Welcome email campaigns are a lot like first dates. 

They’re an opportunity to capture interest, outshine your competitors and create a great first impression.

Successful first dates require a calculated mix of chemistry, engagement and good strategy. Your triumph relies on your partner liking what they see in those initial dates.

They set the stage for what’s to come. Those dates will either grow into a series of dates to follow, fizzle out, or maybe even turn into a serious relationship. It’s all determined by your behaviour and actions during those first dates.

Which is why the most important emails you ever send to someone are the first ones.

In this blog, we’ll give you all the inspiration you need to compose your own welcome email sequence. We’ll show you the benefits of an email welcome sequence, outline best practices and summarise the key elements you need.

Plus we’ll show you what to write in each email for the different stages of the customer journey.

What exactly is an email welcome series?

An email welcome series is an essential part of any email marketing strategy,

• Also known as a nurture or autoresponder sequence, it’s the first interaction your business has with a new subscriber after they confirm interest in you. 

• it’s a series of emails sent to the subscriber when they first sign up as opposed to a single welcome email. 

• it’s a tool to start a solid relationship with every new subscriber and a way to do it automatically. ..

Your subscribers are 50% more likely to open a welcome email than any other kind of email so an email welcome series is a great way for you to capitalise on “sign-up momentum.”  So whatever you want people to do—whatever action you want them to take—it will be easiest to get during your welcome email series.

How many emails should you include in a welcome series?

 There’s no set rule for how many emails to include in your welcome email sequence, mostly, it’s a matter of testing and finding what works best for your business…

We would recommend between 5-7 emails…

Not too long that people lose interest and possibly unsubscribe, but just enough to allow you to warm up subscribers to your brand and build trust.

 How far apart should the emails be?

Send your initial welcome email straight away. Then, schedule other emails to go out regularly after that.

The first few days when someone joins your list are crucial as it’s when they are the most engaged. You have their attention and mindshare so use this short time span to make an impact.

You want to find a good balance between consistent but occasional. We suggest doing the first 3 emails back to back and the rest throughout the first week. Again it’s all down to what works for you and your business. 

The benefits of an email welcome sequence

A well-crafted welcome email campaign can help warm up new subscribers faster.  Sending a welcome email can get your audience excited about what they can expect from you in the future and most importantly, move people – from their current stage of awareness to most aware.

Your welcome sequence will help you build trust with your audience, allow you to establish your credibility, and assist in nurturing your relationships. 

5 stages of awareness

No matter what your industry or product/service offering, your prospects follow a “journey” of awareness, from a point where they haven’t even acknowledged they have a problem or need, to deciding whether your product or service is right for them.

This is known as the 5 stages of customer awareness, as outlined by Eugene Schwartz in his copywriting classic “Breakthrough Advertising”. Here’s a rundown of each stage:

1. Unaware: Prospect doesn’t’ know anything about you
2. Problem Aware: Your prospect senses he has a problem/need/challenge but doesn’t know there’s a solution
3. Solution Aware: Your prospect knows the result he wants, but not fully that your product provides it. The prospect is aware of potential solutions to their problems/needs/challenges but hasn’t chosen a particular one yet
4. Product Aware: Your prospect knows what you sell, but isn’t sure it’s right for him. The prospect has narrowed down their options to a specific category/option to solve their problems/needs/challenges.
5. Most Aware: Refers to people who know you and trust you. Your prospect knows your product, and only needs to know “the deal.”

The closer your prospects get to most aware, the more likely they are to buy something. So the goal is to move people – from their current stage of awareness to most aware.

By tailoring your email content specifically to where the prospect is in their journey, you’re not just nudging them closer to a buying decision. You’re also…

•     Building a relationship with your audience long before they become customers
•     Positioning yourself as a trustworthy source of assistance and authority
•     Pre-positioning your product/ service  as the logical solution to that person’s problem

What should I have in my welcome email series?

