Lifecycle emails are essential for great Customer Onboarding, and done well can have a huge impact on Engagement and Retention. So, how do you setup up your initial lifecycle emails? We talked with some onboarding experts and they suggested sending these five emails.

Obviously you can build more emails, but think of these as a minimum set to get started.

Day 1: A Warm Welcome Email

This is a behaviour triggered email, on signup. Your goal is to give your new user one thing to do right now to get them to their WOW moment. Keep this email simple and to the point. An email as simple as this should work:

Hey [[Customer first_name]],

I want to personally thank your for checking out CoolToDoList!

Since you've already signed up, the only thing left to do is to create your first to-do list.

To create your first list just click here and in less than 2 minutes, you're done!

Seriously, just click here and BOOM - your first to-do list!

Day 3: How to use Product

TIMED ACTION: 3 Days after People Signup

This is just one of the many emails you can send during the trial to teach users' how to use your app. Try to keep things simple here. Your customers are already overwhelmed by using a new tool. One new tip at a time should do.

Hey [[Customer first_name]],

How are things so far?

I noticed you've been getting a lot done using CoolToDoList and wanted to suggest a quick tip!

Did you know that pressing "Shift + C" copies your last list and creates a new one?

Our users typically save 10 minutes a week with this tip alone.

Go ahead and try it - let me know what you think.

Hope it helps!

Day 14 (of 30 day trial): Halfway through a Trial - need help?

Use this opportunity to be a helping hand. More likely than not, this user isn't even using your product anymore or didn't think to ask for help. Be a helping hand and remind them you exist.

Hey [[Customer first_name]],

It's already been 14 days and you've done so much with CoolToDoList.

But I'm curious to know if there's anything I can do to help you get more out of CoolToDoList?

Just email me with any particular questions. I'm also available to instant chat if need be. Just let me know, I'm here to help.

Day 30: Trial Expiring - upgrade/deal

Use this email to remind your users of the value they've gotten from your app. And offer an enticing enough deal to take give them every reason to advantage of your upgrade offer right now. Remember, you may not get this user to open this email or to your website to upgrade ever again. Don't blow it!

Hey [[Customer first_name]],

It's time to take things to the next level.

You've been getting so much out of CoolToDoList these past 30 days, I wanted to remind you to upgrade to keep things going.

Since CoolToDoList has helped you finished 253 tasks in 30 days, I want to offer you a 30% discount for the next year if you upgrade today.

I've already added this to your to do list, BUT if you upgrade in the next hour, I'll bump the discount up to 40%.

I don't want you to miss this deal and go back to not having access to CoolToDoList. If you need help, I can walk you through the upgrade process right now or you can click here to upgrade yourself.

Day 45: Didn't convert why?

The purpose of this email is to get feedback. You don't want to send this email to soon because people often convert many days after their trial expires.

Hey [[Customer first_name]],

I noticed you didn't upgrade your CoolToDoList plan.

I'd love to know what happened to make you not want to upgrade to CoolToDoList Pro.

Did you forget to use it? Was it too hard to use? Do you hate that we didn't have a to-do list to help you conquer Mars?

Please let me know what it was, I'd love to get your feedback to make CoolToDoList better for you.

Clearly if you have a 14-day trial, its better to send your emails at a different cadence - before your users' trial is over.

Of course, sending life cycle emails is just a part of an overall customer engagement and retention strategy to grow your business using marketing analytics.

How do you setup your Marketing Analytics stack? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.