Why A Welcome Sequence Is So Important (And How To Write One)

If you’re just getting started with your email marketing journey, one of the first things you’ll want to create ASAP is a welcome sequence. 

When people first subscribe to your email list, your welcome sequence is the initial series of emails they receive. The main goal of the welcome sequence is to introduce a new subscriber  to your brand.

We want your welcome sequence to build an authentic connection with the subscriber. This is especially important for smaller brands, when potential clients and customers really value the feel of a personalized, 1:1 connection with the face behind the business (that’s you!). Your goal here is to cultivate trust and show a new subscriber that your business aligns with their needs and values. 

What To Include

Your welcome sequence should be a strong first touchpoint with your subscribers. In it, you want to educate people about your brand, answer questions that come up frequently, and showcase your best selling products or services. 

A welcome sequence should follow this basic flow:

1. Deliver the incentive. *Not all welcome sequences need an incentive. You might get subscribers to join your email list just because they want to–and not in exchange for something! If your welcome sequence is triggered by an incentive though (such as a discount code or freebie), you’ll want to send that to your new subscriber right away.

2. An introduction to the brand.

3. About the founder of the business.

4. Added value like tips and resources.

5. If applicable, include a reminder to use the incentive you offered, or to offer a new incentive.

6. More added value like tips and resources! Then set expectations for what’s to come with your newsletters. 

At the end of this sequence, you will add this subscriber to your regular newsletter list. That’s why it’s important to set the expectations for future newsletters by explaining what sort of content you’ll be sending and how frequently. 

When subscribers exit your welcome sequence, you want them feeling excited and intrigued by your brand and what you’ll send them next. 

Read more: Email Sequences Every eCommerce Business Needs

Setting Up Your Welcome Sequence

Setting up your welcome sequence means planning out the content and graphics before you start sending your emails. You’ll also need to think about how your subscribers will sign up. If you decide to offer an incentive for joining your email list, your welcome email will need to deliver this.

In general, a welcome sequence will be about 4-6 emails long. Take some time to pencil out what you’ll say in each email so they flow logically from each other. 

Once you know the basic outline of your sequence, you can start writing the copy. Try to infuse the emails with your voice and personality–after all, subscribers want to get to know you! This is your chance to impress your audience and get them to like, know, and trust both you and your  business. 

Next, you’ll need to design the emails in your email platform by setting up an automated email flow. The graphic design should be consistent with your regular newsletters and should reflect your brand identity. Be sure to include some photos of yourself in email #3 to make it more personable!

When your email sequence is written and designed in your email marketing system, you’ll need to create a trigger that adds subscribers to the automated sequence. Create forms inside your email marketing system (in-line, pop-up, and page forms) that you can embed on your website and link from social media. 

Each email platform works a little differently, but generally a pop-up form or in-line form on your website works well and can easily be linked from your site to your email platform. You can also create a page form that links to your email provider from your social media accounts. You want to make it easy for people to sign up, so it’s a good idea to have multiple methods for collecting subscribers. 

Tips & Tricks

When customers are first added to your list, you’ll want to send the first email of the welcome sequence immediately. After that, emails should be spaced out about once every 1-2 days. That means that customers will go through a welcome sequence in about a week.

Since the welcome sequence is someone’s first introduction to your brand, it’s important to focus on providing value rather than a sales pitch. While you can still encourage customers to check out your offer suite, remember to stick to the 80/20 rule! This means that 80% of your email content should be value-based and the other 20% should actively promote your business. The 80/20 rule helps you strike a balance between engaging customers while still working to drive conversions–and it’s a strategy you should use in all of your newsletters. 

Putting It All Together

Setting up your welcome sequence can be an intense process, especially if you’re in a time crunch. While it does take some planning, creating this automated flow is totally worth the effort involved. A welcome sequence is the perfect opportunity to build trust with your audience–and you’ll find that your subscribers will stay loyal and committed to your business as a result. 

If you think your business could benefit from a welcome sequence and you want support to make it happen, book an email marketing intensive so we can help you get one set up!