Let’s say you’ve been hearing wonderful things about a person from all of your friends. You then learn they’re having a party to which everyone is invited and you’re welcome to stop by. You’re a bit reluctant to just show up, but you do so anyway, bearing a gift. When you arrive; the host opens the door, takes your gift, says nothing and walks away.
That’s what you’ll do to subscribers when they opt-in to your email list if you don’t send them a follow-up message. However, you also have to get the message right!
Incorporating these welcome email key elements will help you do just that. With powerful mass email services, including those that you can automate and personalise using mailmerge, there is no excuse these days not to have your new subscriber communications on point. Here are a few of the other things you need to keep in mind:
Immediate Response
The best time to speak to someone about anything is right after they’ve expressed an interest. The moment someone subscribes to your email list is the moment they’re most likely to be interested in what you have to offer. Their consideration will wane over time, so it’s best to send the welcome message immediately.
Engaging Subject Line
Keep in mind; most people are on mobile devices these days. This means you’ll need to have a well-baited hook to hold their attention. Mobile users are notorious for multitasking and seldom give a message more than three seconds of initial attention—if they decide to read it at all. Your subject line must cut straight to their curiosity centre.
“Welcome” and “Thanks” are good first words to use as they remind the recipient they invited your contact. Further, your message should be immediately identifiable as being from you.
Personalization
Configure your system to glean the subscriber’s relevant information from the sign-up form and craft a personalised welcome message in response. This note should address the subscriber by name and reference the vehicle by which they found you—whether it’s a click-through from a Facebook ad, Instagram post or Twitter feed. The message should also link them to content they might find useful based upon their indicated interests.
A Gift
Leverage the law of reciprocity by offering the subscriber a free gift, a discount or some other perk as your way of thanking them for joining your list.
Most human beings feel a need to give something in return when they’ve been given something first. This is a good way to get them to click through to your blog or your eCommerce store. This, in turn, gives you an opportunity to convert them into a customer.
Call to Action
Yes, the message’s primary purpose is to thank them for signing up with you and welcome them into the fold. But you might as well make a soft pitch while you have their attention. Show them the absolute best of what you have to offer—based upon their indicated preferences—and include a call to action (CTA) link to take them to it on your site.
Clear a Path for Future Deliveries
Asking subscribers to add you to their safe senders list ensures your messages make it past their spam filters. “Add us to your contacts to make sure you don’t miss exclusive offers and exciting events.”
Tout Your Social Presences
Let them know you can also be found on whatever social media platforms you employ. Encourage them to follow you so they can stay on top of everything you have going on. To make this invitation more enticing, offer exclusive perks, discounts or sneak peeks to remain one step ahead of the crowd.
These seven key elements of a welcome email will help you make the most of that first impression. Other useful ideas include asking for referrals and including an unsubscribe link so you stay on the right side of the law.