Your Business Needs a Welcome Email, and Here’s Why

Does your small business have a welcome email?

Since you’re reading this post, I’m guessing you don't. Or, you do have one, but it’s old and outdated, and you’re trying to figure out if it’s still worth having.

In short: yes. A welcome email (or even a welcome sequence) is an integral part of email marketing for businesses of all sizes. Okay, you can all go home now.

But actually don't, because the long answer is a bit more nuanced. Which is why I’m going to explain why you do need a welcome email and all the benefits they bring.

What is a welcome email?

A welcome email is an email sent immediately after someone subscribes to your list. In most cases, it thanks the person for subscribing and introduces your business. You can also have an entire welcome sequence of anywhere from 3 to 5 emails.

Why you need a welcome email

Connect with engaged customers

Imagine a customer came into your brick-and-mortar shop and immediately fell in love with what you sell. They tried to engage you in conversation about it, but you only gave them a cursory nod and went back to whatever mundane task you were working on. That's not a very good customer experience, is it?

That's what it feels like when a business doesn't send a welcome email or uses the generic template built into their ESP. Instead, you want to welcome that customer with a big smile and share all about your business. By building that connection up front, you'll leave a good impression and hopefully get their return business in the future.

Introduce yourself

Do your subscribers know who you are? A welcome email is the perfect place to make sure they do. Even if you have a stellar about page on your website, your welcome email lets you share another angle of your story, or exclusive information not found anywhere else.

Introducing yourself is especially important in the age of AI. It helps customers see that you’re a real person, not a drop-shipper with a stolen photo. To make this even more effective, try including behind-the-scenes pictures or videos of you making your products right in your welcome email.

Get sales

I know it sounds icky, but you are running a business here. And a welcome email is a fantastic place for sales. That customer signed up because they were interested in your business. So why not allow them to support it?

There are plenty of options you can take here. You could do the classic "sign up and get a coupon" tactic. You could share best-selling products or give information on why your service is worth paying for. Just don't forget a CTA asking them to make the purchase.

Stay front of mind

I’ve signed up for many businesses’ emails and never gotten a welcome message. Then, by the time they finally get around to emailing me, probably about a new product, I’ve forgotten who they are or why they’re in my inbox.

It’s fine if you don’t want to sell to customers right away. But you should send a welcome email anyway, so you remain on their mind. It’s also why you should send emails frequently, but that’s a post all on its own. The important point is that you don't want people to sign up for your list and then forget about it because they didn't get a welcome email.

Mistakes to avoid with welcome emails

Sending them late

I don’t know about you, but I get so annoyed when I sign up for someone’s email list (especially if they’re offering a coupon) and I don’t get an email right away. Even more so if it takes a day or more for the email to come through. By then, the business may have lost a customer.

Make sure your welcome automation triggers the instant someone signs up. Don't wait an hour or worse, a day. Someone signs up = they get an email. Simple as that.

Using the generic template

Every time I open a welcome email from a company and find the generic template that comes with the ESP, I die a little inside. It signals to your subscribers that you don't actually care about their signing up, because you couldn't even be bothered to create a unique welcome email.

Your welcome email is the first thing new subscribers see. So it should be branded to the nines. It should scream, “This is who we are as a company”. Not be a “thanks for subscribing" followed by the MailChimp logo. That’s just lazy marketing.

Overwhelming the reader

There’s no perfect length for a welcome email. It all depends on your business and what you’re trying to achieve with the welcome email. That being said, you also want to have a single CTA for your email.

I’ve seen welcome emails where the company tries to get me to use my coupon code, follow them on Instagram, and check out their newest collection. That’s too much information, and it’s overwhelming. Rather than take action, all I do is delete the email. Instead, you want to have one goal for the email, such as introducing yourself or promoting your best products.

This is also why I'm a big advocate for welcome sequences for many businesses. By using a sequence, you can share more information and value without overwhelming the reader in a single email.

I hope you see now how important welcome emails are. They can make the difference between a list of engaged subscribers who are eager to buy and a list of lukewarm subscribers who are only one mediocre email away from unsubscribing.

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