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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
6. Welcome email template for non-profit organizations
If you run a non-profit, your cause is almost certainly more worthy and urgent than most of the marketing that happens online. Even so, you're at the mercy of the same trend that marketers of all stripes are struggling with—an increasing scarcity of attention among consumers.
To stand out, you have to connect meaningfully with your target audience. For many non-profits, that means focusing on the individual stories of people affected by your work. The most powerful non-profit welcome emails find a way to balance high-level statistics with photos, videos, and testimonials that humanize your efforts.
Build on this non-profit welcome email template
Non-profit welcome email example
After donating to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, I got a transactional email confirming the donation, which was quickly followed by an email welcoming me as a supporter. What I love about their approach is their dedication to individual stories: each email in the National MS Society's welcome series features a real MS survivor. They also do a good job of connecting to the broader cause—and creating urgency—by referencing recent statistics that illustrate the scale of the problem.
To prompt action from users, the email urges readers to learn more and to choose their preferred way of making an impact: joining a fundraising event, supporting research, or sharing your story.
Other things you can include:
A clear CTA to donate again (or become a recurring donor)
A video showcasing your work in action
An introduction to key team members or volunteers
A link to your annual report or impact page
7. Welcome email template for creators and personal brands
If you're a creator, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is being too "business-y" in your writing. Your subscribers signed up because they want to hear your unique voice—not another email full of cautious corporate-speak. Use your welcome email to put your personality and point of view on display.
Creator welcome emails also tend to be longer than most. Many creators have blog posts, podcasts, and YouTube videos, plus a whole assortment of social channels. You might think including all of this in a welcome email risks overwhelming your audience, but each of your readers consumes content differently; if someone mainly consumes podcasts, it's in your interest to steer them toward that channel as quickly as possible.
Build on this creator welcome email template
Creator welcome email example
Paul Millerd is a creator I've followed for a few years now. The welcome email for his newsletter Boundless (now called Pathless) is a great example of how to let go of formality: Paul writes casually and shows up as his full self.
After thanking his readers for subscribing, Paul shares his story and explains the key themes he explores. Then, he shares a wide range of ways to engage with his work, including a book, a podcast, a list of popular blog posts, social media accounts, a course, and a booking calendar for 1-on-1 conversations.
Other things you can include:
Showcase testimonials from your audience
Include a sneak peek of upcoming projects
Share a behind-the-scenes glimpse into your creative process
Invitation to join your community (e.g., private group, membership)
8. Welcome email template for membership websites
Membership businesses, like SaaS businesses and other subscription-oriented businesses, face their highest churn risk right after members sign up. If new members fail to engage, they'll struggle to get any value. That makes the welcome email—and the onboarding emails that come after it—crucial for the health of the business.
Of course, a welcome email on its own isn't a magic wand for retention and member engagement. But by helping new members feel included right away—while directing them toward your "stickiest" resources—you can help them get value faster and stick around longer.
Build on this membership welcome email template
Membership welcome email example
Memberships are all about creating belonging quickly. Peak Freelance, a freelance writing community, gives you two ways to start getting value: a membership hub (including courses and content) and a Slack group. It's especially smart to nudge readers toward the Slack group as soon as possible, since getting involved in community conversations makes it much more likely that they'll stick around.
I also like that Peak Freelance sends its emails from the founders rather than impersonally from "the organization."
Other things you can include:
Introduce key members of your team
Share success stories from other members
Invite readers to sign up for members-only events or webinars
Include a video tour explaining how to navigate the membership hub
9. Welcome email template for financial services
Bank advertisements love to feature normal people enjoying life: a woman staring out the window while journaling, for example, or a man talking with his father over coffee. (Both are real ad examples from Bank of America.) Marketers in the financial space have long been wise to the fact that finance itself is a fairly dry and uncompelling topic; to talk about money effectively, you have to connect it to more meaningful life goals.
As a financial services brand, use your welcome email to talk a little about money and a lot about your customers' goals—and how your product or service can support them.
Build on this financial services welcome email template
Financial services welcome email example
YNAB attracts users who feel overwhelmed by money and want to take control over their financial life. The challenge for YNAB's welcome email is to tap into that core motivation and avoid getting bogged down in the drier details of how the app works.
The email—which is presented as a personal letter from the company's founder—is casual, empathetic, and a little funny ("You're the captain of your financial ship, and fear not, this isn't the Titanic.") But what I really love is how YNAB consistently frames its product in the context of the bigger personal journey of reducing financial stress.
Other things you can include:
Share testimonials from other customers
Mention any community challenges (e.g., savings challenges, investment competitions)
Make it easy for users to track their financial progress or performance
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.
Related reading:
This article was originally published in April 2022 by Eva Gutierrez. The most recent update was in October 2024.
