What is a welcome email anyway? We’re glad you asked.
This greeting is the first email your subscribers receive from your business after signing up for your list. While you can certainly keep it short and sweet, a welcome email offers tons of possibilities. After all, it’s your opportunity to introduce your brand, connect with new subscribers, and roll out the red carpet.
Whether your brand just launched last week or your business is poised to scale, you should send a welcome email to new list subscribers. Take a look at some of the goals these automated messages can accomplish.
Tell Your Story
Every brand has a story — and a welcome email is the perfect time to share it. Think of this greeting as your opportunity to make a great first impression. You can use it to connect with your customers by sharing:
- Quick intros to the faces behind the brand
- Your brand’s mission
- The unbelievable turn of events that inspired you to launch
- How your brand gives back to the community
Share a Limited-Time Offer
Everyone could use a little incentive to sign up for your email list. After all, your subscribers want to know what’s in it for them. If they don’t receive something in exchange for giving away their email address, they might opt not to join your list.
You can easily encourage signups by sharing a limited-time offer or a discount with new subscribers. Adding this feature to your welcome email couldn’t be easier. Just include a promo code or a unique link in the email, along with easy instructions for redeeming the offer.
Make a Sale
Don’t have a discount to offer? Don’t worry about it. You can still showcase your brand’s amazing products — even if you’re offering them at full price.
The beauty of welcome emails is that they arrive automatically, typically within a minute or two of signup. That means your message will arrive when your brand is still fresh in your new subscribers’ minds. If their interest level was high enough to prompt them to subscribe to your list, there’s a good chance that seeing your brand land in their inbox may prompt them to take the plunge. Adding links to your online store and sharing fabulous photos of your products are smart ways to entice new subscribers to open their wallets.
Provide Value
If you’ve been in business long enough, you know that not every potential customer wants to buy right away. Some customers fall in love with your brand right away. Others need to shop around before making a decision. Still others need to learn more about your products’ benefits before making a purchase.
Welcome emails give you a fantastic platform to provide added value to customers who need an extra nudge. How? Answer a few frequently asked questions to clear up confusion. Feature mouth-watering recipes to show customers what they can make with your products. Share links to popular blog posts to point subscribers toward helpful tips or exclusive information.
Start a Great Relationship
Strong relationships are the foundation of every business, no matter how big or small your brand might be. Want to make sure you don’t miss a single opportunity to nurture relationships with customers? Start with your welcome email.
Tell new subscribers exactly what to expect from your email list. Don’t be afraid to list benefits like seasonal specials or breaking news. Then help your subscribers feel less like customers and more like valued members of your team. Invite them to contact you with questions, concerns, and reviews. Point them toward your customer service email, your website contact form, or your chatbot — and make sure you respond in a timely manner.
Build Trust
Your introductory email is just the first of many messages you’ll send subscribers over the course of your relationship. From newsletters to promo emails to new product launches, you’ll want to communicate with your list regularly.
But your first message is the key to building trust and securing a spot in subscribers’ inboxes. Since welcome emails have an impressively high average open rate of about 50%, there’s a great chance that subscribers will actually open and read this initial message. Use this opportunity to ask subscribers to whitelist your brand or add your email address to their contacts list. This simple ask ensures that your messages land in inboxes — and makes sure subscribers never miss your emails.
Want to start building a personal connection with your customers or boosting your sales numbers but don’t have time to write an irresistible email yourself? We’ll help you save time while still achieving your goals. Grab your ideal email marketing package, and our team will create an automated welcome email that gets your subscribers talking.
Want more online marketing insights for small businesses? Subscribe to the Sonnenberg Media list to receive our best tips every month!