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Waitlist Nurturing Emails

Email your waitlist regularly with something worth reading — progress, lessons, behind-the-scenes — so that on launch day they remember you, trust you and are ready to buy.

Cost
Free
Time to results
Weeks
Difficulty
Easy
Best for
B2B + B2C
0/7

Proof first

5 companies already did this.

Five examples. Most companies don't publish their waitlist emails, so we only used ones whose founders shared the results.

Deep dives

Two case studies, start to finish.

Josh W. Comeau — the waitlist gets the best deal

Josh W. Comeau · 2021

Reward the waitlist · ~$550K in a week

What they built: course update emails, then a coupon the night before

What they didComeau built a waitlist of about 11,000 people for his CSS course alongside his blog newsletter. The night before pre-orders opened, he emailed the waitlist a $20-off coupon, then ran a one-week pre-sale.

Why it workedThe list was made of people who had asked to hear about this exact course, the offer had a deadline, and waiting was rewarded. He says he hit his $50,000 goal in about ten minutes and sold about $550,000 that week (founder-reported).

Copy thisGive your waitlist something nobody else gets — first access or a better price — and a clear date when it ends.

Nathan Barry — earn attention before you ask

Nathan Barry (ConvertKit) · 2014

Content then "tomorrow" · $35,732 in a day

What they built: two blog-post emails and one FAQ email

What they didBarry emailed only the part of his list interested in design. He sent two useful blog posts over two weeks, then a "Tomorrow morning" email the day before launch that answered every question a buyer might have.

Why it workedThe content emails earned attention before he asked for anything, and the FAQ email removed objections in advance. The launch made $35,732 in about 24 hours (founder-reported), and a relaunch to his full list six weeks later made $22,600.

Copy thisSend two genuinely useful emails before the sales email, and answer every objection the day before you open.

The guide

7 steps, each anchored to a real example.

Tick each step off as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser.

Step 1 · ~30 min

Tell people what you'll send when they sign up

On the sign-up page, say exactly what's coming: "One short update every two weeks — progress, early access, and the launch date." Then keep that promise.

KitbeehiivButtondown

How Josh W. Comeau did this step

Illustration

Comeau's update emails open by reminding readers why they're getting them: they signed up for updates about his course.

Source [6] ↓

Step 2 · ~1 hour

Send a welcome email within minutes

Thank them, say what you're building and why, and ask one question they can answer in a line. Replies tell you what people want — and teach inbox providers that your emails are wanted.

Kit automationsMailchimp

How Product Hunt did this step

"Email is the best way to get people to reengage."

Exact quote — see source

Product Hunt began as a basic daily email. Its founder says it proved people cared about the content.

Source [3] ↓

Step 3 · ~2 hours / email

Teach something useful, every week or two

Most emails should help the reader whether or not they ever buy: a lesson, a template, a mistake you made. Save the selling for launch week.

NotionGoogle DocsKit

How Nathan Barry (ConvertKit) did this step

SUBJECT LINE

Illustration

Barry's launch emails began with two blog posts, sent a week apart, before any offer.

Source [2] ↓

Step 4 · ~1 hour

Show the build

Share real progress: screenshots, design choices, how many testers you have, what you cut. People who watched it being made feel part of it.

LoomFigmaScreenshots

How Josh W. Comeau did this step

#CHANGELOG

Illustration

Comeau's update announced the launch date, mentioned about 80 testers and shared behind-the-scenes cover art.

Source [6] ↓

Step 5 · ~15 min

Ask questions, and sort people by the answers

Ask what they'd use it for, or which feature matters most. Tag people by answer, and send the launch to the most interested group first.

Kit tagsTypeformReply tracking

How Nathan Barry (ConvertKit) did this step

Ambassador
Moderator
Member

Illustration

Barry's first launch went only to subscribers who had shown interest in design. The rest of the list got a relaunch six weeks later.

Source [2] ↓

Step 6 · ~1 week before

Run a launch countdown with a real deadline

A week out: announce the date. The day before: an FAQ email. Launch day: the offer. Last day: a reminder that it closes. Deadlines turn intent into action.

