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Posted By Nithya S | Jul 29, 2019 - Welcome Email

8 simple ways to add more horsepower to your welcome email campaigns

Great. Somebody’s just opted in to your subscriber list. They are special. And the simplest way to keep them engaged and build a strong connect with your brand is to treat them like one.

Run-of-the-mill emails that begin with ‘Welcome aboard’ followed by 3 exclamation marks deserve a special place in online hell.

Sending out memorable emails as customers ramp up is a crucial business undertaking. Onboarding emails are more important than trigger emails or marketing emails. Statistics reveal that the first email that reaches your customer’s inbox can generate 320% more revenue than other emails. It is as clear as daylight. A welcome email that hits the right notes is your best shot at converting subscribers into customers.

1. Subject Lines That Attract Clicks

Welcome emails have an open rate of a stunning 58.3% and a conversion rate of 0.94%.

All other kinds of email have a conversion rate of 0.10%. Once people have filled out their email addresses they’re primed to receive communication from you.

Make that first email from you power-packed and personal. And it all begins with a subject line that draws attention. Use a subject line that stands out from a sea of “Welcome to xyz”.

I received an email from Airstory, a writing platform, that began with, “I’m honored :)”.

It stood out from the usual “Welcome to” emails that were quickly forgotten. It was an unusual subject line that made me stop and click an email that could’ve been easily lost in a cluttered inbox.

Start out on the right foot by sending a subject line that quitely screams ‘click me’. And personalize it by addressing each subscriber by name.

2. Tell A Bit About Yourself

A welcome email is a chance to introduce yourself. No vision and mission stuff. An honest, well written intro of your brand. First impressions are lasting ones. Fill in your subscriber on your story and what you stand for. Convey your core values. Shout out to Airstory again. This was their welcome email and I found it to be endearingly honest.

“So in Tech Startupland, you’re what’s called an early adopter, nithya.

Which is amazing, IMHO.

You found Airstory in its earliest days.

There are other writing platforms. There are huuuuge writing platforms. You’re probably still using at least one of them. Yet, a few days ago, you signed up to use Airstory.

You chose us.

And we know we need to KEEP you choosing us. Every day. For all of your most important writing tasks.

But for now I just wanted to say to you: I’m honored.

I promise we’ll keep optimizing Airstory – and our training – so that, a few years from now when some hipster in a coffee shop…”

3. Include Imagery

Unique typeface and professional imagery increase brand recall. Include images that intersect with your website to strengthen your brand presence. Brands like DropBox include explainer videos as explaining about a product in a wall of text can be a major downer.

Including walkthrough videos are especially helpful if your product or service cannot be explained in short sentences. If it slightly complex, novel or has more exciting features than you can cram in a short email a brief explainer video will do the trick for you.

They are effective because initially people just want to know whether your product is the right choice without dwelling on specific points. An explainer video quickly walks them through who you are and what you can do for them without overwhelming subscribers.

Visual media can generate more interest and engagement than words. Focus on images, brand colors, explainer videos and a beautiful typeface to strike that instant connect.

4. Set Clear Expectations

Now that you’ve included about your product/service here is the next step. Tell them why they must stay on your subscriber list.

“Be the first to know” is arguably the most famous brand tagline. People like being the first to know. Play up on it. Promise them exclusive sneak peeks and let subscribers know that they’d be the first ones to be informed about new product rollouts, offers and updates.

You don’t want them to become inactive once they finish reading your welcome email. To encourage constant engagement convey clearly that there is value in staying on your list. That they’ll receive not just newsletters but a lot more.

One effective way of doing this is to sign off by saying, “I will send you more info in my next email”. So they don’t forget all about you after the initial nudge. Communicate clearly the kind of emails they can expect from you to avoid confusion or inaction.

“My emails are usually loaded with only-for-you info, product walkthroughs, new arrival shoutouts and special offers”, is way better than, “there’s loads of exciting stuff ahead”.

5. Give Them An Offer They Cannot Refuse

Remember that iconic line from Godfather? Okay, I paraphrased it.

There is nothing that screams ‘‘I’m glad you’re here’’ than an exclusive offer in your first email. Most brands offer discounts and gift vouchers for their new subscribers. Free shipping, attractive discounts and a reduction in delivery charges drive action and make subscribers feel like they are part of an exclusive club.

Cannot afford a discount?

Okay, big box brands can come up with cost-saving offers. But what happens if you are running a tight ship? Send out free downloadable templates, your most popular ebook or a cheat sheet. Customize them a bit and send it across as a little thank you gift.

6. Don’t Forget Your CTA

A CTA in your first email? God, you don’t want to come across as desperate, do you? That is one of the reasons why email marketers shy away from including persuasive CTAs. But you know what? People actually appreciate it if you tell them what to do.

All of us have received countless sweet emails that don’t tell us clearly what to do next. Pray quietly for the success of this lovely brand?

Wouldn’t it be incredibly helpful to click on a CTA that points us towards the right direction? “For next steps click here”, “To know more head here”, “Have questions? Click”. It takes the guesswork out of the equation.

CTA Best Practices:

• Provide one clear CTA. When people are left with too many choices they end up not making one out of fatigue.
• “Know More” CTAs can come across as bland and vague. “Check this month’s bestsellers”, “Download latest extension” are clearer and click-worthy.
• Need to include more action buttons? Divide your email into distinct sections.

know that they’d be the first ones to be informed about new product rollouts, offers and updates.

You don’t want them to become inactive once they finish reading your welcome email. To encourage constant engagement convey clearly that there is value in staying on your list. That they’ll receive not just newsletters but a lot more.

One effective way of doing this is to sign off by saying, “I will send you more info in my next email”. So they don’t forget all about you after the initial nudge. Communicate clearly the kind of emails they can expect from you to avoid confusion or inaction.

“My emails are usually loaded with only-for-you info, product walkthroughs, new arrival shoutouts and special offers”, is way better than, “there’s loads of exciting stuff ahead”.

7. Small Brand? Here’s How To Make A Big Impression.

A warm welcome message by the Founder and CEO of your company lends your welcome email a personal touch. If there is one thing people crave in the age of automated communication it is actual human interaction with a person not a brand.

You can achieve that and also build on trust capital by sending out emails crafted by the Founder of your brand.

See how FOOD 52 does it. This email reads like a one-to-one conversation because it is written by its founders and includes their pictures.

8. Optimize For Mobile Users

How many of us check emails first thing in the morning on our mobiles? How many of us whip out our mobiles to check our inboxes while standing in line at Starbucks? Most of us. 67% of emails are checked over mobile phones. From the length of your subject line to how your CTA is displayed has to be completely optimized for mobile users.

Mobile users can only view 25-30 characters in the subject line. Make them crisp and easily scannable.

Pre-header text plays a key role in driving up open rates on mobiles. Convey your most compelling pitch in one short sparkling sentence. Just one stand out call to action with optimal space to tap can boost user engagement. Keep it as minimal as possible to provide users enough space to navigate.

Use concise points or bulleted text to provide readers with highly readable chunks of content that are effortlessly scannable. They will thank you for it.

Want to learn more about Mobile Commerce Optimization? We are hosting a free webinar on August 1st. Register Today.