Email isn't just for promotion.
It's a core part of the experience.
A good flow helps the user stay on track. A bad one pushes them away.
What an email flow is
A sequence of automated emails that go out based on user actions — not on your schedule, on their progress.
A basic flow for an online course
1. Welcome email (right after purchase)
- Confirms the purchase
- Provides a link to the first lesson
- Sets expectations
Example content:
Hey! Thanks for getting the [name] program. Your access is ready. Here's the first step: [link]. Takes 10 minutes. Start whenever you're ready.
2. Start reminder (day 1)
If the user hasn't clicked the first lesson:
Reminder: your first lesson is waiting. [link]. If you need help, just reply to this email.
3. Progress guide (day 3–5)
- Where you are right now
- What the next step is
- Answers to typical questions
4. Community invitation (day 7)
- Invitation into the closed community
- What they'll find there
- How to post their first question
5. Midpoint check (at the halfway mark)
You're halfway through — well done. Here's what's next.
6. Completion (at the end)
- Congratulations
- What to do now
- Invitation to the next product
7. Reactivation (if inactive for 14+ days)
- Where they left off
- A tiny first step to come back
- Personal tone ("I miss seeing you in there")
Rules of a good email flow
1. One action per email
Not 5 links, not 10 options. One thing: "Do this."
2. Keep it short
Most emails should be under 150 words. Long emails don't get read.
3. Personal tone
"Hi Anna" not "Dear user". Merge tags for name, course name, status.
4. Timing
Don't send early morning or late evening. 10:00–14:00 local is the best window for opens.
5. Clear subject line
"Your first lesson is waiting" > "Important information about your program"
Segmentation
Don't send the same thing to everyone. Segment by:
- Progress status (started / halfway / finished)
- Course they're enrolled in
- Purchase date (new vs long-time buyer)
- Community activity (active vs inactive)
An email to someone on day 20 is very different from an email to someone on day 2.
What to measure
- Open rate: 20–40% is good, over 40% excellent
- Click rate: 3–10% is good
- Course completion rate: how many of the people who get the email actually follow through
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate email tool (Mailchimp, MailerLite)?
Not if your course platform already has an email module. Advantage: the system knows the user (which course, where they are). External email tools don't know this without an extra integration.
How long should the full flow be?
For a 28-day course: 7–10 emails. For a longer program: 15–20. Too few is invisible, too many is spam.
Should I send "marketing" emails during onboarding?
Not in the first 7 days. The user is still in learning mode. Selling the next product comes after they've seen the first value.
How do I avoid spam filters?
- Use a proper sending domain (not Gmail)
- Add SPF, DKIM, DMARC records
- Avoid subject lines that sound salesy ("LAST CHANCE!!!")
- Make unsubscribing easy
What if someone unsubscribes?
That's normal. 0.3–0.5% unsubscribes per email is average. Above 1% means the content isn't relevant or you're sending too often.