Kit sequencesCountdown timer

How Josh W. Comeau did this step

Illustration

Comeau's FAQ email for his next course set a hard deadline: on January 31st, the doors close.

Source [7] ↓

Step 7 · ~Ongoing

Don't make them wait too long

Interest fades. Open early access in small batches rather than keeping everyone waiting for a perfect launch.

Batch invitesWaitlist tool

How SparkToro did this step

Illustration

SparkToro built a waitlist of about 18,000 over two years. Launching during COVID, its founder says it got only a few dozen customers in the first two months.

Source [5] ↓

Before you start

Pros & cons.

Works in your favour

  • Keeps interest warm until launch day
  • Builds trust before you ask for money
  • You learn what people want from their replies
  • You own the list — no algorithm decides who sees it
  • Turns launch day into a sale, not an announcement

Go in with eyes open

  • Takes steady effort, every week or two
  • Too many emails, or too much selling, drives unsubscribes
  • Lists go cold: founders report waitlist-to-paid conversion drops below 10% after three months
  • An email address is not a customer
  • You need proper email setup (SPF, DKIM) or messages land in spam

Make it yours

Three ways to run it.

The Nathan Barry model

Content, then a "tomorrow" email

Two useful emails, then an FAQ the day before you open. Best for courses, books and tools sold to an audience you teach.

The Comeau model

Reward the waitlist

Give waitlist members a better price or first access, with a deadline. Best for one-off launches and pre-sales.

The Product Hunt model

The email is the product

Deliver the value by email before the product exists. Best for media, communities and curation products.

Copy and paste

Templates & resources.

Welcome email

send within minutes of sign-up

Subject: You're on the list for {product}

Hi {name},

Thanks for joining. I'm {you}, and I'm building {product} because {one-line reason}.

What to expect: one short email every {two weeks} — progress, early access and the launch date. No spam.

One question: what made you sign up? Just hit reply — I read every answer.

{You}

Build update

behind the scenes, every week or two

Subject: {Product} update #{n}: {the most interesting thing}

This week:
• Built: {feature} — {screenshot}
• Learned: {one lesson}
• Cut: {what you dropped and why}

Numbers: {testers / waitlist size / progress}

Next: {what's coming}. Launch is {date or "still a few weeks out"}.

Reply and tell me {one question}.
{You}

Launch-eve FAQ email

modeled on Nathan Barry's "tomorrow" email

Subject: Tomorrow morning

Hi {name},

{Product} opens tomorrow at {time, timezone}. Because you're on the waitlist, you get {offer} until {deadline}.

Quick answers:
• What is it? …
• Who is it for (and not for)? …
• What does it cost? …
• Refunds? …

See you tomorrow,
{You}

From the showcase

Be the first founder featured here.

The famous examples above are proof it works. The next founder reading this wants proof it works for someone like them — that could be you.

Used “Waitlist Nurturing Emails”? Submit your product →

Discussion

Tried this? Tell us how it went.

Share a result, ask a question, or say what you'd do differently. The next founder to try this will thank you.

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NOW MAKE IT YOURS

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Receipts

Sources & references.

Last reviewed

  1. 1.
    Josh W. Comeau on CSS for JavaScript Developers: ~$550k in one week (opens in a new tab)

    Failory interview, 2021

  2. 2.
    Nathan Barry: multiple launches, $35,732 in 24 hours (opens in a new tab)

    nathanbarry.com, 2014

  3. 3.
    Product Hunt began as a daily email (opens in a new tab)

    First Round Review, 2015

  4. 4.
    Katelyn Bourgoin: sold out in six minutes, $116,000 (opens in a new tab)

    Kit case study

  5. 5.
    SparkToro's ~18,000-person waitlist and slow COVID launch (opens in a new tab)

    Rand Fishkin, Starter Story, 2021

  6. 6.
    Joy of React update email: launch date, testers, cover art (opens in a new tab)

    Josh W. Comeau, 2022

  7. 7.
    Joy of React FAQ email: "the doors close" (opens in a new tab)

    Josh W. Comeau, 2023

  8. 8.
    What is good waitlist conversion? (opens in a new tab)

    Lenny's Newsletter, 2022

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