Snag ’em With a Warm Welcome Email
By: Tara Dagostino
Tags: Email Marketing, Email, Digital Marketing, Marketing Automation, Social Media

In today’s world of constant social media notifications, tweets, and ads, there is one sacred space where you can get away from (most of) the noise: The Inbox.

Because this space is so sacred, people get very picky about what can come in, what can stay, and what gets tossed. After all, it is one of the more private safe-havens in the Internet world. As a (polite) rule of thumb, businesses should not someone emails without their permission; “spam” is never desired. If consumers and clients want information and services sent directly to them, they will ask for it, usually by opting in for email sends on a landing page, website, in store or on social media. Once your clients do have shown their interest, the best way to get your foot in the door (or in our case, the Inbox) is to establish a relationship with a Welcome Email.

Looking for a new way to create some extra revenue paths? Welcome Emails are a great place to start, as they generate 320 percent more revenue per email sent than promotional emails. In the U.S., every one dollar spent on email marketing has an ROI of $44, and Welcome Emails generate four times the open rates and five times the click-throughs than traditional emails alone. This could be attributed to the fact that Welcome Emails have a 50% open rate compared to newsletters or one-size-fits-all emails. Needless to say, Welcome Emails should be a large part of your email marketing strategy.

Get personal

One of the first steps in the journey is to get nice and personal. For email marketers, this is your chance to get crafty, stand out from the crowd, and add in that extra touch of personalization. Let your readers know that you are in this together. Using personal pronouns like “you,” “I,” “we,” and “us” can be highly effective when creating a sense of intimacy while maintaining a professional, balanced tone. This will create an open conversation with your reader so you are talking with them instead of at them.

And don’t be afraid to let your brand’s personality show itself in full force; creating lasting relationships with your customers relies heavily on making a good first impression. Captivating subject lines, a short and concise introduction to the brand, and attractive CTAs that lead them back to your landing page or a new product offer should all showcase your brand’s unique personality. Just remember who you are talking to, and what you want to get them to do. Remember these elements, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a sustainable email relationship.

Automate the heck out of that email

With Welcome Emails, timing is everything. Right when your user subscribes, they should get a Welcome Email to, well… welcome them to your company or brand. Automated emails receive 119 percent higher click rates than broadcast emails, and like we mentioned up top, they also generate more revenue.

The Welcome Email should be sent within a half hour from when they hit the ‘subscribe’ button. For every minute that your Welcome Email fails to show up in their inbox, the less likely your audience is still thinking about your company or brand. Make sure to automate this process so that the Welcome Email lands in their inbox the moment they hit subscribe.

Set clear expectations

Perhaps not surprisingly, 74 percent of consumers actually expect a Welcome Email when they sign up for a subscription. With this figure in mind, your audience already has a set expectation even before they receive that first message. The whole process is set up like a transaction: The subscriber provides their email address in exchange for something of value, which should be included directly in that Welcome Email. Did you tell them you’d provide them with a discount, PDF, or an awesome gift with purchase if they subscribed? Make sure to include that in this first email.

Transparency is also important in keeping your subscribers engaged, while allowing them to feel like they have complete control over the relationship. Be up front with how many emails you are planning to send them, whether it is once a day, week, or month. Make unsubscribing easy. It may sound counter-intuitive to you at first, but giving subscribers the option without having to go through multiple steps and scouring minuscule print leaves a bad impression. Remember: you want your users to feel empowered by your brand, not taken advantage of, or annoyed.