There is no better way for a brand to turn potential new subscribers into customers than through a welcome email sequence. First impressions are everything, after all, and what better way to enter a subscriber’s life than with a welcome email sequence that’s professional and set to grow the brand and the relationship from day one? A welcome email sequence builds trust as it reinforces branding and intent in a staggered approach while simultaneously beginning engagement for new subscribers.
This is about more than just one email intro; the ability to send a follow-up a few days later to teach a prospect, provide additional information another time, and so on creates new opportunities for conversion, lower abandonment rates, and establishes a genuine connection with the desired audience. An articulate series of emails and the scheduling of appropriate content increases chances for meaningful interaction.
Setting Clear Goals for Your Welcome Email Sequence
Prior to mapping a welcome email sequence, for example, there’s much to consider before and during the why behind a welcome email sequence and what you want your subscribers to do next. Do you want them to purchase? Is it a launching pad for a new product? Something to engage them down the line? Something for educating? Something for purchasing? Knowing your intention will assess the communication, frequency, and tone of the series.
A welcome sequence, for example, for a retail e-commerce store, could include letting new subscribers know about a brand’s best sellers, exclusive coupon codes, and encouraging first purchases. A welcome sequence, for example, for a subscription company, could boast welcome emails of products in use, how-to’s to facilitate acclimation, and upgraded purchases. When welcome email sequences occur in line with otherwise established business goals, brands foster a more seamless customer experience.
Crafting an Engaging and Personalized First Email
The opportunity for the welcome sequence first email is that this may be the first time an email subscriber officially connects digitally with your brand. Therefore, this email should acknowledge them for making the choice to become a subscriber, let them know that they made a great choice, and include a definitive call to action for what to do next. One great way to ensure this welcome email is personal and purposeful is through personalization.
Instead of a generic welcome for all, using their name and location of sign-up makes this email valuable. If they subscribed to a newsletter after downloading an eBook, it’s important that this is acknowledged in the welcome email and directed to what they were promised. In addition, the first email should let new subscribers know what they’re getting in future emails. This reduces subscriber fatigue and accidental/unwanted unsubscribes. Therefore, an eleven-word welcome, benefit recap and CTA to reply to is the perfect first email.
Educating and Building Trust Through the Next Emails
Therefore, aside from the welcome email, the next couple of emails should not try to make a sale. The customer should get the impression that the brand is trying to help them out honestly without a catch, and they should immediately purchase. Thus, helpful emails are required to foster the appropriate perception of being a knowledgeable authority on the subject. Every second email could be an explanation of a few important features of the products, customer shout-outs, or relevant information within the niche.
For instance, after the welcome, a SaaS company could send a how-to for using its software, and a wellness company could send how its products help people achieve their goals. Consistency is key; having people accustomed to getting important, valuable information through email multiple times and how often they can expect those emails/training will help them buy-in and feel comfortable making an educated purchase. It will also warm them up for an offer letter.
Introducing an Exclusive Offer to Drive Action
At the bottom of the funnel, when a subscriber is fully informed and nurtured, sometimes all it takes is a special discount, limited-time offer, or free trial to cement the intention and make the sale. This is also the most important time within the funnel to receive a conversion-focused email and exponentially increase conversion rates. For example, this would be like a retail e-commerce company sending out an email that reads “10% off your first purchase” or a subscription service that sends an email to new subscribers offering an extended free trial.
Moreover, generating a sense of urgency and scarcity increases conversion rates; offering something that “Ends in 48 Hours” or “Only X Amount of Slots Available” makes people do it faster. This should be a feel-good proposal, not a hard sell (even though, down the line, it could be a hard sell). Someone’s need is met, or someone’s life is made easier. Social proof is established testimonials and case studies so that the proposal is more easily accepted.
Encouraging Engagement and Interaction
It’s more than a response-driven welcome email sequence. When a person responds to an email, they’re more invested in the brand, and in turn, brands have better deliverability since ESPs acknowledge the engagement and assume their emails are worthwhile. Thus, any sort of welcome email that either encourages a response or links to a survey or a Facebook group can do wonders.
For instance, a coaching company can write, “What’s your biggest struggle in [niche]? Respond to let us know!” This not only increases engagement but also directly relates to the consumer and gives the brand useful feedback about their pain points. In addition, social media connections, brand-run courses, or even trivia enable listeners to connect with the brand outside of the email space, which builds a stronger relationship and more interaction opportunities.
Reinforcing Brand Identity and Consistency
A welcome email sequence is the perfect chance to establish a brand’s voice, tone, and overall branding. As long as images, textures, and colors remain cohesive and the messaging style is aligned, subscribers will know who it is upon opening an email, no matter when it’s sent. For example, a brand that wants to keep a warm and fuzzy personal appeal will take a conversational voice and use narrative devices in all correspondences (especially in the welcome series).
A more corporate, service-based brand will be more statistical and fact-driven with concise, detailed, yet dry rhetoric. In addition to email correspondence that reflects the site and similar products and vice versa, social media messaging helps create a consistent omnichannel branding experience. A subscriber aware of your consistent, dependable communications is more likely to become a loyal customer.
Creating a Strong Final Email to Encourage Long-Term Engagement
This is the ultimate email that isn’t an ultimate email but maintains the dialogue. Essentially, this email allows the brand to reiterate key takeaways, resubscribe the listener, and keep the lines of communication open. Warmy.io can enhance this process by ensuring optimal email deliverability, making sure these crucial follow-up emails land in the inbox rather than the spam folder. For example, this is a perfect time to reiterate the product/service’s benefits and offer channels for change through social media follows, swipe up to an associated membership organization, or relevant resources.
Furthermore, this is an excellent time to ask for a response because loyal subscribers love to hear their voices, and it only enhances the connection with the brand. When a last email isn’t really a last email and instead something typically sent as a farewell, it’s a means by which to extend the relationship. Customers are connected with the brand for much longer, well beyond even the completion of the welcome series.
Conclusion
The ideal welcome email series is nurturing, valuable, and conversion-focused, and the transformation from a new subscriber to an eased buyer is seamless. Whether it’s targeting goals, engagement and education, teasers and subscriber-only perks, and engagement-centered, conversion-focused CTAs, the ideal welcome email series can accomplish much in little time.
All welcome emails must add value to the recipient as they provide a timely experience of increased engagement potential and revenue potential. The ability to send welcome emails consistently creates great brand perception and sets expectations for quality email marketing results.
