There are terms within the marketing world that tend to sound rather elusive, and I’d argue “email welcome sequence” is one of those terms.
Despite the fact that if you really break it down, it’s pretty self-explanatory.
An email welcome sequence is a string of emails that get ‘dripped’ out to your list of subscribers shortly after becoming a new subscriber.
The idea of course, is to make them feel welcome and allow them time to get acquainted with your brand & business.
It can also be referred to as a “nurture campaign” or “email funnel”.
I like to think of everything in cocktail party terms, so this could be likened to a casual networking event that takes place within their inbox. (The venue.)
No one wants to be the metaphorical shark at the event that’s immediately gunning for the sale before you can even comprehend what the heck this person does and how or why they seem to think they can help you.
An email welcome sequence allows you to take the conversation over to the side, where it’s a bit quieter and you can elaborate on what you have to offer to an interested party.
Keyword *interested*, which these recipients are because they willingly subscribed to your email list. Perhaps through a lead magnet (aka lead generator, freebie, or opt-in) of some value.
Now your task is to take them from:
Interest -> Curiosity -> Enlightenment
Meaning, they go from being willing to hear more to feeling genuinely curious and engaged with what you’re expressing, to enlightened – that moment when your prospect thinks, “This is the one for me.”
(I wish I could take credit for this line of thought, but I’ll give credit where credit is due to the man himself – Donald Miller of Storybrand.)
So where does that leave us?
Is this so-called “email welcome sequence” right for you and how can you execute one?
If your business is service-based, product-based business, or e-commerce (so pretty much anyone), the answer is yes.
If you’re hoping to or currently growing an email list, the answer is yes.
I’ll spare you the “EMAIL IS KING!!!” shouting session and figure you’re reading this post because well, YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.
If you’re collecting email subscribers, here’s a simple scenario to show why you need an email welcome sequence
Have you ever signed up for something or placed and order and then…
…crickets…
It doesn’t exactly make the best first impression, now does it? It kind of makes you think, “Hellllo? Is anybody home?”
If you do this, it’s as if you just invited them in and then basically walked away.
An email welcome sequence allows you to drive the narrative and foster the relationship with this interested party, all while you’re working on any number of other tasks.
Hence the term “funnel”. You start broad and guide prospects where you hope they’ll go, all the way down to purchase (or booking).
And even IF they’re not quite ready to ‘buy’ yet, you better believe they’ll know who to call when they are.
Now, because I know you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for the part you came for, have at it…
Here are 6 things you should do in your email welcome sequence:
01 – Extend a warm welcome to your new subscriber and deliver on the promise you made.
Did you promote a PDF? A video? A checklist? An email course? Did you promise weekly emails? Make sure they get that thing STAT!
02 – Share your pitch – again.
You also probably know by now that it takes far more than 1 go of sharing your message. So say it again for the people in the back! What is your company all about? Who do you help? What problem do you solve and what results do you help people achieve? Express this through a clear value proposition.
03 – Make a personal connection.
If you have a more personal brand, or you operate as “the face of the business”, be sure to introduce yourself, share your (interesting and audience-focused) story, and pepper in a bit of credibility – aka why should people care? Are you as capable as you say you are? ...Confidence, friends, confidence.
04 – Provide a quick win.
Remember, your prospect might be merely interested at this point – not necessarily curious just yet. So provide them with bits of tangible value they can grasp or implement right away. Suddenly, you’ve just become the most helpful person they know!
05 – Set expectations.
What does this whole email relationship look like moving forward? In the Copy Uncorked email welcome sequence, we playfully congratulate our new subscribers for making it through the more regular than usual email banter and express they can expect to hear from us a few times per month in the future. People just like to know what’s coming, ya know?
06 – Make an ask.
The whole purpose of copywriting is to move the reader towards taking an intended action, and then of course to actually convert by taking said action.
So really, the only way to fail is to never ask.
