Welcome emails can make or break something you've worked so hard for.
You got the lead, but if you blow your welcome email, good luck getting that person's interest back. On the other hand, if you absolutely nail it, you might have not just a loyal customer, but a loyal customer who'll spread the word about your business.
I've helped all sorts of businesses with their marketing—everyone from eCommerce companies to folks promoting their newsletters—and I know that each business type needs a different style for their welcome email.
Here's how to approach your welcome email based on your industry.
1. Welcome email template for newsletters
People sign up for your newsletter because they want more of what you're creating. It's one of the first stages of the customer journey, so you want to introduce them to your brand—it's not time to directly sell them on your products or services.
The best welcome emails for newsletters show your new subscribers what to expect. You might send them a recent or popular issue as soon as they subscribe, and you should let them know the schedule they should expect to hear from you on.
Build on this newsletter welcome email template
Welcome to [Newsletter name]!
Every [day of the week your newsletter goes live], we'll send you [what's inside your newsletter].
Here's our latest issue, so you can see what's heading to your inbox next [day of the week your newsletter goes live].
Newsletter welcome email example
The welcome email I got from Intelligent Tuesday, a newsletter for the eCommerce company Intelligent Change, included a popular issue, so I could see what's coming to my inbox. But they also added a little blurb at the top to welcome me and give me an overview of what to expect.
Other things you could include:
Profiles of the writers who contribute to your newsletter
A reminder that you can unsubscribe at any time
Links to other content, like blog posts, eBooks, or webinar recordings
2. Welcome email template for SaaS and apps
When someone gets a welcome email for your SaaS product or app, it's not necessarily because they wanted to hear from you: it's because they signed up for a free trial of your product or opted in to their first paid month (and didn't uncheck that marketing emails box).
But getting someone to sign up for the free trial—or even start a paid subscription—is only step one. The next step is getting them excited enough to log in and use it. If they don't use it, they won't start (or keep) paying.
That's why, for SaaS welcome emails, you want to get your reader excited to hop into your product ASAP, learn how to use it, and add it to their regular schedule.
Build on this SaaS welcome email template
Hey [Subscriber name]!
Welcome to [Brand]. You're one step closer to [the benefit of your software].
[Explain why you're different/exciting/what they've been looking for.]
You're joining a community of [customer avatars] excited to [solution your software provides].
And we're thrilled to have you.
Get started here [link to site/app or product education].
SaaS welcome email example
I recently signed up for the three-day trial from Brain.fm, a patented music platform that's supposed to help you focus better (you can also use it for leisure time and sleep). I could immediately tell they worked hard on the welcome email—and it worked.
Reading this made me genuinely excited to use their product. They told me 100,000 other high-achievers were tuning in (yep, I liked being called high-achieving!), and they also reminded me that this isn't just nice background music. It's science.
Other things you could include:
A link to a quick tutorial to show them how to get started
Links to educational or inspirational content about your product
A reminder that people can contact you for support at any time (and instructions on how)
Social proof, testimonials, and links to case studies
Links to popular features or content, depending on your service
3. Welcome email template for eCommerce
A welcome email for an eCommerce business usually comes after someone has either (a) opted in to a discount in return for providing their email address or (b) made their first purchase from your store. The template below can work for either one, but you'll want to be sure you adapt it to fit where the person is in their buyer's journey.
In either case, the person getting this email doesn't actually have their hands on your product yet (like they do with an app or newsletter). That means you want to keep them interested while they wait. There are a lot of ways to do that, but it's important to be sure they feel a connection to your brand and build up the excitement about what you have to offer.
Build on this eCommerce welcome email template
Hi [Subscriber name]!
Welcome to [Brand name]—we're so [grateful for your purchase / excited to show you our offerings]. We believe that [company values]. That's why we aim to [company mission].
Here are a few of our most popular products that [showcase why they align with your company values]:
Product #1
Product #2
Product #3
We're so excited to have you as part of our community.
