You got a new email subscriber! Woooo! Congrats, your job is done. All you gotta do is add them to your automated list for your weekly/biweekly/monthly newsletter, right? NOPE. Make the most out of your new email subscriber relationship with a kickass welcome email sequence.
What is a welcome email sequence?
A welcome email sequence is a sequence of emails automatically sent to someone after they sign up for your email list.
They may have signed up after binge reading your blog and becoming a fan, or maybe they signed up in order to snag a downloadable freebie. Whatever the reason, you now have a new email subscriber…which means you have a chance to make a loyal fan (and customer) for life.
We like to send six emails in a typical welcome email sequence, but you can send more or fewer if you like. But create at least three if you wanna be super basic: the first and last email in our series below (which we’ll get to in a second) and one other.
“Why not just send one welcome email? I mean, how many times can you say ‘Thanks and welcome to my newsletter??’”
It might sound excessive, but trust us on this. Sending multiple emails that are helpful and valuable is not excessive. Sending one email and then ghosting your new subscriber until it’s time to send your monthly newsletter? That won’t help you accomplish your goals, and you’re just taking up precious space in their inbox.
Now, onto the emails in a welcome email sequence.
Email 1: A delivery notification
Your first email in a welcome email sequence should remind your new subscriber why they signed up in the first place. You’re either
- Delivering a freebie that they wanted, or
- Notifying them that they subscribed to your email newsletter.
Whatever the reason for your first email, we recommend you create a welcome sequence for each reason. Both a) and b) should have unique welcome email sequences.
They don’t have to be completely different in every way — you can reuse some of the content in the emails — but make them unique and related to the reason someone signed up. Oh, and be polite. Thank them for subscribing.
So if they get a new freebie, tell your subscriber “thanks for downloading my freebie!” If they signed up without getting anything in return, say, “thanks for signing up for my newsletter and I promise to wow you with every email!” Get the idea?
Email 2: How can you help?
The second email in your sequence is your chance to show a new reader what kind of value your emails will offer them. That’s why we like to use this email to share resources that might solve pain points you know they already have.
How do you know what pain points they have? Look at the reason they signed up for your email list.
If they downloaded a roadmap to creating a website on their own, then you know they likely need tips and advice on web hosting, or design, or what pages to include on their site. If they downloaded a checklist for planning a wedding, you know that, well, they’re probably planning a wedding on their own.
What if they just signed up for your email list on a whim — no opt-in involved? You could send them some of your most popular resources, like blog posts, YouTube videos, or podcast episodes.
Still not sure how you can deliver value in this email? Ask them what they’d like to see or what questions they have! We shouldn’t have to remind you to answer any replies you get from your email subscribers, but we will anyway. Just in case.
Email 3: Start a conversation
At this point, your new subscriber stuck around and they (probably) remember who you are thanks to your first and second emails. Engage them further by sharing a little bit about yourself.
In your third email, we like to get the conversation going. We like to ask a simple question — keep the email short and sweet — and request a reply. Or a DM. We’ve had clients ask for their new subscribers to share their goals related to the freebie they downloaded, or to reply and share why they started their business.
What you say exactly in this email is up to you. You can be inspiring, or funny, or vulnerable, but the point is to engage your new subscriber and start nurturing your relationship with them. This is not the email to be salesy or sound like a robot. Be human and personable, and ask for a response. Make sure you REPLY to these emails, too.
NOTE: From email 4 through 6, these are specific to people who have multiple offers. If you’re a service provider or consultant who has just one offer/package, you can likely just focus on emails 1 through 3. Make sure to end email 3 with a sign off and an expectation of what comes next. See email 6’s outline for guidance!
Email 4: Introduce your other offers
Now, your new subscriber has warmed up to you a little. They might have even started to get to know you personally thanks to the third email in your sequence. You have the opportunity here to introduce your other offers and entice them to buy.
But don’t just throw any old product or service at the reader and scream, “BUY MY THINGS PLEASE.” You can do it with a bit more finesse than that. Instead, use the power of storytelling to explain why they could use your offer in their lives.
Let’s go back to those couple of examples we used in the second email section. You know your new subscriber is trying to build their own website. Tell them how they could save time, stress, and money by buying one of the gorgeous WordPress templates you sell.
Or, if you know your new subscriber has to plan a wedding (and fast), you could introduce them to your easily customizable wedding invitations, save the dates, and place cards. That checks off at least a few things on their to-do list.
If they got on your email list by downloading a freebie, make sure that the offer you’re peddling is connected to the freebie in some way. We like to think of it like an offer ladder, where the freebie is the first rung. Then, a low-cost offer is the second rung, and is what you should promote tos someone who opted in at a $0 price point.
Pro tip: If you’re introducing an evergreen offer — one that isn’t a limited time only or on sale for a specific time period — make sure to include an incentive for buying now. A special discount code or bonus swag can be that extra push to buy.
Email 5: Glowing reviews
Ever changed your mind about buying something online because of the customer reviews? Us, too. That’s the power of a positive or negative testimonial.
Your fifth email is the perfect time to share your glowing customer reviews. After introducing your offer to your new email subscriber, show them why they should buy from you. Show them how you’ve made an impact on your other customers.
Less is more when it comes to glowing reviews. Choose your testimonials with care, and edit them down so that they’re easily skimmable. Highlight the parts of reviews that specifically explain how you and your offers got real results for people.
This can be trickier if you’re a service provider and don’t sell products. But you just need to be more careful about what you include in the email. Let’s say a client of ours left us this review (this is not a real testimonial):
“I love Uncanny Content! They helped me improve the content on my website so it’s more in line with my goals. Plus, they streamlined my content planning process so it’s much easier now. I made 6 figures with my last launch so you know you can rely on my review!”
As much as we’d love to include all of that, we’d probably just include the bits about improving the website and streamlining their content process…because those were specific about what we did for them.
Email 6: Final email (but not goodbye)
It’s the final email in your sequence!
With this sixth email, remind them again why they signed up. If they got a freebie, remind them to use it. If they opted in to join your newsletter list, tell them that they’re added to your weekly/biweekly/monthly email list and they’ll hear more from you in future emails.
What can they expect in your future emails? Let ‘em know, whether it’s tips on your area of expertise, funny memes, updates on a new project or offer you’re working on, or a combination of it all.
You can also let your new subscriber know where else to find you. Link to your Instagram, YouTube channel, TikTok…you know the drill.
Go forth and write your welcome email sequence
And now you’re done! You’ve rocked your welcome email sequence. It’s not hard, right? It just takes some time to set up. You want to be intentional about the content you’re sharing with your new subscribers, because this is your chance to keep them around and turn them into a paying customer.
If you’re curious about our own welcome email series, sign up here. And if you’d like more help on your regular email newsletters, we can take that off your hands. Let’s talk about your content needs!
