You only have seven seconds to make a first impression…
…and that includes your email marketing strategy!
You probably already know that you need to “nurture” your email subscribers to make them want to buy from you.
But did you know that the leads who are MOST likely to invest in your product or service are the ones who’ve JUST signed up for your email list?
Think about it →
People who’ve just decided to opt in are EXCITED about your business and are craving to know more about what you can do for them…
…while a lot of people who’ve been sitting on your email list for a while are more used to you and your offers.
The bottom line is:
There’s a special spark between you and the peeps who’ve just become a part of your email list, ya know?! ✨
The best way to capitalize on this momentum is to send your new subscribers a KILLER welcome email sequence.
How do you do that? Here are my top tips.
What Is a Welcome Email Sequence?
Let’s start with the basics.
A welcome email sequence is a series of emails that automatically gets sent to every new lead who joins your list.
(You may have also heard it being called an “engagement sequence” or “onboarding emails,” but a “welcome sequence” just sounds much better in my not-so-humble opinion.)
The goal of your welcome email sequence is to make use of your new leads’ excitement and point them to the different parts of your business they can engage with…
…and, of course, to the services or products they can buy!
Fun fact: open rates and click-through-rates for welcome email sequences are typically very high because, again, your audience is at the PEAK of their interest.
A welcome email sequence is actually the very FIRST sequence that I recommend having in your business.
Why?
Because your new leads are excited — and not living up to this excitement will likely mean losing them.
(Few things are more awkward than signing up for an email list only to hear crickets or to receive a generic “thank you for subscribing!” email.)
Plus, having a welcome email sequence in place means you’ll gain an edge over your competitors.
It’s something that 74.4% of subscribers expect to get…
…but, according to the Ciceron’s “The First Impressions Email Marketing Study,” only 39% of brands send a welcome email. Which means that there’s a TON of opportunity for you to stand out!
Since your welcome sequence is made with automated emails, you only have to write it once — but it has to be STELLAR.
Here’s how you do it.
How to Write a Welcome Email Sequence: 5 Tips from a Copywriter
1. Make Sure It’s the Right Balance Between Sales and Nurture
A welcome email sequence is a special one because it both sells AND nurtures.
This quality makes it one of the hardest pieces of copy to write, but also a really fun one!
Your goal should be to strike the right balance between drawing your leads’ attention to the services or products they can invest in…
…AND building a stronger personal connection with them.
For the sales part of your welcome sequence, pitch an investment that feels like the next logical step after they opt in.
(Psst…giving your new leads a discount with a time limit on it is a great way to sprinkle urgency in while making them feel special!)
To nurture your new leads, you can:
✓ Tell them your brand story
✓ Compliment them
✓ Help them with a tip or a free resource
Your goal is to be GENUINE. No one likes to feel like they’re being sold to — especially when they don’t really know you yet!
2. Use It as a Market Research Opportunity
Market research is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business…
…and your welcome email sequence is a PRIME opportunity to get to know your audience and gather valuable insights into their struggles, desires, and fears.
This information can help you improve your marketing and optimize your offers 10x, so don’t miss out on it!
Here are some ideas on how you can incorporate a healthy dose of market research into your welcome email sequence:
✓ Ask a question (that your subscribers can respond to)
✓ Get feedback on topics they’d like to know more about
✓ Direct them to a helpful quiz
✓ Offer a free, 15-min consultation or call
The great thing about using your welcome email sequence as a market research tool is that you can make it not only helpful to YOU…
…but to your leads as well!
Who doesn’t love a good win-win situation? 😎
3. Highlight Your Best Content
One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make when they’re creating welcome email campaigns is trying to make them do EVERYTHING.
Your welcome emails shouldn’t read like a laundry list of every single piece of content you’ve ever created.
Instead, they should highlight a few pieces of your BEST content that you new subscribers will find especially useful.
When you create an email sequence, think about what your new leads want to know the most at that PARTICULAR point in their buyer’s journey…
…and give them resources that will satisfy that craving — while highlighting your knowledge and authority.
4. Make It Flow
This is an important one —
Your welcome email sequence should be focused on ONE major theme or goal.
If anything, a good rule of thumb is to make it read as one coherent piece of content sent over the course of a few days…
…vs. separate engagement emails or newsletters that touch on completely different things.
It’s a MAJOR difference between a welcome email sequence and the nurture emails you’re sending to your email list every week or so.
Here are some tips on how to make your email sequence flow:
- Have a clear CTA. Each of the emails in your welcome email sequence should have a clear goal. Don’t ask your new leads to check out 5 different blog posts, watch 3 YouTube videos, and download a resource in one email. Overwhelm = not good.
- Establish a logical order to your emails. Always ask yourself what level of awareness your new subscribers have. What do they know about your business and what do they not know? Gradually drip information out to them so that they never feel confused about what you’re talking about.
- Get creative with a theme. A great way to bring your welcome email sequence together — no matter the number of emails it has — is to create a consistent topic to center it around on. You can even turn it into a series and open each new email with “on the last episode of…”. The world is your oyster!
- Remember that your new subscribers are most engaged in the beginning — don’t save the best until the end 👀
The truth is, flow is important for any type of email sequence, but ESPECIALLY when you’re making a first impression!
5. Show Off Your Personality
Want to make sure that your welcome email sequence won’t get lost in your new subscribers’ inboxes?
Tap into your personality.
People get way too many emails in their inboxes every day…
…and your unique personality is KEY to making your emails stand out!
So, get creative with subject lines. Crack a few jokes. Don’t be afraid to get a little extra.
Your welcome email sequence is there to show your new audience what you’re all about — that includes the fun stuff, too.
How Many Days Apart Should Your Email Sequence Be?
If you find yourself Googling “how many days apart should your email sequence be” and “how many days between emails in a welcome sequence,” here’s your answer.
Don’t spread your emails out too many days apart.
It’s typically a good idea to send welcome emails every day or every other day to make each one feel like a piece of something BIGGER and infuse it with momentum.
How Many Emails Should Your Welcome Email Sequence Be?
There’s no hard rule on how long your welcome email sequence should be…
…but a good number to aim for is 4-7 emails.
However, what matters more is not how many emails you send, but the STRATEGY behind them.
Make sure that each email has a clear purpose (see tip #4!) and gradually elevates your new leads’ level of awareness to build up their trust and EXCITEMENT.
Combined with a healthy dose of urgency, it’s *chef’s kiss* 😘
Welcome Email Sequence: Final Thoughts
A welcome email sequence is one of the most important pieces of your sales funnel and investing effort into creating a great one pays off BIG TIME.
Want more copywriting tips?
Get on my list — and peep my own welcome email sequence! 👀
