You’ve spent all that time and money collecting email addresses for your list. Now what?
Roll out the welcome mat by sending a welcome email. Welcome emails aren’t just a place to introduce your brand—they’re a key business opportunity. In fact, the average email open rate for a welcome email is a whopping 50%. Don’t let that once-in-a-subscriber-lifetime opportunity for engagement go to waste.
What is a Welcome Email?
So we know that welcome emails can be incredibly high-performing. But, what are they exactly? Welcome Emails are the first piece of communication you send to a prospect or new customer after they agree to receive emails from your brand.
What is a welcome email series?
A welcome email series is a sequence of emails that you automatically trigger to customers or prospects after they visit your site. The series can happen when a prospect is interacting with your brand before converting or after an initial sale has been made. A welcome email series is a great way to introduce your brand to site visitors in a more thoughtful manner that allows you to go deeper than your site might allow.
Why welcome emails are important?
Welcome emails help create a conversation with your target customers, while simultaneously introducing your brand to them in order to develop a sense of brand affinity with your target audience. While many marketers are focused on email marketing that will specifically lead to a sale, and Welcome Emails can do that, this type of campaign can also serve to create a dialogue with your most important customers.
12 Best Welcome Email Examples
Your Welcome Email Subject Line Should Invite Joy and Delight
Your entire email can make an impression, and it’s your subject line that will set the tone. Even if you have legal obligations to go through like a double opt-in, it’s your very first appearance in your subscriber’s inbox, so make it count. 34% of respondents to a Litmus survey said that the subject line is the first thing they look at when deciding whether or not to open an email—and they can also impact your conversion rates.
Most of all, your subject line should make it clear what they’ve joined, whether it’s a specific series, like an email-based course, or your general email list. This email from Allbirds, the shoe company, says, “Welcome to the Flock!” With Allbirds, you’re not just buying a shoe. You’re becoming part of a “flock” of people—and they make that really clear from the very first email.
A subject line should also inspire action, like this email from Headspace, a meditation app. The subject line reads, “Ready to meditate?” which is exactly what subscribers should be excited to do. It’s simple, clear, and gives the subscriber an immediate action to take.
Leading with gratitude is another great strategy, as shown by Oru Kayak, who says, “Hey explorer! Thanks for signing up.” It offers a sense of tribe and makes the subscriber feel excited about what’s coming next.
When in doubt, test your subject line ideas against one another. You’ll send more welcome emails than any other kind, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to hone in on a subject line that works. Think about a welcome email subject line that:
- Sets the tone for your brand – what thoughts or feelings do you want to inspire?
- Clearly establishes your brand – what community are you inviting subscribers into?
- Inspires action – what’s the very first thing you want subscribers to do?
Fulfill The Reason They Joined Your Email List
If you don’t do anything else in your welcome email, you need to do this. Above all, you should be serving the needs of the subscriber first (and data compliance laws make it imperative that they know why you’re emailing them, too!). Make sure you fulfill the reason they joined your list! Whether you’re advertising exclusive content, a 10% discount, or large Viking helmets, that should be the primary message in your welcome email.
This email from skincare brand APTO makes it easy. They offer a headline with their key value proposition, a code for free shipping, and a call to action to shop now.
If you have multiple incentives for someone to join your email list, consider creating targeted versions of your welcome email based on how someone joined. That way, you’re tailoring your message to their use case and making it super relevant.
And it’s ok to not include a discount in your welcome email—this one from Outdoor Voices does a great job of saying hello:
More than anything else, you should make sure it’s super clear to your subscribers how they came to be on your list—not just for privacy, but for setting expectations about the type of content you’ll send. Your primary message should:
- Be short and simple, with one primary call to action
- Be targeted toward a specific segment of your subscribers based on how they signed up, a specific offer campaign, or other top-of-funnel initiatives
- Make your subscribers feel welcome and excited to receive emails from you
Use Your Welcome Emails to Introduce Your Brand
The bulk of your welcome email should be about why your subscriber joined your list, but after that, you can get creative! Introduce your brand—who you are, what you stand for, and why they should know who you are—with your visuals and copy.
