Do you want an active subscriber list for your newsletter that will generate more sales and loyal customers? To do that you will want to begin your relationship with subscribers on the right track by sending a welcome email first.
A welcome email sets the tone for both receiver and sender of what’s to be expected in their inbox; whether it’s receiving emails daily, weekly or once a month.
Not only that, but welcome emails generally receive a 50% to 60% open rate over other types of marketing emails. This becomes the most opportune time to share with potential leads what the company is about and how your emails will be valuable for them.
Why Send A Marketing Newsletter?
Email is a cost-effective way for business owners to reach their customers through a number of different stages in the sales funnel. For every dollar spent on email marketing, generally $44.25 is returned in revenue.
And, while most companies focus their marketing dollars on new customer acquisition, an existing customer is 60-70% more likely to buy than a new prospect. Email marketing is the most effective way to retain those customers, at 56%, compared to other channels, such as social media marketing at 37% or content marketing at 32% (source, Invesp).
With such insight, it is obvious that putting the time and effort in automated emails is worth the investment. You want to start that relationship off on the right foot.
What To Include In Your Welcome Email:
You can only send one welcome email to a customer, so make it impactful by using the following best practices.
First, Make It Timely
The minute someone subscribes to your newsletter, they have become a potential customer. This is your opportunity to create a great first impression by introducing yourself in a welcome email that same day.
Subscribers who read a welcome message are 40% more likely to open up following emails for the next 180 days. It’s important to start that momentum early when your business is still fresh in their mind.
You can send a personalized welcome by creating an automated email that’s set to distribute the minute a customer completes your online sign-up form. Mailchimp, an email marketing platform, has an easy-to-create automation guide for your first email.
Then An Eye-catching Subject Line
The first email your subscriber will receive must grab the reader’s attention with an eye-catching subject line. It must be short, impactful and to the point.
Mailchimp surveyed that personalizing your subject lines through merge tags gain more open rates; along with announcements, invitations and a thank you. People also respond to a sense of urgency in the heading and are more likely to open an email with an emoji in it.
To read more subject-line best practices, read Mailchimp’s Subject Line Comparison.
Set Subscriber Expectations
Your subscriber is more likely to continue reading your emails if you summarize in your welcome what you will be emailing them and how often they can expect to receive it.
A recent survey found that two of the top three reasons people would unsubscribe from a newsletter or mark them as spam is because they emailed too often, or they sent irrelevant content.
By being up front with how often you plan to send email and what the content will be about, the subscriber will understand ahead of time what to expect and will be less likely to be frustrated when they receive see your emails in their inbox.
List The Benefits Of Your Newsletter
Get them excited to see your emails by stating what the benefits are of becoming a subscriber. Be clear with bullet points and offer some exclusive perks that non-subscribers won’t receive.
Benefits matter based on your demographic, so use target personas before thinking what benefits will interest them.
If you don’t have a target persona already created for your business, our program can help you get started.
Some suggestions might be:
- Discounts and offers
- Sales and reminders
- New products
- Seasonal products
- Contests
- Event invitations
- Birthday gifts
- Educational content
- Tips and How-tos
Gain Trust And Grow Brand Loyalty
Your welcome email is the beginning of a relationship and often the relationships that last the longest are the ones you nurture slowly.
Don’t overwhelm your lead with hard sells in the first email you send. Instead be cordial and begin small by inviting them to watch your About video, see what specials are available online, or even visit your brick and mortar business with a discount or cup of coffee on you.
The request should be small enough at the beginning to create curiosity and intrigue. The reader should feel special that they are part of an exclusive club… your email list. Starting small will prepare them for when you have a bigger ask in the future, for instance a sale, or new product.
Learn How To Create A Successful Newsletter Strategy
Sending a welcome email is the first step to a longer, lasting relationship with your customers. Customer retention and a higher number of sales are formed with good email marketing.
You can begin your own successful newsletter if you have the right design, content, sign up, and frequency of distribution. Our course on newsletters will teach you the right steps towards getting and retaining subscribers.
Newsletters remain the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy, and this course will help you to maximize the impact of yours.