14 effective welcome messages for email marketing

 14 effective welcome messages for email marketing-Overview

We are all familiar with the famous phrase "the first impression is what counts." If you are late for a job interview, you will make a bad first impression. The same is true if you eat garlic and forget to brush your teeth before a first date.

The "first impression" principle does not only apply to in-person interactions, but also to email interactions.

When you send a welcome message to a new customer or subscriber to your blog or newsletter, you make the first impression on behalf of your brand.

Welcome emails get some of the highest engagement rates of any other email; an essential reason for you to consider adding welcome messages to your email marketing strategy.

Why is it important to send a welcome message to your subscribers?

If you still have doubts, let these statistics convince you:

74% of people expect to receive a welcome email immediately after subscribing to your list.

Only 57.7% of brands send welcome emails to their newly subscribed users.

Welcome emails on average generate up to 320% more email revenue than other promotional emails.

Subscribers who receive a welcome email show 33% more engagement with the brand.

Welcome emails containing offers can increase revenue by 30% compared to welcome emails without offers.

Welcome emails have a click-through rate of 14.4% compared to just 2.7% for other types of emails.

The conversion rate is 0.94% for welcome emails (4.01% for real-time messages) compared to 0.10% for a typical email.

In addition, a good welcome message has the following benefits for your business: 

You show interest in the person who subscribed to your site , which will lead to a long and well-founded relationship, since people subscribe to sites that offer things that interest them: ebooks, attractive and constant content or offers.

It gives you the opportunity to help customers and subscribers to take full advantage of all the benefits that your business can provide them. 

Boost conversion (and sales too) by using the right calls to action.

Did you know that welcome messages are the ones that are most opened by different users? In fact, they are so effective that they  have a 50% open rate, which is 86% higher than other emails . That is why you should not hesitate when sending one to each new subscriber.

In this article, we've rounded up some prominent examples of welcome emails used by small and large brands in their marketing strategy. They will help you make the best possible first impression with your messages. As you are about to discover, each example shows different tactics and strategies for getting the attention of new email subscribers, but not before exploring the most common types of welcome email.

Types of welcome messages

1. Let's get started!

A welcome email is the perfect way to introduce people to the characteristics that make your brand unique.

Sometimes the smallest elements in a welcome email can speak volumes about a brand. And when it comes to a Let's Get Started welcome message, using copy that encourages action will make the right impression. These types of emails can begin with a phrase like: "Discover what we have for you" or "Welcome aboard!".

2. With video

You can start with an introductory video that shows an opening greeting. The more your email resembles an individual conversation between you and your subscriber, the better. Thus, create a short video in an informal tone where you integrate the functions or characteristics that your subscriber should know as soon as possible.

This way you will show him exactly what you need him to do without long text that could overwhelm him.

3. Thank you

Let's face it: those of us who use the internet receive constant subscription invitations and all kinds of content by email. When someone takes the time to sign up and is genuinely interested in your email communication, it's best to say thank you.

Thus, the beginning of your email could be "Thank you for subscribing" or something more charming like "In appreciation of your new subscription, we send you this selection of articles that you might like."

4. With offer included

If you want to take the thank you further, explore the possibility of giving an offer as a welcome message. For example, you could give away free shipping to new subscribers close to the dates of Black Friday, Hot Sale or El Buen Fin (or any other weekend of discounts in your country). 

You could also offer 2x1 infoproducts or access to discounted products in advance. 

5. Hello!

A simple Hello! is effective, accompanied by a list of benefits for your subscription. You could talk about the benefits of your brand, the permanent benefits it offers, as well as tricks, tools and news as a value offer to those interested.

Now that you know some basic types of welcome messages in email marketing, let's take a look at the featured examples we have for you.

14 customer welcome messages that will inspire you to write yours

1.  Kate Spade

'Thank you. You are already on our mailing list and now you will be among the first to hear about our new products, special events and exclusive offers. As a special gift, enjoy a 15% discount on your next purchase in stores and online.

