First, a few questions for you.
Are you sending welcome emails?
(More than a single “welcome to My Business — now buy my stuff” email?)
If your answer is NO, you’re missing the opportunity to strengthen KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST.
Plus, you’re leaving bundles of cash on the table.
Here’s why.
The average open rate for welcome emails is an eye-popping 50%. That’s 86% more than broadcast messages, according to MarketingSherpa.
Satisfied customers eagerly stick and stay, which drives lifetime customer value percentages through the roof.
Your welcome emails set the foundation for the customer experience with your brand.
But sending emails all about YOU leaves your customers wondering what’s in it for them.
And if you don’t tell them, they’ll slip out your virtual back door.
Instead? Lead with the benefits your products or services offer your shoppers.
Are you letting subscribers choose what information they’ll receive from your brand? And how often?
Here’s the reason I ask. 👇🏾
Willy-nilly batch and blast emails may work IF you’re lucky. But mostly, it’s just a fast way to leapfrog into the spam folder.
Or get a firm click on your UNSUBSCRIBE link.
Are you sending subscribers what you promised them to get their email addresses?
Hoarding email addresses (like a digital squirrel) . . .
. . . and not sending whatever thing you promised is NO BUENO.
The people behind those email addresses showed interest in what you offer. They’re trusting you to hold up your end of the bargain. (Don’t let them down.)
The fact is, it’s EASY to make these mistakes. The good news is you can fix them with a few essential emails.
Not templates, but targeted messaging specific to your user’s experiences.
Welcome sequences should start immediately after your visitor connects with your brand by:
- Joining your email list
- Making their first purchase
- Starting a free trial
Shoppers taking these actions are most interested in and excited about YOUR brand at that exact moment. (Why miss this profitable relationship-building opportunity?)
Your welcome email sequence makes customers feel wanted. And the stats and email responses offer insights to help keep shoppers on board.
Gather the deets through self-segmentation or one or two-question surveys. Or ask an open-ended question. Then, prompt the reader to respond to your email.
Use the responses to give customers what they need to stay with you like . . .
. . . tutorials, blog posts, videos to guide them in the use of your products or inform your customers about the latest industry news.
Deliver the goods to help them bond to your brand like super glue!
Satisfied customers share great experiences with family and friends, adding more cash to your bottom line.
Wondering how many emails to send?
Keep reading.
How many emails should you create per sequence? And why?
The standard number of emails for a welcome sequence is four to seven. Of course, a single welcome email is better than none, but the ROI is significantly higher with a series.
And who doesn’t want MORE SALES?!
Your welcome email sequence helps to:
✔️ Get your customers comfortable with receiving and opening emails from your brand
✔️ Keep your brand top of mind making it a no-brainer to buy again and again
✔️ Help you find out what customers need from you to get them to stick and stay
It’s an incredible opportunity to:
→ Share your brand story
→ Reinforce the perks of being a subscriber to your list
→ Make it super simple for customers to use your products or services
→ Set expectations (How often will you send emails?)
→ Segment your new subscribers (Send what’s important to THEM, not you!)
Yup! All the things. You will level up the experience customers have with your brand.
And in return?
You can gain off-the-charts customer retention rates.
Up next? When to send your emails.
So, exactly when should you send your welcome emails?
Best answer? The timing of your welcome emails depends on the number of emails you’re sending and your industry.
No matter what, email number one goes out as soon as new subscribers sign up or shoppers buy their first item.
But for starters . . .
The Fibonacci sequence is a great baseline to set up your welcome emails for success and goes as follows:
Email #1 — Day 1 (Welcome Immediately after opt-in, purchase, or trial sign-up)
Email #1 — Day 1 (1st email in your welcome sequence)
Email #2 — Day 2 (1+1=2)
Email #3 — Day 3 (2+1=3)
Email #4 — Day 5 (2+3=5)
Email #5 — Day 8 (3+5=8)
Email #6 — Day 13 (5+8=13)
Email #7 — Day 21 (8+13=21)
As the series goes on, the days between emails grow further apart. And the CTA’s in the emails can branch off into new sequences based on your customer’s actions.
