5 tips for your welcome email

Dear friend,

Welcome emails have a 91.43% open rate. (Hive.co)

My transition from project management to email marketing was like swapping spreadsheets for protein shakes.

I found a client on X who is a father, a married man, and a fitness enthusiast.

He was busy with many responsibilities.

In the early stages of his newsletter, he needed that extra push.

So, we hopped on a video call.

He asked me what makes a good welcome email.

I awkwardly mumbled "uhhh, good question.”

I didn't have an answer.

That night, I studied for hours so I could have something to present to him the next day.

I learned from research that a welcome email is the first email you receive after subscribing to a newsletter.

It's a chance to make a good first impression and build trust.

Most email service providers (ESP) deliver your welcome email automatically so you don't have to worry about it after initial setup.

Before my client worked with me, he had a lackluster welcome email.

We transformed it together!

Now, he has a smooth system for welcoming new subscribers.

He loved how easy and stress-free I made the whole process!

Here are 5 things you can do to get similar results:

1. Add a touch of copywriting

Your welcome email is an introduction to your newsletter, like the start of a friendly conversation.

So, share a bit of your journey and express gratitude to your reader.

Use copywriting to maximize impact and emotional connection.

Refer to my whitelisting email about becoming a trusted sender.

To write a great welcome email:

• Ensure your copy is easy to read and scan

• Talk about the benefits your reader will get from your newsletter

• Add a call to action; make it easy for your subscribers to take the next step

• Create a compelling subject line and preview text 

• Keep your email body between 50 to 200 words

I practice copywriting daily on X and get feedback to improve.

I subscribe to other people’s newsletters to learn from their welcome emails.

I've created a welcome email swipe file with real-world examples to fuel your creativity and give you new ideas.

2. Craft a powerful story

Stories enhance our knowledge, make us laugh or cry, and connect us.

Write a small origin story that shares the purpose behind your newsletter.

An origin story is like a mini-movie about how something started, like a superhero's beginning or how a business came to be.

So, highlight the challenges you’ve faced and conquered.

Tell how your journey led to what you're doing now.

To improve your storytelling:

• Connect with your readers through emotions like excitement, suspense, entertainment, and humor

• Vary your sentence structure and pace to keep readers engaged

• Show, don't tell, by using vivid descriptions and sensory words to immerse your reader in the experience

• Study your favorite stories; discover why you love them

• Read “Stories that Stick” by Kindra Hall

I journal what happens in my life and practice storytelling on X to see how people resonate.

I think about my favorite TV shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and what makes me feel connected to the characters in the story.

3. Express your Mission and Vision

Your readers can connect deeply with you when they know what you stand for.

Consider adding a short mission and vision statement.

Mission: What your company is doing now / What your newsletter is doing and why it matters

Vision: What you hope to achieve in the future

Sharing these statements, alongside great storytelling, makes readers stick to your brand.

They'll resonate with your values, seeing themselves reflected in your goals and journey.

When creating your mission and vision:

• Define what impact or positive change you want to help your readers achieve

• Get your readers excited about future content and what's in store for them

• Refine your statements as your newsletter and audience evolves

My company's mission (and my newsletter) is to help solopreneurs build thriving businesses through personalized email marketing that sparks lasting client relationships and boosts sales.

The vision for my company is empowering solopreneurs to unlock their full potential, fuel progress, and build a brighter world through education, business, and service.

4. Share your Unique Value Proposition and Promise Statement

Let’s think about what unique value your newsletter provides.

A unique value proposition (also called a UVP or value prop) communicates the value of your product or service.

You can answer the questions in this free Value Proposition Questionnaire to get clarity.

A newsletter promise statement is a pledge of what readers can expect: valuable insights, and engaging content delivered consistently, all within a defined timeframe (weekly, monthly, etc.).

Delivering on your promise helps to build trust with your readers.

Cover these points in your welcome email:

• Hint at your newsletter providing transformative experiences or life-changing moments; this isn't "another" newsletter, it's a game-changer

• Use your promise statement to set clear expectations like "master this skill in 5 weeks" or "get weekly inspiration that fuels your creativity”

• Only include what you can commit to because if you overhype and fail to deliver, then trust diminishes

My UVP is to boost your solopreneur hustle with actionable email marketing and business tips, served with a down-to-earth Southern comfort charm.

I am shipping at least one high-quality newsletter per month while still working on my promise statement.

I want to increase my frequency to one newsletter shipped per week by the end of 2024.

5. Use AI to improve your creativity and efficiency

Using AI tools like Chat GPT will save you time in thinking, drafting, and polishing your copy.

Try these prompts:

Prompt 1:

An effective welcome email is about building trust, igniting passion, and setting the stage for a mutually beneficial journey. It's about empathy, storytelling, and human connection. Imagine the role of an expert marketer and copywriter who's had a lifetime of upskilling in marketing. Write an effective welcome email for a digital marketing newsletter that makes readers feel special, and excited for the future, and tell them what benefits they'll receive. Don't use words above U.S. 3rd-grade reading level. Use simple words. Make it fun to read.

Prompt 2:

Write a welcome email for a digital marketing newsletter. Use an inviting, friendly, and excited tone that makes the reader feel great about signing up and hints at their new future. Without being pushy, invite them to reply if they’re interested in setting up a free consultation for a digital marketing audit. Also, give 5 ideas on how I can further improve the email.

I use Chat GPT or Bard to research, expand on ideas, get creative suggestions, write rough drafts, receive constructive feedback, and sharpen my copy.

Conclusion

That's a wrap!

Take action and write your welcome email today.

If you have any questions or want some feedback, just Reply and I’ll respond.

If you’d like help with your welcome email, let's hop on a call and knock it out.

Have a nice day!

Talk soon,

Delles