Women's fashion company Kate Spade uses a simple and effective tactic in its welcome emails. Write the word "thank you" in large, bold type and place the text on top of an envelope. In this way, the brand tries to evoke the feeling of receiving a thank you letter by post. Also, it offers a code to get the 15% discount, which is a great incentive.

2. Virgin America

'Welcome aboard. We'll be in touch. 

Hi! Thank you for signing up to stay in touch with Virgin America. From now on, you will have regular updates on rates and special offers. And since you will be among the first to know, you will be able to fly with the best rates we offer (in addition to our usual ambient lighting, WiFi, food on demand, TV, movies and more). In the meantime, head over to our website for rates and jump on your next getaway. This is the beginning of a healthy digital relationship. Congratulations!".

Welcome emails are the perfect medium to present the characteristics and peculiarities that differentiate your brand.

On the US airline this is equivalent to placing the universal symbol of "I love you" in the center of your welcome message. With this small gesture, the recipients perceive that the team really cares about their customers. In addition, the "Welcome Aboard" pun and the "Take a Seat" call to action accompanying the symbol also help the brand immediately position itself as trendy and fun.

3.  Michaels

“We are so happy that you said Yes . Thank you for sharing your email address with us. Your inbox is about to get more inspiring! We'll send you fun things like craft tips and tricks, event invitations, plus exclusive coupons and promotions. "

The approach that stationery retailer Michaels uses in its welcome emails borrows elements from the tactics of Kate Spade and Virgin America. In addition to expressing appreciation to users who sign up to his website, Michaels takes advantage of the welcome message to show the essence of his brand. And it does an excellent job! The message looks like an arts and crafts project where you can see elements of paint, thread, and even a blackboard.

Another feature that stands out in this welcome message is that Michaels immediately clarifies the value of the emails that recipients will receive in the future.

4.  InVision

When you sign up for the free InVision app (the leading collaboration and workflow platform), your welcome email makes it clear what you need to do next: use the app.

And to make this easier, InVision does not intend to simply list a list of steps to get you started using its product, but to show them in a series of short videos. Given the visual nature of the product, it makes perfect sense that InVision decided to use this strategy.

5.  Food52

“The sandwiches have arrived!

Welcome to Food52. We are happy that you are here. We created Food52 because we wanted to create a reliable and inspiring space with everything you need to eat and live well (and let's face it, because we really like cake). We hope you'll browse our recipes, tutorials, and finds for hours, and we want to thank you for subscribing with a $ 10 discount on purchases of $ 50 or more. Simply enter the code WELCOME10 before paying ».

Food52 Welcome Message Preview

Sometimes the little elements of a welcome email can reveal a lot about a brand. When it comes to the welcome message from the cooking site Food52, the introductory text "sandwiches arrived" does the job.

This type of text, also known as a preheader, is extracted from the body of the email and displayed next to or below the subject line in the recipient's inbox. In this way, as soon as you see the Food52 message, you can know the brand's personality even before opening it.

This message also does a good job of inspiring confidence in recipients by associating your brand with a face (in this case, two), because when you open the email, the first thing you see is a photograph and the message of welcome from the founders of the company.

6.  IKEA

It may not be the most attractive email on this list, but that doesn't mean the welcome message from IKEA, the furniture and home goods company, is ineffective.

Instead of using aggressive sales text, like "buy our products now!" or explain what the company does (something IKEA assumes many people already know), uses your welcome email as an invitation for recipients to learn about other of its less popular content channels and programs.

For example, there is a call to action at the top that explains the benefits members get from your rewards program. There are also messages inviting recipients to visit your design blog and collaborate on your website known by its English name as Share Space.

On the other hand, if you are not interested in participating in this way, at the top of the IKEA welcome email there is also the option to log in easily so you can start shopping.

