4 Reasons Why You Should Send a Welcome Email to New Subscribers

With an online business, you don’t have a brick and mortar building that you can place a “welcome” mat in front of. Or have front-of-house staff greeting customers when they come in.

But with a welcome email, you can (almost) achieve the same effect.

Look at it this way – when someone signs up to your mailing list, they’re giving you a clear sign that they’re interested in your product or service.

And if you want to make a great first impression on that subscriber, you can do that by writing a great welcome email.

If you still need a little more convincing, here are four reasons why you should be sending a welcome email to new subscribers.

1. They are highly effective

Welcome emails receive much higher engagement than regular emails. According to Experian, welcome emails gain 4x higher open rates. And almost 7x higher click-through rates than promotional emails.

Source: Experian

This is because consumers are most engaged with a brand in the first 48 hours after subscribing. Welcome emails capitalize on this heightened interest as they are sent immediately after sign-up. And, given the high click-through rate, welcome emails offer a prime opportunity for brands to get clicks back to their website or social media channels.

2. They generate revenue 

Welcome emails can be powerful revenue generators. Data from InboxArmy revealed that welcome emails gain three times more sales and revenue than other promotional emails.

If we look back at those high open and click rates, it’s easy to see why. Subscribers are more engaged and more receptive to your sales message after signing up to your newsletter.

A great way to maximize revenue from welcome emails is by including a discount or special offer. According to Invespro, welcome emails that include an offer can increase revenue by 30% in comparison to one with no discount.

Here’s an example of online and catalogue retailer Freemans giving their new subscribers 10% off and other bonus perks in their welcome email:

3. They start building a relationship with your subscribers 

Welcome emails are a great opportunity for you to share more about your brand. Unlike emails about promotions or updates, welcome emails are all about introducing your brand and telling your story.

This helps new subscribers learn more about your brand and increase their interest in your products or services. For example, a welcome email by a nonprofit organisation can share details about their mission to help subscribers become more empathetic to its cause.

Or finance bloggers can use a welcome email to explain the benefits subscribers will receive now they have joined the mailing list.

There are other ways to develop a strong connection with your readers in your welcome email. This includes using personalisation and greeting subscribers by name. Or saying “thank you” and showing your appreciation for them signing up. This humanises your brand and makes the reader feel special.

Here’s an example of a welcome email by fashion brand Kate Spade that does exactly that:

4. They offer an opportunity to learn more about subscriber

Welcome emails are a good time to find out more about your subscribers. We already know that they’re engaged and ready to interact with your messages. So it’s the perfect opportunity to ask about preferences and interests.

Here’s an example from Arts Council England. In their welcome email, they ask new subscribers to “Tell Us More About Yourself” with a CTA button that links to a short survey asking for full name and occupation.

This benefits both the subscriber and the business behind the email. For subscribers, sharing their preferences means they’ll receive emails that are more tailored and relevant. For marketers, tailoring messages to subscribers pretty much guarantees increased engagement.

With this additional data, you can segment your mailing list based on the different characteristics of subscribers. You can send these sub-groups specific information or discounts based on their preferences.

Data from Instapage revealed that segmented personalised emails received 46% higher open rates than general emails. In addition, they generate 58% of total revenue from all promotional emails.

Wrapping it up

Welcome emails are one of, if not the, most important email you can send to your subscribers. By saying thank you for subscribing you immediately lay the foundations for a strong customer relationship. Which you can build on by using your welcome email to tell your story, explain your cause and build anticipation for future emails.

The high open rate and click-through rates for welcome emails mean they are prime opportunities for promoting your business and making a good first impression.

So if you don’t have one set up, now’s a great time to do it!

This article was written by the team at EmailOctopus. We aim to make email marketing cheaper and easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses.