Drip Marketing Examples: 8 Proven Campaigns to Automate Your Growth

Email automation is far more than just scheduling messages; it's about building relationships at scale. A well-crafted drip campaign delivers the right message at the right moment, guiding subscribers from initial curiosity to conversion and then to lasting loyalty. The challenge isn't just knowing what a drip campaign is, but understanding how to build one that feels personal, adds value, and drives real results without overwhelming your audience.

This guide moves past theory to provide practical blueprints for powerful automation. We will dissect 8 proven drip marketing examples from various industries, covering everything from welcoming new subscribers to re-engaging dormant ones.

Inside each example, you'll find:

• Step-by-step sequences with clear objectives.
• Real-world examples to see the strategies in action.
• Actionable takeaways and triggers you can implement today.

Forget generic advice. By the end of this article, you will have a clear playbook for transforming your automated emails into one of your most effective marketing assets. Let's dive into the specific tactics that turn subscribers into customers and customers into advocates.

1. Welcome Series for New Subscribers

A welcome series is arguably the most critical of all drip marketing examples. It's an automated sequence of emails sent to new subscribers immediately after they join your list. This isn't just about saying "hello"; it's your first and best chance to make a strong impression, set expectations, and guide new contacts toward becoming loyal customers. By delivering value right from the start, you capitalize on the peak engagement that occurs when a user first signs up.

This initial sequence is essential for building a foundation of trust. For B2B SaaS companies like HubSpot, the welcome series onboards new users, highlights key features, and drives product adoption. For e-commerce brands like Shopify, it introduces the brand story, showcases popular products, and often includes an initial discount to encourage the first purchase. The goal is to transform a passive subscriber into an active and interested community member.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To confirm the subscription, introduce the brand, set expectations, and drive the first key conversion (e.g., make a purchase, use a feature, read a blog post).
• Trigger: A user subscribes to your email list via any sign-up form. If you're looking for new ways to get subscribers, check out these strategies for how to grow your email list.
• Sequence & Timing: Typically 3-5 emails sent over 1-2 weeks. The first email should be immediate, with subsequent emails spaced 1-3 days apart.
  • Email 1 (Immediate): Welcome & deliver the lead magnet (if any). Confirm subscription and set expectations.
  • Email 2 (Day 2): Introduce the brand's story or unique value proposition.
  • Email 3 (Day 4): Share your most popular content or products to showcase value.
  • Email 4 (Day 7): Present a clear call-to-action (e.g., a special offer, follow on social media).

Actionable Takeaway

Create a welcome series that is segmented by the subscriber's sign-up source. A user who signed up for a webinar has different interests than one who downloaded a case study. Tailor the first email's content to match that original context. For example, the webinar attendee might get a follow-up email with a link to the recording and related resources, reinforcing the value they initially sought.

2. Lead Nurturing Campaign for B2B Sales

A lead nurturing campaign is one of the most powerful B2B drip marketing examples, designed to guide potential customers from initial awareness to sales-readiness. Unlike a quick welcome series, this is a longer, more sophisticated sequence that educates prospects over time. The core principle is to build trust and demonstrate expertise by delivering highly relevant, valuable content that addresses their specific pain points at each stage of the buyer's journey.

This methodical approach is crucial for complex B2B sales cycles where decisions are rarely made on impulse. Companies like Salesforce have perfected this by mapping content to user behavior; a prospect who downloads a top-of-funnel ebook receives a different email track than one who requests a pricing guide. By nurturing leads with targeted information, you keep your brand top-of-mind and ensure that when the prospect is ready to buy, your solution is the obvious choice.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To educate and qualify marketing leads, build a relationship of trust, and systematically move them through the sales funnel until they are ready to speak with a sales representative.
• Trigger: A user takes a top-of-funnel action, such as downloading a whitepaper or registering for a webinar.
• Sequence & Timing: Typically 5-8 emails sent over 4-8 weeks. The frequency is higher at the beginning (e.g., every 3-4 days) and becomes more spread out over time.
  • Email 1 (Immediate): Deliver the requested asset and introduce a related problem.
  • Email 2 (Day 3): Share a high-level blog post or infographic that expands on the problem.
  • Email 3 (Day 7): Provide a customer success story or case study that shows a solution in action.
  • Email 4 (Day 14): Invite them to a webinar or offer a more in-depth guide (consideration stage content).
  • Email 5 (Day 21): Offer a free demo, consultation, or trial to move them to the decision stage.