7.  Drift

“Most people have a long mailing list ready when you subscribe to their list. Good news: we are not like most people. Instead, I want to share with you some of our popular posts to bring you up to speed. Think of it as a carefully curated list of things you should read rather than search the entire blog. "

This company doesn't need a fancy design; neither videos nor photos. The welcome email sent by the Drift sales and marketing platform to those who subscribe to its newsletter is a masterpiece of minimalism.

The message begins with a casual comment on the nature of email. Here is a list of the most popular blog posts for your company. An interesting fact is that the only time the product is mentioned is in the postscript.

This is a great example to follow if you want to write a simple welcome email that focuses solely on adding value.

8.  Coyote Drive-in

This is one of our favorites for its simplicity: it shows the new subscriber the benefits of subscribing to the Mexico City drive-in theater and offers a weekly newsletter with the update of the billboard, as well as an invitation to visit the page of the establishments and make a purchase.

9.  Starbucks Rewards

We love this message as it has the most essential when it comes to welcoming your membership of the famous chain of the mermaid. It also reminds you of access to your rewards account and the number of stars you earn when you register in its database. 

In short, you give the new subscriber exactly what they need, without the hassle.

10.  Oink My God

Without a doubt, the email of this Spanish consultancy represents the maximum of personalization in the world of digital marketing. One of the details that I loved the most was the fact that they were presented and the business left them until the end. I also liked the fact that it has a letter format, as well as the subject of the email that invites you to introduce yourself and be part of the «cerdil» community, signed by the founders.

11.  Duolingo

This is one of the most beautiful emails you will find on this list, since it is aligned with the editorial criteria of the most downloaded app for learning languages. He is friendly and organized. It meets all the criteria when it comes to welcoming new users who downloaded the app in any of its versions. 

What I like the most is the fact that it makes you a double invitation: to its social networks and to log in to the application. 

12.  Anchor

Fondeadora appreciates the loyalty and commitment of its new clients, welcoming them, expressly communicating its manifesto and making all its subscribers part of a new disruptive community.

The visual style matches your message and is therefore even more effective. In short, it invites you to be part of a movement from the first glance.

13.  Wix

The reason a subscriber gets involved with Wix is ​​precisely to create their own site. Within your welcome message, you begin with the introduction to your service to take your customers by the hand, step by step, in obtaining their objective. It is a direct message with which many will take action.

14.  Waze

The real-time navigation mobile application presents your service with the steps to follow precisely. It also appreciates the interest of the user by giving them a free trip for subscribing to its service.

Visually it is simple, but its content is substantial. That will delight new subscribers, who will know exactly what to do next.

How to create a customer welcome message to build long-term relationships

Follow these tips so that your mailing list continues to grow and is the basis for long relationships with your subscribers:

Set clear expectations with your welcome messages. 

Your subscriber list is more likely to open your messages if they are clear about what to expect from you.

Keep a proper subject.  

Keep it short, specific and, better yet, personalized with your new subscriber's first name.

Employ engagement tactics.  

Try the interactive features of email to engage your audience with you. An example of this is sending them surveys of their interest, inviting them to follow your social networks or to comment on a video of yours.

Talk about what is happening in your social media groups.

This makes your community grow and build relationships on other channels.

Segment your emails. 

When you segment your email list, you classify recipients into groups. For example, create an email group of those who joined your list from the same source, such as a webinar or ebook that you offered.

Rank your email list early on by

Asking subscribers in the sign-up form about their email interests and preferences. Multi-list subscription forms do it for you. Your contacts are then automatically added to the corresponding contact lists, so you can send them specific emails based on their preferences.

Ask readers for comments

 To find out what they want to hear from you in your emails. Is there a way to solve a problem? Is there something that bothers them about your emails?

Responds to information needs. 

If the comments are repeated frequently, address the problem on your blog, for example: how to use the newest feature of your product or how to make safe purchases on your website. You could include your blog entries on these issues in your next welcome emails.