If you read the blog post I shared last week, you now know why having a welcome email series improves the quality of your email list. But what you may not know is how the heck to put one together. How many emails do you need? When should you send them? And what should you write in each one? Well, blog or business superstar, you’re in luck. Because in this post, I’m going to tell you all about how to write a welcome email series.
Need help writing a welcome email series that increases your email list’s engagement rate?
Download my swipe file with a full welcome email series copy template.
What if I don’t have a product or service to sell?
You don’t need to have a product or service to sell to benefit from a welcome email series. The point of using a welcome email series is to capitalize on the fact that subscribers are most engaged right after they sign up for your list. By learning how to write an effective welcome email series, you can build an engaged list of subscribers who open your emails, click on your links, view your content, and even reply to your messages. This way, you’ll have more subscribers who know who you are, look forward to seeing your newest content, and interact with you on other platforms.
And if one day you decide to start selling a product or service through email, you’ll be in a much better position to make sales.
What to write in each email
Read below to find out what the purpose of each welcome email is, what it should say, and when you should send it.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 1
Purpose: To welcome your new subscriber, deliver your opt-in incentive, and set expectations
When to send it: Right after your subscriber signs up
Items to include:
- A greeting to welcome new subscribers to your tribe
- Your opt-in incentive. If you offered an incentive to subscribers in exchange for signing up, be sure to fulfill your end of the deal.
- A brief introduction to your brand
- A heads up about how frequently you’ll send emails and what they’ll contain
- An invitation to engage with you directly
- A postscript that teases the value you’ll deliver in your next email
See this example from Melyssa Griffin.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 2
Purpose: To nurture new subscribers by providing value
When to send it: A few days after Email 1
Items to include:
- The value you promised to deliver in the postscript of Email 1.
If I was targeting beginner watercolour painters, for example, I could send a link to my top watercolour painting blog posts.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 3
Purpose: To provide value on a more specific topic
When to send it: A few days or one week after Email 2
Items to include:
- A more specific resource that provides value to your subscribers
The value you offer can be a digital resource (e.g., tip sheet or checklist), a promo code, or a link to a free web-based tool (e.g., a graphic design app). Whatever you chose, make sure it addresses a specific pain point for your audience. In other words, ensure it addresses a problem your audience is facing.
For our watercolour painting subscribers, for example, I could send a digital guide with hacks on simple ways to improve the end result of a watercolour painting.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 4
Purpose: To provide value on an even more specific topic
When to send it: A week after Email 3
Items to include:
- An even more specific resource that provides value to your subscribers
For my watercolour painting subscribers, for example, I could send a video tutorial on how to clean watercolour brushes so that they produce optimal results.
Note that if you plan to pitch a product or service at the end of your welcome email series, use this email to offer something of value that’s related to your product or service. For example, if you’re going to be pitching a paid course on watercolour painting, don’t pitch an ebook on how to make charcoal sketches.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 5 Version A
If you aren’t planning to pitch a product or service at the end of your welcome email series, send this email to your subscribers next.
If you are planning to pitch a product or service, use Email 5 Version B.
Purpose: To invite your subscribers to connect with you on social media
When to send it: A week after Email 4
Items to include:
- A call to action to follow you on social media
Is your brand on Facebook? Instagram? Pinterest? Encourage your subscribers to connect with you there so that they can access more content and be the first to know about special offers.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 5 Version B
Use this email if you are planning to pitch a product or service at the end of your welcome email series.
Purpose: To set the stage for pitching your product or service
When to send it: A week after Email 4
Items to include:
- A preview of your product or service
- Customer success stories or testimonials
Use this email to nudge your subscribers toward the idea of buying from you. Don’t go for the hard sell just yet.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 6 Version A
If you aren’t planning to pitch a product or service at the end of your welcome email series, send this email to your subscribers next. It will be the last email in your welcome email series.
If you are planning to pitch a product or service, use Email 6 Version B.
Purpose: To get feedback from your new subscribers
When to send it: A week after Email 5
Items to include:
- A survey to find out what subscribers like about your brand, what they don’t like, and what they would like to see next
You can use the feedback you receive to improve the content you produce, modify the types of resources you create, and develop a product or service to sell in the future.
How to write a welcome email series: Email 6 Version B
Use this email if you are planning to pitch a product or service at the end of your welcome email series.
Purpose: To sell your product or service
When to send: A week after Email 5
Items to include:
- A pitch for your product or service
- Customer success stories or testimonials
- Information about incentives (e.g., bonus services or products)
- A countdown timer to convey urgency (as long as your offer is time sensitive)
- A link to your sales landing page
How to write a welcome email series: Email 7
Include this email only if you pitched a product or service using Email 6 Version B.
Purpose: To get feedback from your new subscribers
When to send: A week after Email 6
Items to include:
- A survey to find out what subscribers like about your brand, product, or service; what they don’t like; and what they would like to see next
You can use the feedback you receive to improve the products or services you offer, enhance the content you produce, and develop a new product or service to sell in the future.
Do I really need to send all of these emails?
Crafting 5–7 welcome emails and setting them up in your email software program can seem like a daunting task. That’s why you don’t have to start by sending a full welcome email series right off the bat. Instead, start with Emails 1–3 and work your way up from there.
It’s time to write a welcome email series
Setting up a welcome email series isn’t a walk in the park. But it also doesn’t have to be a perplexing mystery. Use the steps we’ve outlined above to start crafting your welcome email series today (even if it means starting with just 3 emails). Although it’ll take some work up front, a welcome email series will boost the impact of your existing email marketing activities by giving you a more engaged, responsive list to work with.
Need help writing a welcome email series that increases your email list’s engagement rate?
Download my swipe file with a full welcome email series copy template.
This helped me so much! I’ve had email lists in the past, but I always forewent a full welcome series. Now that I’m running a business, I see how necessary it is and this broke it down to make it so much easier.
Thank you so much for this!
So glad you found it helpful! Good luck with creating your own welcome series.