Ask yourself this question, what do you want your prospects to do at the end of the series? What’s your end goal? This will enable you to structure your emails so that they lead your prospects there and take action on that end goal. 

Your end goal could be to purchase your product /service but can also be to give you a testimonial or share your best content. 

Possible goals of your welcome series may be to …

• Introduce your brand and values;
• Engage new subscribers
• Introduce products or services
• Set expectations for upcoming emails;
• Build trust in subscribers
• Get conversions
• Gather subscriber preferences
• Thank subscribers

What to say in your welcome series

 Email 1 – The hello email 

The first step of your welcome series is your welcome email. This is your opportunity to introduce yourself, say hello, and give people the information they signed up to get. 

• Welcome, thank, and congratulate them for opting into your list
• Tell people what to expect next, how frequent are your emails, what type of content do you send?
• Tell them to whitelist your emails
• Get them to connect on social media 
• Engage with them by asking a single question. Getting people engaged is crucial so getting them talking helps you understand your audience to serve them best.
• Open a curiosity loop in the (P.S) with a teaser of an amazing tool tip or strategy.

Email 2 – The value email 

Think of something specific that addresses a pain point of your target audience. Now solve it for them.  

This email aims to show your subscriber that there is an answer to their problem and you are showing understanding/knowledge of their problem. You’re effectively moving them from “problem aware” to “solution aware.”

Show them a tool or strategy that you’ve used that’s going to help them achieve a quick win… Make them desire it so badly they set a notification on your emails and come back again. 

Email 3 – The emotional email 

This email is the perfect way to create an emotional connection. It can be a longer email going into your brand story. This is an opportunity to motivate & inspire… 

For example, Did you struggle with something when you were launching your business?

Tell them your story, tell them about your values and perspectives, and include a specific take-away.

This is the time to instil a sense of hope in your subscribers by letting them know their problem isn’t a life sentence. Think through the problems your subscribers have signed up to solve. Then appeal to fixing this problem. By doing this, you’re taking your reader down the sales funnel from “aware of their problem and potential solutions” to “aware of your specific solution.”

Bear in mind, that you don’t need to go for a hard sell just yet, dropping a subtle nudge in the direction of your product or service is all that’s required.

Email 4: The more content email 

 You’re banking on reciprocity in this email so point your readers to a blog post or surprise them with a useful guide & resource.

If they receive a gift for free or get some unexpected value, they’ll want to return the favour… You’re building trust here and it’s an excellent way to bond with subscribers. 

Email 5 – The opportunity email 

This is the opportunity to tell the reader all about your offer – but don’t sell just yet. Instead, talk about your product or service’s benefits & features ensuring you clearly explain why and how it stands out from the rest. 

How will your offer change someone’s life?

Use future pacing, Future pacing is a technique where a person can imagine him or herself in the future in a given desired situation. 

Make this email all about the life your reader can live if they have your product or service.

Email 6 – The ‘ask’ email 

The point of this email is to fully introduce your product to your now product-aware reader, and move them to the point where they’re most ready to buy.

Tell a story that either emphasises the benefit of your offer or one that further highlights their current problematic situation. Paint a sad picture of what life looks like without your product

Email 7 – The last chance email 

Typically a shorter email, this email is usually your last chance to get your readers to buy from you. Ramp up the urgency using countdown timers which is an excellent way to increase desire and conversion rates. You could even offer discounts to those who buy straightaway.

Back your features with proof, It’s a good place to emphasise testimonials here perhaps share a story from a previous customer.

The most important emails you ever send to someone are the first ones.

Not only are welcome emails a powerful opportunity to start a solid relationship with every new subscriber, they are also an essential part of any email marketing strategy. 

Make sure you follow the above tips and techniques to ace your welcome email strategy. 

If you don’t have an email welcome sequence in place, you are losing the chance to make a great first impression – it’s your first impression that can help lay the groundwork for long-term relationships.