Hey There! 5 Things to Keep in Mind When Implementing a Welcome Series
By Mary Clare Riordan, Marketing Administrator
So a potential customer has subscribed to your email list—awesome! You now know they are at least somewhat interested in your brand, and could become a loyal customer—well worth the time and effort spent on developing your email marketing strategy. However, while this is great news for you, how do you convince the subscriber, who is almost certainly receiving a plethora of other branded emails, that this new relationship is worthwhile? How do you keep them from unsubscribing soon after receiving your first few emails?
To create a unique and engaging experience for your new subscribers, you may want to consider transitioning from sending the basic, single “Welcome” email to instead implementing a welcome series of triggered emails. Welcome series emails, which according to LYONSCG partner, Bronto, convert at five times the rate of average marketing messages, enable you to make a lasting impression on your readers and develop an engaging relationship with them.
Think of how individuals enter your physical store. You don’t immediately ask them for their payment information and have them buy something. Instead, a friendly sales associate greets them and offers assistance. Then the customer can browse products on display, understanding all you have to offer, and educate themselves by looking at your catalogue or reading descriptive signs around the store or on products. With a welcome series, you can attempt to digitally duplicate that same feel good experience customers have when walking into your brick-and-mortar stores.
If you’re looking to engage your email subscribers with a welcome series email campaign, here are a few things to keep in mind:
First Impressions are Crucial
Make sure the look and feel of all messaging is consistent. If the subject line or email address look off, or if images or text within your first email are not familiar to the reader, they may immediately consider it junk and mark it as spam, prohibiting any further messages from you reaching them. Use clever and well thought out messaging to catch the eye of the reader right away.
Set Expectations
Let the subscriber know exactly what it means to be part of your email list. Tell them how often you’ll be in contact with them, what they can expect to see in your emails, and give them the option to adjust their subscription settings. Explain the benefits of being a subscriber; by telling them they’ll be receiving exclusive offers and promotions that aren’t available to others, you’ll encourage them to keep receiving and checking emails from you.
Encourage Purchases
Almost every welcome series I’ve seen offers a discount code. Go a step further by giving your offers an expiration date to create a sense of urgency. Accompany your offer message with some images, information, and links to your top sellers. And if that doesn’t make them spend right away, follow up with a reminder email a few days before their offer expires to encourage them to shop your site. Even if the individual just buys one thing, while the revenue may not be high, you could create a customer for life.
Educate and Network
While the customer may have signed up for your email list because they know you have THE most comfortable hiking boots, they may not realize you also have the perfect wool socks to go with those boots. Send messaging that informs and educates the reader of all your offerings and services. Share content or blogs that inform the customer of how your products can help them. Tell them how they can communicate with you by sharing your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social accounts; you may even gain a few more subscriptions when readers share your social media posts with their friends!
Make it Personal
You’ve already gathered data about the reader like name, age, gender, and location during the subscription process—use it. Today’s customer expects a personalized, convenient experience catered to their needs. Address your messages with the customer’s first name; suggest products based on age and gender; provide information on your closest brick-and-mortar store to their location. Making your messaging personal will make your customers happy.
As you can see, there are a lot of valuable aspects and crucial steps to sending effective welcoming messages to new subscribers, but all of these tips are a lot to include in one message. That’s why a welcoming series is a good tool to present all your brand has to offer. By sending a series of introductory emails to new subscribers, you can craft an experience that creates a connection with the reader, enabling long term engagement with your brand.
Mary Clare Riordan is a Marketing Administrator at LYONSCG and a graduate of Marquette University.
