Turn Users Into Stakeholders With One Simple Email
Retention in Action #3
Practical teardowns to help you optimize user engagement and retention.
Letting users shape your roadmap builds loyalty, trust and buy-in.
You’re not just asking them to use the product—you’re inviting them to help create it.
At the very bottom of the product update email featured in RIA #2, ClickUp included this:
It’s a feature voting prompt.
It’s an invitation for users to weigh in on what ClickUp builds next.
And it’s exactly the kind of thing worth spotlighting.
But instead of giving it space to breathe, ClickUp tucked it beneath a long, meandering product update email that was already asking a lot from their reader’s attention.
And that’s a huge missed opportunity.
When you’re asking users to help shape your roadmap, that’s not just any old CTA.
It’s a trust-building moment.
And it deserves its own message.
Because feedback isn’t filler. It’s how you turn users into loyal contributors.
And when you give it space to stand on its own, it’s far more likely to get the attention—and action—it deserves.
From User to Stakeholder: The Psychology of Ownership
Asking your users to vote on a feature might make you feel like you’re being a nuisance.
You might think: Will this annoy them? Will they even care?
But most users don’t see it as a hassle.
They see it as a compliment.
You see, being asked for input signals that their opinion matters.
When you ask for their opinion you’re showing them that they’re more than just a seat on your usage chart.
And when you give people a chance to shape what’s coming next, something interesting happens.
They start to care more about the outcome.
That’s effort justification in action.
Once someone takes even a small action, like casting a vote, they subconsciously increase the value they place on the result.
I gave you my opinion, so now I want to see what you do with it.
This pairs with the IKEA effect, where people overvalue things they’ve helped create.
Even if all they did was click a button, that tiny contribution changes the relationship.
The feature they voted on? It’s no longer just a roadmap item: it’s their idea, too.
That’s how you turn a passive user into someone who’s emotionally invested in what comes next.
And when that feature ships?
You’re not just updating your app.
You’re proving that their voice matters.
And people tend to stick around longer when they feel valued.
The Email I’d Send Instead
ClickUp’s feature voting prompt was crammed under a really long email that included a CTA that kicked you out of the email and straight into the land of cat videos (aka YouTube) and a super-long list of unrelated feature updates.
So if you’re going to ask users to help shape your roadmap, give that moment the space it deserves.
Subject Line:
This subject line works because it’s benefit-driven and action-oriented.
"Vote" is a clear verb with a sense of agency and importance.
And "What ships next" hints at exciting future changes, piquing your reader’s curiosity.
Also, this subject line is clear, actionable and puts the user in control. “You choose what’s next” is a powerful framing.
Preview Text:
This preview text creates a curiosity gap: which features?
It also reinforces a sense of participation and momentum by acknowledging your reader’s past input.
Body Copy:
Take a minute to weigh in on the features you want to see next.
Your feedback helps us prioritize what really matters, so ClickUp works better for you.
The structure of this body copy is skimmable and punchy.
Further, it shows that you can do a lot in a small amount of space if every word pulls its weight.
In just two lines, your reader has a reason to act because the benefit they'll get is clear.
CTA:
Vote for Your Most-Wanted Features →
This CTA leads with a strong action verb, “Vote”.
It’s also emotionally charged (“Most-Wanted”), and as a whole, capitalizes on the desire for influence and exclusivity.
Body Copy Continued:
Here’s what’s already in progress—thanks to votes like yours:
Custom Fields by Task Type (in progress): Show only the fields that matter for each task type. Cleaner views, less clutter.
Set Vacation Days/Leave (in progress): Mark your non-working days so teammates don’t assign tasks to you while you’re out.
Share Entire Screen in Desktop SyncUps (in progress): Present outside the box—literally. Share your whole screen during meetings.
The subhead, “Here’s what’s already in progress—thanks to votes like yours” creates a sense of ownership and shows your reader that their votes actually matter.
I tightened up the existing copy listing the feature requests that are in progress because the original copy is wordy and task-centered.
Now, the copy is easier to read and leads with the benefit while putting the user first.
Make This Email the Start of a Full Engagement Loop
Voting is just the beginning.
When someone takes the time to weigh in, don’t let it end there.
Follow up.
Close the loop you opened with this email by following up with what you built and what’s coming next, so your users stay invested.
Share what feature got the most votes.
Preview what’s shipping soon.
Better yet, give top contributors early access or insider updates.
That turns a single moment of input into an ongoing relationship.
These simple follow-ups show your users that their vote wasn’t just collected.
Following-up shows your users that their feedback was heard, valued and acted on.
And that’s how you close the loop.
Not just with a thank-you, but with proof that you value your user.
Put These Retention in Action Lessons to Work
Your best users don’t just want to use the product.
They want to help shape it.
So give them a seat at the table with an email that invites action, rewards curiosity and builds true buy-in.
Lead with clear messaging, highlight their impact and make your CTA feel like an invitation, not an ask.
The best retention strategy doesn’t always come from what you build.
It comes from who you build it with.
And if you give these lessons a shot, let me know how it goes. I genuinely want to hear about your wins, your lessons—and even your challenges.