1. 50-75% of the revenue from your Welcome Series typically comes from the first welcome email. So if you do nothing else, focus on doing that right.
2. Use the subject line "Welcome to [BRAND]" or "Here's your 10% off code for [BRAND]" to start. Then A/B test.
Your Welcome Series is one of the most important automated email flows you can build to set your new e-commerce brand up for success at launch. In fact, if you don't do anything else in email marketing (which we don't recommend!), build your welcome series.
Now, you've likely heard that the goal of welcome emails is to introduce or indoctrinate your brand to new email subscribers.
But that's not (quite) true.
The real goal of a welcome series is to drive your leads to make their first purchase.
Done right, a well-crafted Welcome Email Series can accelerate your customers' journey to their first purchase, drastically reducing your cost per acquisition (CPA), bolstering your average dollars per lead and per website visitor, and increasing your average order value (AOV). See why it's one of the most important automated flows you could build?
Now, in your research, you've also probably seen lots of inspiration for different welcome emails, been told that "every brand is different", and heard the common advice to "always test". But we understand that when you're just launching a brand, time & resources are scarce... and you just need to move fast to get things live. So in this blog post, we're giving you the "Zero-To-Launch" approach to launching a high-performing Welcome Email Series – no fluff, be confident in its performance & one you can optimize later with A/B testing.
Check out our DTC Flow Foundations Guide to learn how to build a Welcome Flow to convert more email leads into customers with:
- The 9 ways a Welcome Flow can convert leads into customers
- The types of content to include in your email flow depending on your industry & products you sell
- Your audience's mindset when they enter a welcome flow and explore ways to convert customers
- How to set up an effective Welcome Flow with the right delays, triggers & filters for a great first customer experience
The Welcome Series Email Sequence
Let's start with the basics. A typical Welcome Series should have 3-5 emails, sent over 5-7 days. Most of your revenue will come from your first 3 emails in the series, so if you're short on time, focus on getting those live!
Crafting the Perfect Welcome Email
Your first welcome email is THE most important automated email you could create. It's often generating 50-75% of all the revenue coming from your welcome series, so it's a use of time to build it right!
Let's start with your subject line. A great welcome email subject line should be eye-catching in the inbox while being recognizable for your brand. Our "zero-to-launch" advice is to start with one of these tried & proven subject lines, then A/B test in the future:
- Welcome to [YOUR BRAND NAME]
- Your X% off code for [BRAND NAME]
After the subject line, the header is the second most important element in your Welcome Email—it's the first thing the subscribers will see once they open the email. A great header will get recipients to click through to the site to shop, or at least keep scrolling to read the rest of the email. You want a header with strong headline copy, an eye-catching image and a call-to-action button. And you want to have all of that visible 'above the fold' (which means that recipients on mobile and desktop can see the entire header without scrolling on their device).
Your headline copy should welcome them to the brand, remind them of their welcome offer (typically 10-15% off their first purchase), and give them their discount code. It should also include 1-2 sentences of body copy that tells them what product(s) you sell, the main pain point you solve, and/or your main value proposition.
Your header image should be bold and eye-catching, and include your product(s) featured either as a product shot, a lifestyle image, or showing the product(s) in use. Lastly, you should have a clear call-to-action button with direct copy such as "Shop Now".
Remember, the goal here is drive your leads to make their first purchase while moving fast and getting things live without spending hours on a single email. You can always optimize post-launch.
Welcome Series Email Templates
There are a few different types of emails you can send in the rest of your welcome email series with email wireframe templates from Backbone:
- "Welcome" Template: This email introduces your subscriber to an enticing incentive—such as a discount or gift—encouraging their first purchase.
- "What Makes Us Different" Template: An email that emphasizes your unique selling proposition, differentiating your brand in the competitive e-commerce market.
- "Brand Story/Product Education" Template: This email shares your compelling brand story, and educates subscribers about your products and their benefits, fostering a deeper connection.
- "Product Catalog/Product Spotlight" Template: An email that showcases a range of your products, or puts the spotlight on a single product, inciting interest and desire in your offerings.
- "Social Proof" Template: This email leverages reviews, testimonials, and endorsements, providing persuasive evidence that others love and trust your brand, thereby boosting your credibility.
Welcome Series Email Examples
There are a few different examples of welcome emails designed by the Longplay team to inspire you!
So that's it! If we've got one takeaway for you, it's keep things simple & focus on getting the best version of your Welcome Series live prior to launching your e-commerce brand (or as soon as possible if you're already live!). You can always optimize and A/B test later.
A great Welcome Flow drives your leads to make their first purchase which also makes your top-of-funnel marketing easier by converting more leads into customers, reducing your CPA, increasing your AOV, and increasing the value of each lead you get.