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Whether you’re launching a new credit card or looking to rejuvenate a card activation campaign that hasn’t yielded the expected results, our innovative Core 8 credit card activation email series is designed to deliver exceptional results and drive long-term cardholder engagement.
STAT
Cardholders who activate within 30 days spend 30% more.
“The First 30 Days of Card Issuance: What Healthcare Professionals Can Learn from the Payments Industry in Driving Engagement,” TSYS, 2019
What is the Core 8 card activation email series?
This strategic email framework can be customized to meet your brand’s unique needs. Based on our decades of experience working on credit card email activation series, we have developed the Core 8 framework. This framework consists of essential communication touchpoints necessary to successfully engage and onboard cardholders.
1. WELCOME
Your card is on the way with a core value prop message
2. ACTIVATION
Activation now and how to start earning points
GENERAL PURCHASE
Start earning points and a reiteration of the core value prop
RECURRING BILL PAY
Set up recurring bill pay (could include a get XXX offer)
AUTHORIZED BUYER
Add an authorized buyer(s) to share credit with family, track spending in one place, and earn more points
DIGITAL WALLET
Add your card to your digital wallet
BENEFITS
Benefits of having the card beyond earning points (e.g., Visa Signature, World Mastercard, etc.)
BALANCE TRANSFER
Take advantage of your introductory rate by transferring a balance(s) from your other cards
Here’s how to structure a high-performing email series for credit card activations:
- Welcome
Let customers know their card is on the way, express excitement, and reinforce the card’s core value proposition. - Activation
Provide clear, step-by-step activation instructions emphasizing the benefits of using the card right away (e.g. Earning points that can be used toward your next vacation).
After the initial touchpoints of Welcome and Activation, the remaining elements can be sequenced to fit your timeline and campaign strategy:
- General purchase
Encourage the first purchase and remind users of key perks (e.g. “Save on interest while earning rewards”). - Recurring bill pay
Promote setting up automatic payments for convenience, can be paired with additional offer/incentive (e.g. “Set it and forget it plus earn an extra 1,000 when you XYZ”). - Authorized buyer
Highlight the benefits of adding authorized user(s) to maximize card benefits (e.g. “Add authorized buyers to your account to track spending and earn points faster”). - Digital wallet
Present the ease and security of adding card to a digital wallet. - Benefits
Showcase perks beyond reward points (e.g. Visa Signature benefits or World Mastercard benefits). - Balance transfer
While not all cards offer balance transfers, those that do can be used to emphasize the advantages (e.g. Lower rates, simplify payments, save on interest, or pay down debt).
Each of the Core 8 elements can be expanded into targeted, multi-email flows to enhance key parts of the campaign.
While a single activation email is an option, a Spend & Get card activation offer flow incentivizes cardholders to activate their cards through special offers and timely reminders. Meanwhile, a Spend & Get alternate card activation flow rewards cardholders who activate without an offer, encouraging ongoing engagement with a follow-up incentive.
SPEND OFFER SUCCESS
Congratulations you met the requirements and will receive a $XXX credit on your next statement
30-DAY SPEND OFFER REMINDER
Don’t miss out on your $XXX statement credit
10-DAY SPEND OFFER REMINDER
Don’t miss out on your $XXX statement credit
Spend & get offer flow
- Spend offer success
Notifies cardholders when they’ve met spending requirements and informs them of their reward (e.g. “Congrats! You met the requirement and will receive bonus points”). - 30-day reminder
Sends a reminder about the offer period to keep the opportunity top of mind and encourage spending to meet offer requirements (e.g. “Don’t miss out on your bonus offer”). - 10-day reminder
Provides a final nudge as the offer deadline approaches, creating urgency and encouraging last-minute actions to meet the requirement (e.g. “You’re limited-time offer is about to expire”).
FIRST PURCHASE SUCCESS
You are on your way to getting your $XXX statement credit
NOT USED CARD
Don’t miss out on your $XXX statement credit
Alternate Spend & Get motivational flow
Acknowledges alternative activation paths and incentivizes continued engagement.
- First purchase success
Acknowledges first purchase and encourages continued usage to build momentum (e.g. “You’re on your way to getting rewarded”). - Not used card
Reminds cardholders of missed opportunities and potential rewards lost by not using the card (e.g. “Don’t miss out on a special bonus”).
PAPERLESS BILLING
Enroll in paperless billing to view and manage account anywhere, anytime
ACCOUNT ENROLLMENT
Enroll for 24/7 online access to view statements, make payments, and instantly lock or unlock your card
General services flow
Ongoing emails being sent to cardholders by the bank to keep cardholders informed about services, updates, and helpful tips.
- Paperless billing
How to enroll for benefits like convenience and accessibility (e.g. “View bills and manage account anywhere, anytime”). - Account enrollment
Unlocks access to benefits like online features and card controls (e.g. “Enroll for 24/7 access to view statements, make payments, and lock or unlock your card”).
PRO TIP
Leverage general service reminders as opportunities for subtle card activation nudges. For example, by encouraging paperless billing, you will save mailing costs while seamlessly encouraging activation, enhancing the cardholder experience organically.
Using the Core 8 framework
Before launching a card, decide the number of days you will use for your card activation sequence. We use 120 days as an example in the email series below.
Next, strategically slot the Core 8 elements, activation offer flows, general services touchpoints, and any additional perks. Incorporate optional touchpoints, such as value-added financial wellness tips or a birthday benefit, to personalize the experience, keep your card top of wallet, and drive higher engagement.
This is an example of what a campaign using the Core 8 framework would look like with financial education content and a limited-time offer for a $150 bonus.
Thinking about trying the Core 8 framework? We can help you determine the best cadence for your audience and identify additional touchpoints that can create even more value.
Tailor the Core 8 framework to meet your business needs
Contact UsWhy acting fast matters
The best card programs or offers can attract a flood of new cardholders, but without an effective credit card activation email campaign, those cards might never get used. Relying solely on tactics like direct mail for activation often isn’t enough.
A successful strategy requires multiple touchpoints to engage and activate cardholders quickly and effectively. While Core 8 is the minimum, the sky is the limit. For one client, we designed a series of 19!
Why Core 8 card activation series works
We explore psychological barriers that prevent cardholders from taking action, even when it benefits them, in Credit card activation: How to encourage cardholders to start using their card effectively. The longer activation is delayed, the harder it becomes to shift their behavior. That’s why designing a credit card activation email series that works is key.
Our carefully designed card activation email series breaks through potential barriers, using tactics that compel cardholders into action:
- Remove friction
Make activation effortless (e.g., “Activate in 60 seconds”). - Create urgency
Add time-sensitive incentives (e.g., “Activate by Friday to get a $20 bonus”). - Leverage social proof
Highlight activation trends (e.g., “90% of cardholders have already activated”).
PRO TIP
Design for mobile. Between 2019 and 2023, mobile banking saw a significant surge, with customer interactions via mobile increasing by 127%.
McKinsey & Company, Mobile Money Matters, August 2024.
Activating credit card holders now unlocks long-term engagement later
Using the Core 8 credit card activation email series strategically addresses behavioral barriers, turning new cardholders into active, engaged users. This approach helps you not only boost initial card activation rates but also drives sustained engagement, maximizing the full potential of your credit card marketing program.
Whether you’re planning a new card launch via email or optimizing your credit card activation series, a well-orchestrated activation email campaign ensures your cards don’t just land in wallets, they get used.
Take your card marketing to the next level
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Insight Written by Kelly Ball, CEO