Once you’re fairly confident this person knows who you are, what you offer, and how you can specifically help them solve their real-life problems (meet their needs, or satisfy their desire) make a small ask.
This is the part where you’re hoping for some sort of commitment.
Maybe it’s to buy a small product (digital or physical) or book a consult call.
One caveat: Really every email should contain some type of ask – or call-to-action. Whether it’s as simple as following you on social media, replying to your email, or reading a blog post – the idea is to “train” (although I don’t necessarily like the way that sounds) your audience to always take action in your emails.
This builds assurance and that ever-preached-on “know-like-trust” factor.
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Please note, I’m not suggesting, each of these 6 things should be their own respective email, but rather, regardless of how much content is in your email welcome sequence, you need to touch on each of these 6 points in a relatively brief frame of time.
Your next question might be: “Then what does go inside these emails?”
Below you’ll find a very rough outline to create an email welcome sequence of your own as a service provider, educator, or course creator.
EMAIL 01 – Confirm Their Subscription & Deliver the Lead Magnet
EMAIL 02 – Welcome, Win Over & Set Expectations (Your Clear Pitch)
EMAIL 03 – Intro Yourself / Share an Inspiring Story (Show Humanity & Play the Role of the Guide)
EMAIL 04 – Deliver Value / Quick Win / Provide Additional Resources
EMAIL 05 – Educate (Another Quick Win)
EMAIL 06 – Share a Client/Customer Success Story (Boost Credibility)
EMAIL 07 – Promote an Offering & Go for the Gold (Make an Ask – Bonus: Add a Sense of Urgency)
EMAIL 08 – The Closer (Freestyle this one – what’s next? What’s worth sharing?)
*Each of these emails should be scheduled to send anywhere from 1-4 days apart.*
Keep it simple to start, you can always build on your email sequence as your content grows (especially if you’re a newer brand).
Wishing you had a template to get started?
I’m sure you’re getting the idea that there’s actually a lot to share about email welcome sequences, and the great connections that can be made as a direct result of implementing one into your marketing plan. You may even be asking yourself, “How do I get started?”
Our series of 7 email sequences (via Google Docs) effectively onboards your new subscribers based on a well-aged, tasted, and approved framework to get you up and going in no time. It not only includes sample copy, but guided-fill-in-the-blanks to make it your own.
As a bonus, I’ve even included a Google training video to ensure you know what’s what.
That’s a wrap for now! Drop your comments, questions, requests in the comments below. If you want even more, just ask!
And if you want your email welcome sequence crafted for you? Get in touch!
[…] What Is An Email Welcome Sequence & Do You Need One? […]
Cannot overstate how much I would love a template Google doc for this! Not quite at the point where I can outsource my copy but I don’t want to be late to the email list party…so I’m currently trying to piece it together myself and it’s rough! For reference – I’m a photographer + my email sequence is targeted at other photogs who are opting into educational freebies from me!
Hi Krysia!
That’s so great to know, thank you for sharing that. And very helpful to know your a photographer! The plan is to work on some additional templates for the Shop in the near future so do check back soon!
Thanks again!
– Kaitlyn
Thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate you extending your knowledge. My concern is that I’ve been in a few of these funnels and EIGHT emails 1-4 days apart is a ton. I recently signed up for someone’s freebie and within a few days I had 3 emails. I unsubscribed. I don’t want to FEEL like I’m in someone’s funnel, so how do you create emails that are sincere and effective in both tone and delivery without them feeling impersonal or like you’re hammering people over the head?
Hi Dani! Absolutely – thanks for your thoughts! That’s a great question. You can always gauge your own comfort level and your audience and spread them out a bit more. The idea is to show some initial consistency and provide value up-front that makes them want to continue hearing from you. Think about writing emails you’d want to receive. Or create a folder in your inbox to file emails you love as inspiration. Make them genuine and personal and people will enjoy hearing from you! We even mention that our ‘welcome sequence ended in our last email to provide that added transparency of “okay, you made it out of the funnel!” 😉