Before launch · Template

Waitlist confirmation email: what to write

Someone just joined your waitlist. This is when they're most interested. A short, human email now does more than a fancy launch campaign later.

What the first email should do

1. Confirm it worked. People forget a form within seconds.
2. Remind them what they signed up for, in one line.
3. Say what happens next, and roughly when.
4. Give them a way to talk to you.

That's all. No feature list, no long story.

Template 1: the short one

Subject: You're on the [Product] waitlist

Hi,

Thanks for joining the waitlist for [Product], [one line: what it does].

We'll email you when you can try it. We expect that to be
[this spring / in a few weeks / when the first version is stable].
Until then, we won't send anything else.

If you have a question, just reply to this email.

[Your name]

Template 2: the one that starts a conversation

This one adds a question. The replies are some of the most useful research you'll ever get.

Subject: Quick question about [problem]

Hi,

Thanks for joining the [Product] waitlist. You'll hear from me
when it's ready to try.

One question, if you have a minute: what do you use today for
[problem], and what's the most annoying part?

Just hit reply. I read every answer, and it shapes what we build first.

[Your name]
[Product], [one line]

Send it from a real person's address, not “noreply.” The replies are the point.

Template 3: “your access is ready”

When you open the doors, send a second email. Make the next step obvious.

Subject: Your [Product] access is ready

Hi,

You joined the [Product] waitlist on [date]. Your spot is ready.

Start here: [link]

Setup takes about [2 minutes]. If anything is confusing, reply and
tell me. That's exactly what I need to hear in these early weeks.

[Your name]

Mention the date they joined. It helps people remember who you are. A launch email from a name they don't recognise often gets marked as spam.

Subject lines that work

Plain and specific: “You're on the [Product] waitlist,” “Your [Product] access is ready,” “Quick question about [problem].” Skip capital letters, rows of emojis and “Don't miss out!” They look like spam, to people and to spam filters.

Mistakes to avoid

• Months of silence. If launch is far away, one short update in between keeps people from forgetting you.
• Made-up positions. “You're #4,213 in line!” only works if the number is real and means something.
• Surprise newsletters. Don't add people to marketing emails they didn't ask for.
• No way out. Include an easy way to leave the list, especially when you send from an email tool.

MVPKit collects waitlist signups for each of your projects and shows them in your workspace. It doesn't send emails to your list yet, so send these from the email tool you already use.