Actionable Takeaway

Map your content assets directly to the stages of the buyer's journey: Awareness, Consideration, and Decision. For an Awareness stage lead, send them blog posts and infographics. For a Consideration stage lead who shows engagement, send case studies and webinar invites. Finally, for a Decision stage lead, offer a free demo or a consultation call. Implementing these B22B email marketing best practices ensures your content aligns perfectly with your prospect's needs.

3. Product Launch and Announcement Campaign

A product launch campaign is a time-sensitive drip sequence designed to build anticipation and drive sales for a new product or feature. This is one of the most powerful drip marketing examples for generating immediate revenue and engagement. It works by creating a narrative arc, starting with teasers, moving to a full reveal, highlighting benefits, and culminating in a compelling call to action with a sense of urgency.

This method moves beyond a single announcement email by methodically guiding your audience from curiosity to commitment. Tech giants like Apple have mastered this, turning every iPhone release into a major event. Similarly, SaaS companies like Notion use this strategy to announce new features, ensuring users are aware of and excited to adopt the latest improvements. The goal is to create a concentrated burst of momentum that maximizes initial adoption and sales.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To generate maximum awareness, excitement, and sales for a new product or feature release within a short timeframe.
• Trigger: A manually scheduled campaign initiated 1-3 weeks before the official launch date, sent to a pre-defined audience segment.
• Sequence & Timing: A high-frequency sequence of 4-6 emails sent over 1-3 weeks. The timing gets tighter as the launch day approaches.
  • Email 1 (1-2 Weeks Before): Teaser. "Something big is coming." Announce a date and hint at the benefit.
  • Email 2 (3-5 Days Before): The Reveal. Announce the product, its key features, and benefits.
  • Email 3 (Launch Day): "It's Here!" Announce the launch with a clear call to action to buy or sign up.
  • Email 4 (1 Day After): Social Proof. Share early testimonials, positive press, or user-generated content.
  • Email 5 (2-3 Days After): Last Chance. If there's a launch offer, send a final reminder before it expires.

Actionable Takeaway

Build anticipation by creating a "waitlist" or "early access list" with your first teaser email. Announce that something new is coming and invite subscribers to sign up for exclusive first-look access or a special launch-day bonus. This not only segments your most interested leads for targeted messaging but also uses the psychological principle of exclusivity to make your launch feel like a special event. You can then tailor more detailed communication to this highly engaged group.

4. Re-engagement and Win-Back Campaign

A re-engagement or win-back campaign is a strategic sequence designed to reconnect with inactive subscribers who have stopped opening emails or engaging with your brand. Instead of letting these contacts go cold, this automated drip campaign attempts to rekindle their interest by reminding them of your value, offering a compelling reason to return, and cleaning your list of genuinely disengaged users. This process is vital for maintaining a healthy and active email list.

This type of campaign is a staple for brands across industries. E-commerce stores like Amazon use it to bring back lapsed shoppers with targeted discounts, while streaming services like Netflix send "We miss you" emails to entice former subscribers to restart their membership. Crucially, a well-executed re-engagement campaign is a powerful tool to positively influence your customer retention metrics by preventing churn before it becomes permanent. The goal is to either win back their attention or confirm their disinterest.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To reactivate dormant subscribers, reduce list churn, and improve overall email deliverability by removing permanently inactive contacts.
• Trigger: A subscriber has not opened or clicked an email for a specific period (e.g., 90 days).
• Sequence & Timing: Typically 3-4 emails sent over 2-3 weeks.
  • Email 1: "We Miss You." A simple, friendly check-in. Remind them of the value you provide or showcase what's new.
  • Email 2: The Offer. Present a compelling, exclusive incentive like a discount, free resource, or special access.
  • Email 3: Last Chance & Feedback. State that you'll be removing them from the list soon to keep it relevant. Ask for feedback or give them a final chance to stay subscribed.
  • Email 4 (Optional): The Unsubscribe Confirmation. If they don't engage, send a final email confirming their removal.

Actionable Takeaway

Segment your inactive list based on past behavior before launching your campaign. A customer who made multiple purchases has a different relationship with your brand than someone who only downloaded a free guide. For the past purchaser, your win-back offer might be a loyalty discount. For the content downloader, you could offer your latest high-value resource. This personalization dramatically increases the chances of successful re-engagement.

5. Educational Webinar or Course Promotion Campaign

Promoting an educational event like a webinar or an online course requires building anticipation and demonstrating value over time. This timed drip sequence is designed to move a prospect from initial awareness to enthusiastic registration. It nurtures interest by layering information, social proof, and urgency to maximize attendance for a live event or enrollment in a course. This approach is essential for converting passive interest into active participation.

