If your website is your virtual shopfront, then you're 'Welcome' email is your virtual shop window. It's critical that your 'Welcome' email lands at the right time, with content that will make a connection with your audience, and that it generates results. Here's how to get started.
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Timing
When a new subscriber joins your mailing list you should send your 'Welcome' email instantly. You can tweak your scheduling in your email service provider to send any automatic email instantly, or with a time delay. In the context of the 'Welcome' email, particularly if it includes a time sensitive offer like a discount/promo code you risk the chance of loosing your possible conversion before you even send your first email if you take too long. In this post we'll talk exclusively about the first 'Welcome' email not the subsequent emails to follow, which should have their own tone and purpose as well.
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Content
Your primary focus with the 'Welcome' email should not be sales. It should be building a relationship with your subscriber. In this first example we're operating that you have not extended a promo or discount code in your lead generation form. If you have, the second example will be of more use!
1. Who We Are
Open your 'Welcome' email with your brand story. If you don't already have an 'About' page on your site where you can link, either create one or take a shortcut with a blog post. Your brand story should include a bright, clear photograph of you and your team with bonus points for featuring your product and or workspace. The more unique the better.
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Copy, or writing, in emails is incredibly limited so don't worry too much about filling up on space in the email -- your 'About' page or blog post will do the heavy lifting. Once you are happy with how you're presenting your brand story, you can take the time to present your range of products or services.
2. Discount Code
It's becoming more and more regular for subscribers to expect a 10% Off discount code for signing up to your newsletter. This does not mean you are obligated to provide one, but consider the appeal and weigh the pros and cons. If you decide to go with a discount code in your initial offering, make that the first thing your subscriber will see opening the email. Top of the pops, as it so may be!
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Your subscriber likely won't have the attention span to scroll even midway to find the code so if you're focused on conversion first and foremost (i.e. getting your subscriber to use that code!) make sure they get it instantly and easily.
If you choose to lead with a discount code, don't forget about the brand story totally. You might consider an abbreviated version following our next suggested section: Product! If you've given them a discount code and you don't mind if they use it, why not show them what to use it on!
Now we can talk about product! Following either your 'About' section or your discount code, select 1 to 3 pieces of product from your range to show a diversity of offerings. Make sure to have clear, high quality photographs and to test the links. Any time you are advertising a particular product it should link directly to that product, or in the least the relevant shopping page. If you are advertising a service, choose 1 to 3 photographs that display your service as a tool and make sure that the links take the subscriber to the relevant information page.
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It might be your first instinct to put product front and forward in your 'Welcome' email but in fact, your first communication with your subscriber should start the trend for what your further communications will include. Putting sales first is a good priority but in the context of automatic email marketing be mindful that your subscriber could have a much longer life span than one email so make that work in your favor!
Finally, wrap up your 'Welcome' email with a way for your readers to further engage with your brand. Are you active on social media? Link to those pages! Make sure that you have clear, recognizable logos of the platforms you maintain a consistent presence. And make sure that those links, work! If you have a 'bank' of UGC (User Generated Content) you might choose to put in a photograph or two at the footer of the email, making sure to link back to the place on your site where subscribers can find your reviews or UGC gallery. Again, if you don't have a page for this built you can find an easy work around and create a blog post.
Results Driven Design
When you sit down to write your 'Welcome' email you should have an idea of what you want that 'first impression' to be for your subscriber. Your first 'Welcome' email can be just that -- one of two or three with unique offerings and ways to approach subscribers. But be warned that your first 'Welcome' email will open the door so should have a subject line which intrigues the reader, a pleasing design with clear and deliberate CTA (Call to Action) steps, and bring your subscriber back to your website as soon as possible in the fewest possible clicks.
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Getting Started
Your 'Welcome' email can be a playground for experimentation! Making sure that it arrives when the subscriber is most likely to interact with it, contains relevant content to the individual, and has an appealing and functional design are just the first steps to starting your successful 'Welcome' automatic journey.
Get In Touch
Send your messages where they need to go for the best results with Litir Marketing. Not sure where to start? How about with a note. Write to us at: Liz@litirmarketing.com
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