Welcome emails are a lot like online dating — your subscribers signed up for your list because they were attracted to your profile (your post-click landing page and sign up form). To make the relationship work, you need to deliver on that promise. For that, you need to look at successful welcome email examples.
This is your opportunity to really “wow” them with your personality, so they look forward to your next newsletter. When you consider that welcome emails have an unusually high open rate of 50% – making them 86% more effective than newsletters, it’s crucial that you get it right.
So what separates an average email from one that leaves subscribers wanting more? Let’s look at some welcome email examples to find out.
A compelling subject line can certainly help but as Matthew Smith, Founder of Really Good Emails, states:
The question is whether it gives more to the person than it asks of them. The welcome email should make the service or app clear as a bell and make the next interaction option really clear and valuable. It’s not rocket science; it’s just good manners.
The best welcome email examples show sincerity and appreciation; after all, you’re excited to have them join your list! To help get you started, we’ve collected seven of our favorite formulas that engage new users and some pro tips to inspire you. Feel free to use the examples below as welcome email templates when creating (or rewriting) your own.
7 of the best welcome email formulas to influence new users
1. Say “thank you”
First thing’s first, welcome new subscribers and say “thank you” for opting in to receive your emails. Show your appreciation by sending a note of thanks. It can be as simple as a line of text, or you can get creative and use images or GIFs.
Sidecar does a great job thanking new subscribers and teases them with fun things they’ll get in return for their support:
Pro Tip: Try following Sidecar’s example by mixing up a sincere thank you message with some compelling imagery to get new subscribers excited about joining your list.
2. Set expectations
Sharing information about the type of content and the frequency your subscribers will receive it can go a long way in ensuring that your emails make it to the inbox (and don’t get marked as spam!). Being as clear as possible helps to build trust with your new audience.
This Harry's email is a great example of how to prep new subscribers for future emails to come:
Pro Tip: If someone makes a purchase before opting in, you still want to take the opportunity to introduce yourself and set expectations, just like Harry’s did.
3. Introduce yourself
Not everyone who signs up for your list is a current customer, so they might need a little more information about you and your brand to start building up trust. Your welcome email is a great place to share who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Encourage a two-way conversation by asking subscribers to share a little information about themselves as well.
Pro Tip: This welcome email from Away Travel hits all the right notes. We love how it acknowledges that most of their awareness comes from social media and that it likely took some time (and convincing!) to convert them into a subscriber. It shows they know their customers. It introduces the brand and gives a brief intro into what sort of content subscribers should expect to receive.
4. Deliver your incentive
If you promised an incentive upon signup, whether it be a guide, promo code, or exclusive offer, this is the time to share it. You don’t want to keep your new subscribers waiting. And what better way for them to start diving right into and engaging with your content? Look how Uber does it:
Pro Tip: We love how this email not only delivers the incentive right from the start but offers up some helpful tips on how to redeem it.
5. Share helpful resources
While subscribers wait for your next email send, why not use this opportunity to link out to helpful resources and content that can get them to engage with your brand and start learning more? If you have any relevant blog posts, guides, or videos, this is a great opportunity to share them.
This Airbnb email breaks down all the steps to successfully complete the user profile:
Pro Tip: If you are a product or service that requires users to complete a profile or registration, your welcome email is a great time to remind them to fill in their information.
6. Get social
Another great way to encourage engagement is by linking out to your social channels and having them connect with you on other platforms. You can also include a click-to-tweet in your email that encourages new subscribers to share your email list with their friends and network. Bonus points for showing social proof within your email.
Pro Tip: In this email, Glossier encourages users to connect with them on Instagram and features some of their favorite user-submitted content. This is a great way to make new subscribers feel like they’re playing a part in creating your brand story.
7. Stay connected
Be sure to share contact information and encourage feedback, so if any questions come up, your new subscribers know exactly where to go to get the help they need.
Pro Tip: With a name like Help Scout, it’s no wonder they’re pros at making the customer service process as smooth as can be.
Write more engaging welcome emails today
The perfect thank you email doesn’t exist. But, it’s important to start your new customer relationship off right by expressing sincere thanks. Then, consider some of the above formulas to increase engagement as you develop the relationship.
One way to write more engaging email content is to check out this free resource. New user relationships often begin with a professional post-click landing page. To create yours, Sign up for an Instapage Enterprise demo today.
About the author:
Olivia Dello Buono is a copywriter and social media enthusiast based in Philadelphia. She helps brands tell their story through content marketing, social media, and community. She is the Social Media Specialist at AWeber, an email marketing service provider for over 100,000+ small business owners and entrepreneurs.