This method is a staple for knowledge-based businesses. Platforms like HubSpot Academy and ConvertKit use these drip marketing examples to drive registrations for their free certification courses and creator-focused webinars. The sequence methodically answers the potential attendee's key questions: "What will I learn?", "Why is this host credible?", and "Why should I sign up now?". By addressing these points sequentially, the campaign effectively builds a compelling case for enrollment.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To maximize registrations for a webinar or enrollments for a course by building value, establishing authority, and creating a sense of urgency.
• Trigger: A manually scheduled campaign sent to a relevant segment of your audience 1-2 weeks before the event.
• Sequence & Timing: Typically 4-6 emails sent over 7-14 days. The frequency increases as the event date approaches.
  • Email 1 (7-10 Days Before): Initial Announcement. Introduce the topic, speaker, and key learning outcomes.
  • Email 2 (5-7 Days Before): Deep Dive. Go into more detail on a specific problem the event will solve.
  • Email 3 (3 Days Before): Social Proof. Share testimonials from past attendees or highlight the speaker's credibility.
  • Email 4 (1 Day Before): "Tomorrow!" A simple reminder email to build last-minute excitement.
  • Email 5 (Day of Event): "Starting Soon!" A final reminder sent 1 hour before the event begins.

Actionable Takeaway

Incorporate social proof and urgency as the event date nears. Your initial emails should focus on the educational value and the instructor's expertise. In the final 2-3 emails, introduce testimonials from past attendees and highlight scarcity, such as "only 50 spots left" or an "early-bird discount ending tonight". This combination of credibility and urgency is highly effective at converting subscribers who are on the fence.

6. Post-Purchase Onboarding and Upsell Campaign

The sale is just the beginning of the customer relationship. A post-purchase onboarding and upsell campaign is a systematic sequence designed to maximize customer success and lifetime value. It starts immediately after purchase, guiding new users through setup and product usage, then strategically introduces complementary products or plan upgrades once they have experienced the core value of their initial purchase.

This dual-purpose sequence is a staple for SaaS companies like Asana, which use it to educate users on powerful features and drive adoption. The initial emails focus on reducing friction and helping users achieve their first "win" with the product. Once a user demonstrates engagement, the campaign can pivot to upselling, suggesting a higher-tier plan with features that solve their next logical problem. This approach ensures upsell offers are timely and relevant.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To onboard new customers effectively, reduce churn by demonstrating value, and increase customer lifetime value (LTV) through strategic upsells or cross-sells.
• Trigger: A customer completes a purchase or signs up for a specific product/plan. This sequence often begins right after the initial confirmation email, which you can optimize by following these transactional email best practices.
• Sequence & Timing: A longer sequence of 5-8 emails sent over 2-4 weeks. Onboarding emails are front-loaded, while upsell emails come later.
  • Email 1 (Immediate): "Get Started." Welcome them and provide the single most important first step.
  • Email 2 (Day 2): Quick Win. Share a simple tip or feature that provides immediate value.
  • Email 3 (Day 5): Advanced Tip. Introduce a more powerful feature to deepen engagement.
  • Email 4 (Day 10): Check-in. Ask how they're doing and offer help or resources.
  • Email 5 (Day 15+, behavior-based): The Upsell. Introduce a complementary product or premium feature that solves the next logical problem for them.

Actionable Takeaway

Leverage product usage data to trigger your upsell emails. Instead of sending a generic "upgrade now" message to everyone after 14 days, create a trigger based on behavior. For example, if a user on a basic plan is nearing their project limit or frequently uses a feature that has an advanced version in a higher-tier plan, send a highly personalized email at that exact moment. This makes the upsell feel like a helpful solution rather than a sales pitch.

7. Abandoned Cart Recovery Campaign

The abandoned cart recovery campaign is a high-impact, revenue-generating drip marketing example essential for any e-commerce business. This automated email sequence is triggered when a known user adds items to their online shopping cart but leaves without completing the purchase. Instead of letting that potential sale slip away, this campaign swoops in to remind, persuade, and incentivize the shopper to return and finalize their order.

