Welcome Emails Best Practices
Written by: Scott Cohen
Everyone loves to be welcomed, right? Your email marketing program must be the message deliverer to do just that: Welcome new subscribers to your brand.
Why? Because you must respect the exchange that just took place. A person has given you their email address (and possibly more contact information) in exchange for learning more about your company.
They are asking for information. Raising their hand. And first impressions are everything.
It’s time to deliver your value.
Welcome Emails Outperform Nearly All Other Emails
Welcome emails are a critical, foundational component of an email marketing program.
The proof is in the performance (per Mailmodo):
Immediate Engagement
of subscribers expect to receive a welcome email immediately after signing up.
Higher Conversion Rates
A series of three welcome emails can generate 90% more orders than a single welcome email.
Welcome emails typically achieve a 4-5x improvement in click-through rates as compared to other types of emails.
Higher Open Rates
Taking advantage of the “attention boost” is huge as welcome emails generate an average open of 68% or better.
Huge First Purchase Driver
Automated welcome emails make up nearly 47% of email-driven sales (per EmailTooltester.com)
Despite these numbers, less than 60% of brands include Welcome emails as part of their marketing strategies
Define The Goal for Your Welcome Program!
At the heart of your welcome program, you need to answer these questions for your subscribers:
-
What problems or issues is your product or service designed to solve? -
What value will I receive by being on your list? -
What are you expecting me to do now?
Establishing key performance metrics will be crucial for evaluating your welcome program.
Ask yourself:
What is the goal of my welcome program?
Are you driving a purchase?
A content download?
A phone appointment?
A membership registration?
evaluate everything from there.
Define “What’s Next?” with Easy-to-Use Calls to Action
Don’t make your subscribers think too hard about what you want them to do. Encourage the subscriber to take the desired action, whether it’s taking advantage of a special offer, completing a survey, or simply following you on social media.
Think Mobile-First Design
A significant portion of users read emails on their smartphones. Optimize your email designs for mobile devices, even thinking “mobile-then-desktop,” not the other way around.
Do you cultivate a strong social media presence on various platforms that are useful for your customers and subscribers? Encourage your subscribers to follow you and join these communities to learn more about your brand.
Test, test, and test some more
There’s no “set it and forget it” with your welcome program. Regularly A/B test different elements of your welcome emails, such as subject lines, CTAs, and visuals, to optimize performance.
Segment and Personalize as Appropriate
Leverage any data you might be collecting about your subscribers and customers to create and deliver more targeted and relevant content to the different audiences. Personalize with “first name” and other data points to set a proper foundation for a relationship between you and your recipients.
By implementing these best practices, you’ll have the key fundamentals in place to create impactful welcome emails that engage your subscribers from the outset and foster long-term loyalty to your brand.
Best Practices for Crafting Welcome Emails
Welcome emails are the first step toward building the foundation of your brand image.
Here are some ways you can ensure you put your best foot forward:
Say Thank You
Show appreciation for signing up or making a purchase. Seems simple, but builds goodwill from the start.
Deliver on Your Promise
You can offer a discount, free trial, exclusive content, and more as a way to drive signups. Make sure you deliver those incentives right away to encourage engagement and conversions.
Set Expectations
These first-time hand-raisers are going to want to know what value they will derive from being on your mailing list. Clearly define this value and outline what the subscriber can expect from your emails, namely content frequency and types of information you’ll be sending.
Highlight Key Benefits to the Recipient
Deliver an overview of who you are and what your brand stands for. Showcase the benefits that your products or services provide for your customers. These value statements will help spark interest and drive initial conversions and sales.
Segment and Personalize as Appropriate
Leverage any data you might be collecting about your subscribers and customers to create and deliver more targeted and relevant content to the different audiences. Personalize with “first name” and other data points to set a proper foundation for a relationship between you and your recipients.
How Many Welcome Emails Should I Send?
1. Single email is a MUST-HAVE.
2. A series of emails is even better.
The number and timing of messages within the series depends on a number of factors, including:
- The Incentive Offered at Signup.
- The Price of Your Product or Service. The higher the price, the longer the consideration cycle. You’ll want to send more welcome emails.
Single Welcome Email
Sent immediately after signup. Incorporate the following:
- A “thank you” for signing up.
- Setting of expectations for what value they’ll receive by being on the list.
- Delivery of applicable incentives.
- CTA for applicable next steps (Buy Now, Learn More, etc.)
Email Welcome Series for a Retail Ecommerce Site
Three (3) emails is a great place to start. You can start with the ideas below,
then test and iterate on offers, content, and more.
Sent immediately after signup. Incorporate the following:
- A “thank you” for signing up.
- Setting of expectations for what value they’ll receive by being on the list.
- Delivery of applicable incentives.
- CTA for applicable next steps (Buy Now, Learn More, etc.)
Sent immediately after signup. Incorporate the following:
- A bit more of your brand story.
- Top products and bestsellers features.
- Reminder of applicable incentives.
- CTA for applicable next steps (Buy Now, Learn More, etc.)
Sent immediately after signup. Incorporate the following:
- Top testimonials and UGC.
- Ask for more customer information via a survey.
- Final reminder of sign-up incentives (if applicable)
- CTA for applicable next steps (Buy Now, Learn More, etc.)
Note: If a subscriber makes a purchase before the end of the journey, drop them out!
Need Expert Help in Setting Up Your Welcome Program?
InboxArmy is a full-service email marketing and lifecycle marketing agency specializing in email marketing, SMS, push, and in-app messaging execution, strategy, and design. We work with global brands, agencies, and businesses of all sizes and industries.
Get a free consultation today.
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