which create a visually appealing and festive experience for the customer. Incorporate birthday or anniversary-themed visuals in your emails to heighten the celebratory mood and keep customers engaged with your well-designed and aesthetically pleasing content.
4. Clear and actionable CTA:  The email features a detailed section on how to redeem their free gift through a two-step process. It also includes a well-defined CTA that directs customers to the landing page that links to the gift they’ll receive. Ensure your CTA is straightforward and focuses on the reward to make it enticing and easy for customers to claim their gift.

By incorporating these strategies in your birthday or anniversary emails, you can strengthen customer relationships, show appreciation, and boost revenue with timely and targeted special offers.

5. Feedback request email

Show your customers that you value their opinions by requesting feedback through a survey or email. Use their feedback to improve your products or services and ensure that you meet their needs.

UNIQLO, a leading fashion brand, provides an excellent example of an email requesting feedback. Here are some key elements in UNIQLO’s email that you should consider incorporating in your feedback request campaigns:

1. Engaging subject line: UNIQLO uses the subject line, “We want to hear from you” to encourage customers to open the email and share their thoughts. Create a subject line that is inviting and clearly communicates the purpose and importance of their contribution.
2. Visual appeal: UNIQLO’s email design is clean and straightforward, keeping the focus on the purpose of receiving feedback. Include a visually appealing design that aligns with your brand identity.
3. Importance of feedback: The email emphasizes the significance of customer feedback by mentioning how it helps the brand improve. Communicate the impact of their feedback to your customers, letting them know their opinions are valued and influential.
4. Clear CTA: UNIQLO features a prominent “Click here to take the survey” in-body copy link, making it easy for customers to take the desired action. Use a clear and visible CTA to direct customers to the survey or feedback form without any confusion.

By incorporating these elements into your feedback request email campaigns, you can effectively encourage customers to share their thoughts and insights, which can help you improve your offerings and build a stronger relationship with your target audience.

6. VIP treatment email

Are you looking to make your high-value customers feel special and encourage them to continue doing business with you? Consider implementing a VIP loyalty program and offering exclusive benefits such as early access to sales, free shipping, or personalized customer service. 

One example of a successful VIP treatment email is the one used by Adore Me. Let’s break down its key elements and learn how to replicate its success:

1. Eye-catching headline: Use a headline that highlights the luxurious essence of your VIP program and attracts the reader’s attention. Adore Me’s headline, “Welcome to the VIP Life,” promises an exclusive and rewarding experience.
2. Exclusive benefits: Clearly present the exclusive perks of your VIP program, such as discounts, free shipping, and priority access to new collections. Adore Me’s email outlines these benefits to demonstrate the value of being a high-value customer.
3. Visual appeal: Use attractive visuals that engage customers and convey the exclusive atmosphere of your program. Adore Me’s email features a striking design that conveys luxury and sophistication.
4. Engaging video: Incorporate informative videos and other engaging content in your VIP treatment email to captivate customers and emphasize the benefits of your exclusive program. Adore Me’s email includes an enticing video that further showcases the VIP experience.
5. SMS list opportunity: Integrate SMS marketing into your VIP program to enhance communication with your high-value customers and add another layer of exclusivity to their experience. Adore Me gives its VIP customers the option to join its SMS list for immediate updates.

By applying these strategies in your VIP treatment email campaigns, you can create an exceptional experience for your high-value customers, making them feel appreciated and ultimately boosting customer retention and loyalty.

7. Referral program email

Encourage your customers to refer friends and family with a referral program. Reward them for spreading the word about your brand, which is an organic way to gain new customers.

Clean Program, which is a wellness brand offering detox programs and supplements, has showcased an excellent referral program email. Here are some crucial components to consider when crafting a referral program email based on Clean Program’s example:

1. Attention-grabbing subject line: Use a catchy subject line that clearly explains how customers can benefit by referring others to your brand. This will entice them to open the email and learn more about the referral program.
2. Clear explanation of the referral program: Clearly outline the referral program’s details, including rewards for both the referring customer and the referral. In Clean Program’s example, the brand offers rewards of $50 for both parties, making the offer mutually beneficial.
3. Visual appeal: Maintain a visually appealing and clean email design that aligns with your brand identity. Clean Program’s email design is straightforward, with an attractive banner and a clear focus on the referral initiative.
4. Prominent CTA: Provide a highly visible CTA button, guiding customers to participate in the referral program easily. Clean Program’s “Refer Now” button is eye-catching and direct, allowing customers to act immediately.

By implementing these elements in your referral program email campaigns, you can effectively motivate customers to promote your brand to their network, driving organic growth and acquiring new customers.

8. Thank you email

When a customer joins your rewards program, it’s essential to extend your appreciation. Sending a thank you email shows that you value their engagement with your brand and helps build loyalty. Hudson’s Bay, a popular department store brand in Canada, serves as a great example of how to do this effectively.

Here are a few essential components to consider when crafting a compelling thank you email based on Hudson’s Bay example:

1. Warm welcome: Hudson’s Bay starts its message with a heartfelt thank you to its customers, stating “Thanks for joining.” Ensure that your thank you email begins on a positive note by expressing genuine gratitude and warmth.
2. Personalized and clear messaging: The email is personalized, addressing “Robert,” and informs him about starting to earn rewards as a new member of the program. Maintain a personal touch in your thank you email, along with a clear message about the rewards, to make the customer feel valued.
3. Visual appeal: Hudson’s Bay uses attractive graphics to convey its message, maintaining a clean and appealing design. Incorporate eye-catching visuals while maintaining your brand’s style to create a memorable thank you email.
4. Clear CTAs: The email features two straightforward CTAs, “Shop now” and “Find a store.” These options guide customers towards their next steps, whether it’s shopping online or locating a nearby store. Including clear and visible CTAs in your thank you email helps customers easily engage with your brand further.

By implementing these elements in your thank you email campaigns for new rewards program members, you can effectively express appreciation while reinforcing your brand values, ultimately enhancing customer loyalty and retention.

Start cultivating customer loyalty

Nurturing your customers is more crucial now than ever before. This guide has explored eight irresistible customer loyalty email examples that can serve as a roadmap for cultivating stronger connections with your audience and fostering lasting relationships.

Effective email marketing is not just about sending occasional promotional blasts; it’s about consistently engaging with your customers in a meaningful way. 

By expressing gratitude, delivering value, and personalizing your approach, you can transform one-time buyers into loyal brand advocates who passionately support your brand.