This powerful tactic directly addresses the estimated 70% of online shopping carts that are abandoned. Companies like Amazon and Shopify have perfected this flow, using a mix of timely reminders, social proof, and gentle urgency to bring customers back. For retailers like ASOS or travel sites like Airbnb, these campaigns recapture sales that would otherwise be lost, turning a moment of hesitation into a completed transaction. The goal is to overcome the final purchase hurdle, whether it’s distraction, shipping costs, or second thoughts.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To recover potentially lost sales by reminding customers of the items left in their cart and motivating them to complete the checkout process.
• Trigger: A known contact adds items to their cart but does not complete the purchase within a set time frame (e.g., 30-60 minutes).
• Sequence & Timing: Typically 2-3 emails sent over 24-48 hours.
  • Email 1 (1 Hour Later): The Reminder. "Did you forget something?" A friendly, helpful nudge showing the items in their cart.
  • Email 2 (24 Hours Later): Overcome Objections. Address common concerns like shipping or returns. Add social proof like product reviews.
  • Email 3 (48 Hours Later): The Incentive. Create urgency with a time-sensitive offer, like a small discount or free shipping that expires soon.

Actionable Takeaway

Implement a multi-step abandoned cart sequence that escalates the incentive. Your first email, sent one hour after abandonment, should be a simple, helpful reminder featuring the cart items. If the user doesn't convert, send a second email 24 hours later that introduces social proof, like customer reviews for the abandoned products. For the final email at 48 hours, consider offering a small, time-sensitive discount (e.g., "10% off, expires in 24 hours") to create urgency and close the sale.

8. Customer Feedback and Review Request Campaign

A customer feedback and review request campaign is a vital automated sequence designed to solicit valuable insights and social proof from customers. This drip campaign triggers after a key interaction, like a purchase, to capture feedback when the experience is still fresh. It's not just about collecting star ratings; it's a strategic tool for improving products and building a library of user-generated content that drives future sales.

This process is critical for building trust and credibility. For e-commerce leaders like Amazon, these automated requests fuel the product pages with reviews that heavily influence purchasing decisions. For B2B software review platforms like G2, this type of drip marketing example is their entire business model. The goal is to make providing feedback a seamless, almost reflexive action for the customer, turning their recent positive experience into a powerful marketing asset.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• Objective: To systematically generate customer reviews, testimonials, and product feedback to build social proof and improve offerings.
• Trigger: A customer completes a purchase or a product is delivered. The trigger should align with the moment the customer has fully experienced the value.
• Sequence & Timing: Typically 2-3 emails sent over 1-2 weeks.
  • Email 1 (7-14 Days Post-Purchase): The Initial Request. A simple, direct email asking for their thoughts on their recent purchase.
  • Email 2 (7 Days Later): The Reminder. A gentle follow-up if no review was left. Remind them why their feedback matters.
  • Email 3 (Optional): The Incentive. If generating reviews is a top priority, consider offering a small incentive like entry into a giveaway for leaving a review.

Actionable Takeaway

Implement a two-step feedback process to filter and segment responses. Use the first email to ask a simple Net Promoter Score (NPS) question: "How likely are you to recommend us?" Based on their response, trigger a different follow-up. Users who give a high score (9-10) are automatically sent to a public review site like Trustpilot or Google. Users who provide a low score are directed to a private feedback form where your customer support team can address their issues directly, turning a negative experience into a retention opportunity.

Summary: How to Choose Your First Drip Campaign

We've deconstructed some of the most effective drip marketing examples used by successful brands today. From the crucial first impression of a welcome series to the strategic patience of a lead nurturing campaign, a common thread connects them all: delivering the right message to the right person at precisely the right moment. This isn't just about automation; it's about building a responsive communication system that nurtures relationships and drives tangible business results.

As you start building your own sequences, remember these core principles:

• Start with a Goal: Define what success looks like before you write a single word.
• Segment Your Audience: Relevance is key. Use data to tailor your messaging.
• Provide Value: Every email must earn its place in the subscriber's inbox.
• Test and Optimize: Use your data to continuously refine your timing, subject lines, and content.

Your Recommended Next Step

The journey from inspiration to implementation starts with a single step. Don't feel pressured to launch all eight campaigns at once. Instead, identify the one sequence that will solve your most pressing business challenge right now. For most businesses, this is either a Welcome Series (to build relationships with new leads) or an Abandoned Cart Campaign (to recover immediate revenue).

Choose one of those two campaigns. Map out the first three emails, focusing on the trigger, the goal of each message, and the value you'll provide. This focused approach is the most effective way to start leveraging the power of drip marketing and see immediate results. To explore the technology that can power these automations, you might find this guide on the top email outreach tools helpful.