[Tagline]
eCommerce welcome email example
Seek Discomfort did a great job of reminding me why I was buying from their company by sending me this post-purchase welcome email.
They talk about their company values and acknowledge that they understand the kinds of folks who purchase from them ("Seekers"—love the nickname). This welcome email helped me feel a relationship with the brand before I even had the product I'd ordered. It made me excited for the product to arrive and helped me avoid any buyer's remorse.
Other things you could include:
A selection of your most popular products or bundles
Links to content reflecting your business mission and values
Information about upcoming sales, collections, or events
Product education for whatever they purchased
A discount code for their first (or next) purchase
Links to social media (so they can promote your item when it comes)
4. Welcome email template for brick-and-mortar stores
Yes, brick-and-mortar stores need email lists, too. Folks sign up for brick-and-mortar emails during a purchase (usually to claim a discount) or after they've made their purchase (to get access to a membership, more discounts, or just updates on things like promotions and events).
There's a higher barrier-to-entry for getting a return customer to a brick-and-mortar store. It's not as easy as "click into the email and purchase." That means it's really important for your welcome email to connect your subscribers with your brand and give them a solid reason to come into the store (usually via perks for being a subscriber).
Build on this brick-and-mortar store welcome email template
Hey [Subscriber name]!
Welcome to [Brand name]. We've been part of the [Town/city name] community for [number of years], and it's folks like you that help us thrive. To thank you for your support, we're giving you benefits like:
Benefit #1
Benefit #2
Benefit #3
Come and visit us soon!
Brick-and-mortar business welcome email example
When I visited the coffee shop Bluestone Lane, they asked if I wanted to become a member to get access to perks. As a frequent visitor, I decided to opt in.
Their first email to me explained the benefits subscribers (like me!) get at their cafes. I learned that I can skip the line and add points to my loyalty profile for a more seamless in-person experience. Brick-and-mortar subscribers are looking for the perks coming with sharing their information—so make sure to show them.
Other things you could include:
Photos of the inside of your store, including some of your most popular products
Information about upcoming events or promotions
Discount codes
Your address, phone number, and hours of operation
5. Welcome email template for service businesses
If you offer a service, it's likely that it's pretty personalized. Maybe you're a business coach, a management consultant, or even a lawyer. In all of these cases, your work is catered to your clients, which means your welcome email has to be hyper-personalized, as part of a seamless client onboarding process.
Your welcome email should include any necessary onboarding documents and a link to a client intake form, so you can get to know the client better (in whatever way you need for your business).
Build on this service business welcome email template
Hey [Subscriber name]!
Thanks for signing up for [Brand name]. We're so excited to be working with you, and we want to be sure we start off on the right foot. To help us get to know you better, please complete this short form, which will help us [what you'll learn].
[Button CTA to fill out the form]
After you complete the form, we'll [tell them what to expect next]. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions in the meantime!
[Name of the specific service provider they'll be working with]
Service business welcome email example
When you sign up for the interior design service Havenly, they do a great job of telling you what the next steps are, and they link you (with a very prominent CTA button) straight to where you need to go. They also make it personal by including your designer's name.
As a bonus, they include obvious links to learn more about the service or contact them if you have questions. As a service provider, you want to be really clear that customer service is your priority, and this email from Havenly does just that.
Other things you can include:
An embedded client intake form (if it's short)
A short bio of the person or people who'll be providing the service
FAQs
Automate your welcome emails
It would be great if you had the bandwidth to write all these emails from scratch, personalizing each one perfectly for the new customer. But that's the opposite of a good business model, so you're going to need to employ some marketing automation.
Your email marketing tool should take care of this welcome email automation once people are subscribed to your list, but Zapier can help you turn your leads into subscribers and continue to nurture them after that first welcome email. Learn how to automate your email marketing.
Read more: 12 newsletter templates for Word