This welcome email from furniture company Dims offers a clear problem/solution framework so you know exactly what their brand is about. It’s no-nonsense, which seems to be perfectly on-brand.
This is the fun part. Find creative ways to showcase your brand within your welcome email. And remember, you don’t need to be flashy or quirky if your brand isn’t flashy or quirky. Let your brand’s personality shine by:
- Adding high-quality or top-performing visuals of your products or services—if it’s good enough to be in your catalog or your Instagram, it’s good enough for your welcome email
- Tell a story about who you are and why you matter to your subscribers
- Adds a special element of surprise and delight that makes sense based on your brand
Use Your Welcome Email to Learn More
The more you know about your subscribers, the more easily you can provide personalized emails that drive higher engagement and conversion.
The welcome email is a great point to ask for more information. You just met them, after all. Have your brand new subscriber log in to your website, fill out a profile, download your app, or take a survey—anything you can use to identify what problem they’re looking to solve and how your product can best solve it.
A welcome email may be the first time you’re talking to a subscriber, but it’s also the best time to drive momentum forward in your relationship. Can you get them to take another step forward? Strava asks their new subscribers to get going and record a recent activity, pushing them back into their app:
Peloton does something similar, closing their welcome email with an invitation to take their first ride on their brand new bike:
Bellroy sends this NPS email 30 days after a subscriber purchase. This way, they can get immediate feedback on their time to value for customers:
The more you know, the more you can use to drive conversion later on. It’s a big misconception that every conversion needs to happen right away. With your welcome email flow, you’ll introduce subscribers to your brand so you can build trust and encourage repeat visits. Take this opportunity to:
- Ask for a key action that will take your subscribers further down the funnel
- Start a conversation and encourage subscribers to reply or chat on other channels
- Get real-time feedback on your products or messaging
Deepen the New Subscriber Connection Through Action
Show subscribers what’s next by offering them other actions they can take to deepen the connection with you. It doesn’t have to be the obvious “Shop now.”
Showcase other ways they can join your community or get involved through softer touches like social media, nearby events, or visiting their local stores. A welcome email is the start of a relationship and not every subscriber will be ready to buy right away. Offering these lighter ways to connect first can build trust and excitement in your brand. This example from CB2 gives a great welcome and then asks subscribers to connect on social media:
This example from Jetblue is educational on their rewards program, offering other ways new members can get more points. This works particularly well considering it’s not as likely someone will be flying on a weekly or monthly basis the way you might purchase clothing or go out to a restaurant.
You can also share a piece of content they might like as an easy way to get started. This Lush email gives a fun behind-the-scenes video and some related products:
Your call-to-action is the most important part of any email, but especially in your welcome email. This may be the first and last time you ever speak to a new subscriber depending on this interaction. Show subscribers what’s next by:
- Showcasing ways subscribers can connect with members of your brand’s community
- Educate your subscribers about your products so they know what to expect
- Sharing a piece of content that adds immediate value and encourages subscribers to come back
Benefits of Welcome Emails in eCommerce
Increased Brand Awareness & Credibility
As mentioned above, welcome emails are a great way to showcase your branding to new and current customers. Use these emails to feature your brand colors, highlight imagery that aligns with your identity, and familiarize your customers with copywriting that reflects your personal story. By doing this, you’ll be able to foster a deeper sense of connection between your target audience and your brand.
Better Storytelling Capabilities
In line with the sentiments above, Welcome Emails give you the ability to tell richer stories than other email types. Where many triggered emails are intended to highlight products that your target audience may have engaged with but not yet purchased, Welcome Emails are a way to promote marketing campaigns and your unique storytelling. This is a great way to keep your brand top of mind and to lead into a Welcome Email drip campaign that continues your brand’s story throughout multiple email sends.
Ability to Showcase Top-of-Mind Products
Lastly, Welcome Emails are a great way to showcase your highest value or most important products. Similarly, if you’re having a large sale, use Welcome Emails as a way to ensure every person who comes to your site is familiar with your current offering.
Now It’s Your Turn. If you’re looking for a strategic partner who can help you maximize the performance of your Welcome emails today, reach out to one of the experts at Wunderkind.