Brevo for SaaS Startups: Onboarding and Activation Email Sequences

Did you know 60% of SaaS users churn within the first 90 days of signing up? For early-stage startups, that’s not just a statistic — it’s a threat to survival. The good news? A well-designed email onboarding and activation sequence can slash churn and drive long-term retention. And Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is one of the most cost-effective tools to build these sequences, even on a tight startup budget.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to use Brevo to create high-converting onboarding and activation email sequences tailored for SaaS startups, no advanced technical skills required.

Why Brevo is a Top Choice for SaaS Startups

Brevo stands out for SaaS teams because it combines email marketing, automation, CRM, and transactional email tools in one affordable platform. Unlike competitors that charge by contact count, Brevo’s pricing is based on email volume, making it far more budget-friendly for growing startups.

Key benefits for SaaS startups include:

• Generous free plan: Send up to 300 emails per day, store up to 1,000 contacts, and access basic automation workflows for free, no credit card required.
• Visual automation builder: Drag-and-drop tools to create complex email sequences without coding.
• Native integrations: Connect Brevo to your SaaS product via API, Zapier, or pre-built integrations with tools like Segment, Stripe, and HubSpot.
• Transactional email support: Send password resets, invoice notifications, and other triggered emails from the same platform.

What Are Onboarding and Activation Email Sequences?

Before building your sequences, it’s critical to distinguish between the two core sequence types for SaaS startups:

Onboarding Email Sequences

Onboarding sequences are triggered the moment a user signs up for your SaaS product. Their goal is to guide new users through initial setup, reduce confusion, and get them to complete their first key action (e.g, connecting a payment gateway, inviting team members, or setting up their first campaign).

A strong onboarding sequence cuts early drop-off and ensures users see the basic value of your product quickly.

Activation Email Sequences

Activation sequences start after a user completes your onboarding flow. They focus on driving users to their “Aha! Moment” — the point where they experience the core, unique value of your product that makes them want to stick around.

These sequences are responsible for converting free trial users to paid plans, and increasing long-term retention for existing customers.

How to Build Onboarding Email Sequences in Brevo

Brevo’s visual automation builder makes it easy to set up onboarding sequences in under an hour. Follow these steps:

1. Segment your contacts: Tag all new signups with a “New User” tag in Brevo, or sync your signup form directly to Brevo to auto-add contacts to your onboarding workflow.
2. Create your automation workflow: Go to Brevo’s Automation tab, select “Start from scratch,” and set your trigger to “Contact subscribes to a list” or “Contact is added to a list” (matching your new user list).
3. Draft your emails: Keep your sequence to 3-5 emails max to avoid overwhelming users. Example timeline:
   • Email 1 (Sent immediately): Welcome message with a clear CTA to complete their profile or set up their first integration. Include a link to your getting started guide.
   • Email 2 (Day 1): Step-by-step guide to completing their first key action (e.g, “How to send your first campaign in 3 clicks”).
   • Email 3 (Day 3): Tips for power users, links to short tutorial videos, and a CTA to invite team members.
   • Email 4 (Day 7): Check-in email asking for feedback, with a CTA to upgrade to a paid plan if they’re on a free trial.
4. Test and launch: Send test emails to your team to check formatting and deliverability, then activate the workflow.

How to Build Activation Email Sequences in Brevo

Activation sequences trigger once a user hits your “onboarded” milestone (e.g, completes profile, sends first campaign). Here’s how to set them up:

1. Set your trigger: Use a “Contact tag is added” trigger in Brevo, with the tag matching your “Onboarded” tag (added automatically when users complete your onboarding flow).
2. Align with your Aha! Moment: Every email should drive users to use the core feature that delivers your product’s main value. For a project management SaaS, this might be creating their first project; for an email marketing SaaS, it’s sending their first campaign.
3. Draft your sequence: Keep it 3-4 emails, with personalized content:
   • Email 1 (Day 1 post-onboarding): Highlight your core feature, with a CTA to try it out. Use Brevo’s personalization tags to include the user’s name and company.
   • Email 2 (Day 3): Share a case study of a similar SaaS user who saw results using the core feature, with a CTA to replicate their setup.
   • Email 3 (Day 5): Limited-time discount for upgrading to a paid plan, with a CTA to unlock advanced features.
4. Use dynamic content: Brevo lets you show different content to free vs paid users, so you can tailor activation emails to each segment.

Best Practices for SaaS Email Sequences in Brevo

To maximize the performance of your sequences, follow these proven tips:

• Keep emails short: Limit paragraphs to 2-4 lines, and include only one clear CTA per email to avoid decision fatigue.
• A/B test subject lines: Use Brevo’s built-in A/B testing tool to test two subject lines per email, and auto-send the winning version to the rest of your list.
• Monitor key metrics: Track open rate, click-through rate, and conversion rate in Brevo’s analytics dashboard. Pause low-performing emails and replace them with new drafts.
• Comply with GDPR: Brevo includes built-in GDPR compliance tools, including unsubscribe links and consent tracking, to keep your startup compliant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brevo free for SaaS startups?

Yes, Brevo’s free plan includes up to 300 emails per day, 1,000 contacts, and basic automation workflows, with no credit card required. Paid plans start at $25/month for higher volume.

How many emails should be in an onboarding sequence?

Stick to 3-5 emails max. Sending more than 5 emails in the first week can lead to high unsubscribe rates, especially for users who haven’t seen value yet.

What’s the difference between onboarding and activation emails?

Onboarding emails guide users through initial setup and first steps. Activation emails drive users to experience your product’s core value (their “Aha! Moment”) after setup is complete.

Can I integrate Brevo with my SaaS product?

Yes, Brevo offers a REST API, Zapier integration, and native integrations with popular SaaS tools like Stripe, Segment, and HubSpot. Most startups can set up integrations in under an hour.

Conclusion

Onboarding and activation email sequences are the backbone of SaaS user retention, and Brevo makes it easy for startups to build these sequences without breaking the bank. By following the steps above, you can reduce churn, drive more upgrades, and build a loyal user base.

Ready to get started? Sign up for Brevo’s free plan today to build your first onboarding sequence in minutes. Or, audit your existing email sequences against the best practices above to boost their performance.

Internal linking ideas: Link to your existing guide on “SaaS Churn Reduction Tips” or “How to Define Your SaaS Aha! Moment” to keep readers on your site longer.

External authority reference: As per ChartMogul’s 2024 SaaS Churn Report, reducing early churn by 10% can increase revenue by 30% over 12 months.