Getting your website visitors to submit their email addresses to show interest in hearing from your brand is a good sign. When a subscriber decides to join your email list, it is a positive sentiment, and you need to utilize the opportunity to capitalize it. It is important to set the stage right for your prospects and focus on sending them impressive and engaging welcome emails.
The welcome email is the first and foremost communication that goes out to your new subscriber from your brand. It needs to be sent immediately after the subscriber opts in. It was found in a survey that over 74% of subscribers who submit their email address on a website or sign up for a newsletter expect a welcome email from the brand. This means over 3/4th of your prospects are looking forward to your welcome email.
Moreover, welcome emails are proven to be more engaging than other marketing emails. Take a look at a few statistics:
- Welcome emails have 86% more open rates than other kinds of marketing emails.
- Welcome emails can increase customer engagement rates by 33%.
- With the right messaging, welcome emails can help generate 320% more revenue than usual.
How to Create Welcome Emails?
While the welcome email strategy may differ from brand to brand, there are a few must-have components in your welcome email, such as
- the sender name
- an enticing subject line
- a thank you message for joining
- a personalized message or greeting
- a friendly reminder or introduction about your brand or product
- an exclusive offer or gift for signing up
- an opportunity to follow your brand on other channels
Let us go through six unique types of welcome emails that you can send to your newly added subscribers to get them interested in your brand and convert them into customers.
1. Personalized Welcome Message
Personalization is an inevitable part of any form of marketing today. Especially in email marketing, it is very important to present the emails as coming from a real person to build loyalty and trust. Give your subscribers a warm welcome by adding a personal note from the CEO or team in your initial email. This creates a one-on-one experience for the customer, which plays a vital role in establishing trust and driving engagement.
Check out this email from the brand YNAB. It is a personalized welcome note from the founder and CEO with a video tutorial to help the new subscribers to get started with their platform.
2. Product Trial
Most software/tools offer a free trial to their customers before onboarding them. A trial email needs to be sent to customers who have signed up for a free trial of your product or service. This email must contain the credentials and steps to sign in to the account and try it for free. This is a great opportunity to familiarize potential customers with your product or service and get them to sign up for a paid plan.
Take a look at this email from the brand Format. It includes a welcome note followed by the website link and login credentials for the free trial, which makes it easy for the new subscribers to navigate and use their platform.
3. Brand/Product Introduction
Your subscribers are new to your brand or product, and it is very important to introduce and showcase your brand’s unique offerings and values to make an impact. Use images, videos, and other interactive formats to make it easy for the subscribers to digest the information. Including your company’s story and history is also a great way to get them interested in your brand.
Here’s an example of Disney’s welcome email. This email contains attractive graphics along with the unique features and offerings of the streaming platform. It gives the new subscribers a quick understanding of what’s in store for them.
4. Free Gifts and Discounts
Offering discounts and gifts to first-time buyers is a highly effective strategy for encouraging engagement and sales. When customers get a discount coupon or a free gift, they are more likely to make the purchase. This will add immediate value to your subscribers and help generate loyalty.
Check out this email from the brand Fracture. It offers a special 10% discount on the first order. With this special discount code, the prospects are more likely to make the first purchase.
5. Thank You Message
Along with a welcome note, your welcome email must also contain a “thank you for subscribing” message. This is very helpful for nurturing the contacts who have subscribed to your newsletter or filled a form on your website. Including a warm thank-you note in your welcome email can be a good opportunity to put your subscribers on a buying path and convert your site visitors into customers.
Here’s an example from Loftie. The brand thanks the subscribers for signing up and then introduces their mobile app. It also offers discounts and free shipping to encourage the subscribers to use their app and shop from them.
6. Onboarding Email
Getting your subscribers to opt-in to your email list is just the beginning. You need to steer the new user in the right direction, and an onboarding email helps in achieving that. Give your subscribers all the relevant product information with a clear call to action to get them to take the right actions to convert them into a customer.
Take a look at this onboarding welcome email from Harvest. The brand welcomes the subscriber, gives them a quick overview of their product, and then presents the credentials for signing up. It gives clear instructions about the next steps and extends support to make it a smooth experience for first-time users.
It is inevitable to send welcome emails and create a good first impression as your subscribers expect one from you. Try these welcome email templates to set the stage for a great customer relationship.
Author: Kevin George is Head of Marketing at Email Uplers, one of the fastest growing custom email design and coding companies, and specializes in crafting professional email templates, PSD to HTML email conversion and free HTML email templates in addition to providing email automation, campaign management, and data integration & migration services. He loves gadgets, bikes, jazz and eats and breathes email marketing. He enjoys sharing his insights and thoughts on email marketing best practices on his blog.
