A one email onboarding strategy that breaks all the rules
Most SaaS send too many emails that users ignore. Resend keeps it simple.
When you sign up for a SaaS, you expect onboarding emails to help you use the product.
Like it or not, these emails are essential. They help users get value faster.
But recently, I signed up to Resend.
(I’m working on lemlist’s new onboarding email flow, so I wanted to see what others do.)
And Resend surprised me:
👉 Their entire onboarding is just one email.
Let’s break down how and why it works.
1. What is Resend (aka why they do that)
Resend is a modern email editor for developers.
Not marketers. Not founders.
Only developers.
👉 That changes everything.
Unlike typical email editors designed for marketers or founders, Resend’s ICP is developers only.
So Resend rewrote the playbook and tailored everything to devs.
Devs read docs. They love precision. They dive deep.
So they skipped the usual “best practices” marketers blindly follow.
I’m no expert on devs, but one thing is clear:
Devs read documentation way more than marketers or founders.
They prefer solid docs over dozens of onboarding emails.
That’s why Resend sends only one onboarding email.
They trust their free trial users will read it. And they won’t spam their inbox for 10 days.
2. The email
Here’s what Resend’s one email looks like:
A quick, human intro from the founder, Zeno
Why Resend exists: a simple, fast, elegant email API that just works, for developers
Three clear steps:
Send your first email
Add your domain
Check the docs
This structure is very similar to what we use at lemlist for technical onboarding emails.
They provide the bare minimum info needed to get started and activate users quickly.
But Resend goes a bit further.
Because they know there won’t be any follow-up onboarding emails (except product updates when new features launch).
So they keep it short and useful. No fluff.
The email structure and copy confirms. It’s a tool made for devs, by devs:
You can read it all in one go.
Each section is short and sharp.
Section 1: Humanisation + The why of Resend
The founder introduces himself and explains why they built Resend.
You’ll notice the phrase “just works”.
These simple 2 words speak volumes to developers.
This means no bugs. No complicated setup. No extra noise.
They can do it because their product goal is simple: send emails reliably.
So in this context, the 2 words “just works” builds trust instantly.
Section 2: Three simple steps to get started
Only three steps. No overwhelming checklist.
The last step is “check the docs.”
Even if you’re not a developer, the docs are well-made and easy to follow:
You can quickly identify your current tech stack, then follow a recipe-like guide inside the app to configure Resend.
Devs love this. They want solid documentation, not hand-holding emails.
Section 3: Engagement through conversation
At the end, they boldly ask:
“Why did you sign up? What brought you here?”
This is a clever move I’ve seen in other onboarding emails targeting technical audiences.
It encourages replies and creates a feeling of community.
For developers, knowledge sharing and direct communication matter a lot.
This transforms a simple onboarding email into a relationship builder.
The key takeaway for you
I’m not saying you should cut all emails from your onboarding.
But you need to rethink your ICP. (especially if you’re targeting several ICPs).
How do they work? How do they read? How much time are they willing to spend?
Most SaaS send dozens of onboarding emails with low open rates.
Resend shows you can do less and still win.
So look at your flow:
Are you matching your ICP’s habits?
Are your emails actually read?
Or are you just sending noise?
Ship smarter.