What's in a welcome? Email marketing ideas for success

Whether it's arriving at a hotel to be met with beaming smiles and champagne in the bedroom or the simple delights of returning home after a long day at work and being greeted by the boundless affection of a pet or a child - warm welcomes make us feel great, they make us smile, feel appreciated and, on a deeper level, like we made the right choice.

The welcome we give our customers - be it meeting them for the first time or the first interaction we have with them digitally - is all important. And usually, we only have one shot at getting it right. Nail it, and you're going to have a happy customers, eager to experience more of what you have to offer. Drop the ball, and watch your customer sail off into the metaphorical distance, never to return.

This is why welcome emails are so important. Far too often they're an afterthought, yet they give you a perfect opportunity to start building brilliant relationships with your customers. Welcome emails are triggered when someone signs up through your website to receive your emails. This could be when they enter their email into a sign up box, subscribe to your blog, or if they are making a purchase and check the box to say they want to hear from you.

This 'action' then triggers a welcome email to be sent to them. It's here you can be creative and deliver content in your email you know your new subscriber is going to love. The open rate for welcome emails is also significantly higher than average open rates and, what's more, 76% of people expect to receive a welcome email immediately after subscribing to your list. So you need to make sure you're doing them well.

Here are some examples of the different types of welcome emails you can send your customers to make that all important first impression:

1. The introductory offer

Example subject line: "Welcome! Here's your 10% off..."

‍Introductory offers are a great way of growing your email marketing list and also highly effective in welcome emails. It could be a percentage off, free delivery or, if you don't sell a physical product, something like a free trial or demo.

2. The guide to getting started

Example subject line: "Step 1: Complete your profile"

‍While not applicable in all circumstances, guides to getting started are perfect for software and tech companies. They also lend themselves well to having an automated journey (a series of welcome emails) taking the subscriber through all the steps they need to complete to get started with your product.

3. The simple hello

Example subject line: "Hey!"

‍Don't underestimate the power of a simple hello. Plain-text emails that look they come from one of your team are great starting points for building brilliant relationships with your customers. They can also be combined with other types of welcome emails to pack an even more powerful punch.

4. The exclusive welcome

Example subject line: "Welcome to the club"

‍We all love feeling like we're part of something exclusive and welcome emails are one of the best ways of doing this. Again, they can be combined with an introductory offer or a 'getting started' guide to increase their effectiveness.

5. The happy congratulations

Example subject line: "Hooray! You did it."

‍By congratulating your customers on signing up to your email marketing list you're already rewarding them for their show of loyalty - something they'll thank you for in the future with their repeat purchases. It makes them feel like they've made the right decision, like they are part of something worthwhile and sets a positive tone.

6. The community builder

Example subject line: "Welcome to the family"

‍In all walks of life we find our 'tribes' - those people who we feel comfortable with, whose values match our own and the people who, by simply being around them, make us feel good. If community is one of your core values, your welcome email can be the most powerful way for you to start building it. The idea of 'you're now part of us and we're now part of you' is integral to building strong brand loyalty - one of the essential ingredients for a successful business.

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As a bonus tip, these emails are your chance to shine. They should look fantastic and, as much as they can, they should capture your personality, your brand values and your ethos while setting the tone for the relationship you're going to build with the subscriber. They don't have to just use words either - why not include a link to a welcome video in the first email your new subscriber gets from you?

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If you'd like to find out more about ways to take your welcome emails to the next level, we'd love to talk to you.