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Welcome Subscribers

What are the best practices for welcoming subscribers to your email list?

Before you send out an email trying to sell something to your subscriber, you should make a good impression with a welcome email. Think about it, if you were walking up to someone in person trying to sell them a product, and you went right into selling before you introduced yourself, chances are they would just walk away. Most likely they won’t be interested, because you didn’t build a relationship first. People want to chat, and a lot of people like to talk about themselves, so if you personalize your emails, and relate them to your subscriber – then you’re golden.

When someone subscribes to your email list, they should receive a welcome email right away. It should include information about your brand, what the subscriber might see in future emails, coupons, discounts for sign up, and it should be personable.

A welcome email is the first initial impression your business gives to your subscriber, so make it good, and make it come directly after the subscription happens. According to Wordstream.com, “74% of subscribers expect a welcome email almost immediately”. Inbox Army states, that 73% of brands do not send a welcome email in the first 48 hours of subscription, and 27% don’t send a welcome email over the next three weeks after subscription.” This goes to show you how important it is to send a welcome email almost immediately after they subscribe.

Every time you waste a minute not sending a welcome email post subscription you have the chance of losing engagement, conversions, and the opportunity to build more subscribers. “Open rates can fall by 25% if a welcome email is sent a few weeks after signing up instead of right away”, according to Semrush.com.

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A short series might work

It’s great that you’re sending a welcome email right after the subscription, but more can sometimes be better. But stopping at one email might not be good enough, keep them coming. Short emails following the welcome email in quick succession can generate 13% more revenue than a single welcome email according to Semrush. You are constantly reinforcing a good first impression to your subscribers. Just be sure to not over-do it. Receiving too much email is a reason as many as 50% of your subscribers will opt out on you.

How to create a great welcome email

According to inbox Army, Subscribers that receive welcome emails are 33% more engaged with your brand.  A welcome email is the first hello to your new subscriber in welcoming them to your family. This is not just an instant notification to your subscriber right at sign up, but also a way to understand your subscribers likes and dislikes, a way to build a relationship.

According to Wordstream, a welcome email has an average 4x the open rate and 5x the click-through rate of a standard email marketing campaign. So let’s take a look at 4 tips to follow in order to create a fantastic welcome email.

1. Personalize

Personalizing isn’t just typing up a mass email, and added your viewers first name to the top, “Hello Jillian”, isn’t the only way to personalize. At sign up, have more questions besides an email and name. Take advantage of address, zip code, etc in order to send information to them on local events, restaurants, interests etc. That is only an example. Personalize to your liking, and if you’re not collecting information at sign up, have more information in the email itself. All data you are gathering is very useful when it comes to list segmentation and how to keep your content relevant in the future.

2. Be Mighty Fast

As stated above, 74% of consumer expect a welcome email as soon as they subscribe. With this statement, it is imperative that you send out your welcome email right away in order to receive the most engagement. Send an email reminding subscribers of the successful sign-up and start a good conversation.

3. Don’t B.S your subscribers

If you’re promising your subscribers, deals, coupons, information, and incentives once they sign up, make sure you are delivering on these promises. The worst thing you could do is promise your subscribers something, and not deliver on your end. This will only hurt your reputation. Any good promises you make in your promise email, make sure you can back it up in the future. You do not want to break your subscribers trust.

4. Simple is always better

Most emails are opened with mobile devices, and with that mobile devices have screens much smaller than a computer screen, and subscribers attention spans are shorter and shorter.  To ensure your welcome emails are being read, focus on greeting, and a brief summary of your brand that is directly pointed to your call to action. If you want to tell your customers more about your brand, and also get to know your subscribers consider a welcome email series. Do not try to put all your information in one email, it will most likely not be read.

Conclusion

If you find yourself not sending out a welcome email immediately to new subscribers, you should create one as a soon as possible. You are missing a good opportunity to send a good first impression, and also losing a lot of revenue.

If you are creating a welcome email, but you want to be able to deliver more content earlier, a welcome series may be a good option for you. Build content, and craft a schedule in order to start a strong long-lasting relationship with your subscribers.

 

Be sure to explore our other helpful Intelligence Reports, such as these:

8 Super Tips to Drive Email Engagement

Getting the most out of your Email List

• Email Hygiene: The Solution You Need