Okay, I know you’re probably thinking, “Robin, WHAT goes into the new sequences?” No worries, the profit-boosting deets are heading to this blog soon. (Don’t miss it!)
For now?
Back to what I was saying . . .
When you have your welcome email sequences in place, don’t set them and forget them. (OPTIMIZE them)
How to optimize your welcome emails to get more engagement
Check your emails by monitoring open, click-through, and conversion rates.
Then, A/B test to determine what is or isn’t working and make changes. And use insights from customer feedback. (Rinse and repeat!)
Remember to change one element at a time.
For example, if your open rates are down, try a new subject line or change the preheader text, not both.
If the click-through rates are down, change the hook of the email or the CTA.
And each line of the email should move the reader to the next line — NO FLUFF.
Your message needs to be clear, engaging, concise, and intentional. Every email needs a purpose like promoting an offer, value-based content, or a feedback request. And it should read like a conversation with a friend.
(Don’t send emails just because you can.)
And send more customer-focused emails than promotional ones to nurture your subscribers and elevate their experience with your brand.
To help put the pieces together . . .
I don’t like the phrase “tear down,” so here’s a build-up of a welcome email from Meow Meow Tweet.
Here’s the original email:
The text of the original email reads as follows:
Hey, Cool Cat —
Welcome to our small part of the world—a place where we make vegan products for your face and body that are designed to make you feel good.
We take pride in making everything in small batches, with care for you and the planet. That means low packaging waste, cruelty- and palm-oil-free goods, Leaping Bunny certification (no animal testing), and using only the purest organic plant oils + butters and steam-distilled + cold-pressed essential oils.
Since you’re new here, we thought we’d offer you 10% off to make yourself comfy and give something a try. Maybe you’d like to start with a plastic-free natural deo? (Not a hint! It just happens to be a customer favorite.)
Code: NEWFRIEND10
Thanks for stopping by.
Love,
Jeff & Tara
Meow Meow Tweet Founders
And here’s the “built-up” version.
You’ll notice the super cool (but distracting) artwork is replaced with the brand’s logo.
And here’s the revised text:
Feel-good organic vegan products for your face and body
Hey Cool Cat!
Welcome to Meow Meow Tweet!
Start your feel-good skin journey with 10% off your first order.
Enter Code: NEWFRIEND10 at checkout.
Meow Meow Tweet uses pure organic plant oils and premium essential oils only.
(No harmful chemicals ever.)
We mix in small batches to deliver the highest quality products to you.
Our products are 100% palm oil-free and Leaping Bunny Certified. And we use low-waste packaging for every item.
[Treat your skin to our lush face and body collections.]
Not sure where to start? Try our natural deodorant — It’s the cat’s meow!
(Seriously, our customers can’t get enough of it.)
Best natural deodorant
I have tried other natural deodorants, and this is the only one that keeps us sweat-free and smelling fresh all day long. It’s amazing. — Dana R.
Shop our purrfect collection of premium vegan skin care products and save 10% off your first order.
From Jeff, Tara, and Team
Enter code: NEWFRIEND10 at checkout.
[Shop The Collection]
Free Shipping for orders over $45.00
Low Waste Packaging | 100% Palm Oil Free | Leaping Bunny Certified
Now the reader sees a:
✓ Headline that tells what Meow Meow Tweet offers
✓ Greeting and welcome plus the discount as promised
✓ Key product details their vegan audience needs to know
And subscribers can read all these details without scrolling down. The CTA [Treat your skin to our lush face and body collections.] encourages the subscriber to shop so they’ll use the discount.
Also, their best-selling product is now prominently featured with an image and a customer review.
Then, the reader is reminded about the 10% discount and prompted with another CTA to [Shop the Collection].
The takeaway is . . .
Keep the reader in mind as you write your emails. And give shoppers the information they need to make a decision and a specific action to take.
Watch your stats and your revenue. Then optimize your emails as needed.
Not sure what to include in your welcome emails or even how to get started?
Schedule your no-obligation chat right here.