6 minute read time
Create the Perfect Welcome Email for Your New Subscribers
This is a guest post from Mark Coleman at MarkupTrend.
Running a full-fledged blog, website, or online business is about creating a smooth experience for visitors so you can transition them into a loyal subscriber base. Loyal customers are crucial, because they can increase traffic to your site and materialize sales for your business.
Since subscribers are so vital to your company, it’s very important to retain the existing customers on your list as well as welcome new ones. Remember, though, retention is comparatively easier, and acquisition can actually be more expensive.
If you’re someone who has been struggling with the task of getting new subscribers, here’s a tip. If you’re really looking to attract new subscribers (and keep them), it’s important to take special care with your welcome email.
The perfect welcome email can do wonders for your email metrics. After all, this introductory email is truly a first impression for your messaging.
Read on for some actionable tips that will help you craft that perfect welcome email for your new subscribers.
Why should your welcome email go above and beyond?
A simple way to put the above question into perspective? Consider how your subscribers feel. With so much content to consume and so many amazing blogs and websites out there, being a subscriber can get overwhelming fast.
So, creating a beautiful welcome email is a perfect way to show subscribers you’ll send quality content every time.
According to ChiefMarketer report, the average open rate for welcome emails is around 60%. That’s much higher than the average email open rate, which according to Campaign Monitor research, is 17.92% across all industries.
In other words, your welcome emails are likely to be opened and engaged with: In fact, users who receive welcome emails show 33% more engagement with the brand.
The anatomy of a perfect welcome email
Maybe you’ve seen Campaign Monitor’s anatomy of an email infographic: If you have, you know there are several things you can add to an email to make it look and perform better. So, what makes up a great welcome email specifically?
For one, your welcome email should be short and sweet. The copy of your welcome email should offer some great information, but not so much that you bore subscribers.
This email should clearly communicate the vision of your business, helping new subscribers feel connected to your mission. See how Warby Parker’s welcome campaign connects new subscribers to their mission.
Simply put, a great welcome email should be friendly, genuine, and it should encourage people to buy. This is because welcome emails on average generate up to 320% more revenue per email than other promotional emails.
Read on to learn how can you influence your new subscribers with these welcome email musts.
Welcome email musts
Perfect your email subject line
Your welcome email is a point of conversion. This is why the subject line of your welcome email is crucial: A good subject line can convince readers to open (or ignore) your email.
Make sure your subject line is engaging and clear. Consider using the curiosity gap, one of the main subject line formulas, to encourage subscribers to open.
Begin with a thank you
Once a visitor subscribes to your list, they should feel appreciated. You can easily do this by including a thank you message directly within your welcome email.
Another great way to thank them? Consider including promotion so they’ll start shopping right away, just like Thredup does in its welcome email, which you can see below.
Provide a stellar introduction
After you’ve hooked your readers with a great subject line, it’s time to talk about your company. We hope that you have utilized the best of the eCommerce platforms to build your online store/business. This has to be informative without being too salesy or dry.
Try plugging an explainer video or brief explanation of what all you have to offer your audience. Be sure that you stay on subject, and don’t overwhelm the subscribers with a lot of information.
Talk about the benefits
Your subscribers should know about everything you have in store for them. Setting these expectations will help your subscribers stay engaged. This includes bundling options, referral programs, and loyalty rewards.
Plug your social channels
Once a subscriber receives your welcome email, they’re ready to know more about your brand as a whole, so don’t forget to plug all your social media channels along with links to help subscribers explore further.
Pro-tip: Provide links to other additional resources or ask subscribers to take a quick preference survey. By doing this, you can collect data to further personalize your subscribers’ experiences.
Seal the deal with a CTA
Adding an actionable CTA to your first ever welcome email might sound too promotional. However, new leads are most engaged within the first 48 hours. This means your newest subscribers could be ready to make a purchase from you, so make your welcome email count with the right CTA.
If you’re not selling a product, your CTA can be something else, like a survey or a link to your blog. It’s all about urging subscribers to engage with your content or product offering.
Request feedback
A great business can become even greater by collecting, using, and learning from the feedback that comes from their customer base. In other words, make getting in touch with you simple: Offer easy-to-access support, and don’t send from a no-reply email.
And remember, not all feedback is negative. You can use positive comments as testimonials in your upcoming campaigns.
Keep it subtle
We know the competition is aggressive, and most likely, your marketing strategy is, too. However, this doesn’t mean your emails need to follow in this same style. A welcome email is your first interaction with new subscribers, so keep the salesy language to a minimum.
Instead, take a subtle approach, focusing on the value proposition for your audience and targeting their pain points.
Wrap up
At first glance, a welcome email might seem like an element that demands too much. But remember, welcome emails are your starting point for establishing a longterm relationship with your new subscribers. Plus, with automation, welcome emails can be a simple investment for your marketing team.
With the actionable tips above, you can easily hook your subscribers from the start and build a healthy, beneficial relationship.
Anything we missed? Is there something you always include in your welcome emails? Let us know by dropping a comment below.
About the author:
Mark Coleman is a passionate writer, currently working as an Editor at Markup Trend. Markup Trend offers free resources for developers, designers and webmasters and is updated daily.
