Are you building an email list, promoting an app, or using a subscription based business model? Then what I am about to talk about is critical for the future of your business.

When the benefit of your product or service comes from the ongoing use of that product or service and you want to create an exceptional customer experience, a well-written, beautifully executed email welcome sequence is simply not optional.

The good news is too many businesses slap together a new customer welcome sequence - or worse - don’t really have much of one at all.

Even some big brands just have those super confusing double opt in things without a hint of personalization or brand voice.

That means your competitors probably don’t have a great welcome sequence either.

Crafting a fabulous welcome sequence is where you gain another advantage over them.

A basic welcome sequence - which is also called an onboarding sequence - has four primary purposes:

to establish the benefit of signing up or subscribing
to help new users get the lay of the land and help them take advantage of what they signed up for
build an ongoing relationship with you, your brand, or business
to increase retention and to offer upgrades where appropriate

But we aren’t going basic for your welcome sequence.

In a nutshell, you’re gonna show your new subscribers where the good stuff is, let them know how they can keep on getting the good stuff, or how to get something even better.

With everyone feeling that they’ve seen all there is to see in the marketplace, savvy consumers are craving experiences with brands that feel authentic.

Your welcome sequence is a prime opportunity to turn up the volume on your brand voice and to be personable, fun, and helpful. 70% of consumers say they prefer when a company uses humor they can relate to…don’t you owe it to yourself and to your customer to make that first out of the gate email impression a super value bomb that is also hella relatable?

You want to design a welcome sequence that flows logically and, to increase the open rates for each email in the series, you want to create anticipation about what’s coming next. Writers call that “opening a loop” and it helps to up the chances your reader will want to open your next email in the series and close that loop. The reality is, humans crave the closure of knowing how a thing ends. Even if it ends badly…like Dexter did on Showtime.

If you have an upgrade to sell, you’ll make that offer in your sequence only after you’ve made sure you’ve fully conveyed the value and the benefits of the free or demo version of your product or service. And here’s a pro tip: not everyone is going to buy that upgrade…so take pains to make sure your language around the upgrade doesn’t make staying with the free version feel like a total downer. You’ve built a relationship with this user over these few emails and their “no" today may be more like a “not yet”. Respect the free service you offer and the free service user.

If you don’t have an upgrade to sell right now, add in a fun question, open a feedback loop, or start a genuine conversation as your welcome sequence draws to its logical conclusion. Did you know that 54% of your customers will willingly hand over some personal information if they believe it will lead to a more customized experience in the future? Do promise you will safeguard that info if it is sensitive stuff…but if you ask for it? Use it! When people feel heard and seen- by getting customized information that solves their specific problems - they want to continue to do business with you and they tell others about their positive experience.

Most companies are putting all their customer experience energy into their sales messaging. If you got a subscriber on your list or a user signed up for your service…congrats. Now is not the time to drop the ball. Leapfrog over your competition by creating a warm, personable email welcome sequence for new customers that says thank you, fulfills the promise you made at sign up, and deepens the connection so your customers are primed to be on the lookout for future benefits and offers they can’t wait to purchase.

Want help writing a top-notch welcome sequence for your business?

Schedule A Call

Better Than The Big Brands: How to Craft a Welcome Sequence That Wows!