First impressions count, and for new subscribers, the welcome emails you send out after they opt-in are typically their first interaction with your company. And if used correctly, welcome emails can greatly out-perform other promotional emails. In fact, welcome emails have 320% more revenue per email than other promotional emails, in addition to an 86% lift in unique open rate, a 196% lift in unique click rate, and a 336% lift in transaction emails.
As for how to use welcome emails correctly, I'd say you should start out by optimizing your subject line, the time you send it, who it’s 'from,' and the email copy can all increase the success of your welcome email. For example, using the word 'sale' in your subject line has been shown to increase open rates by 23.2%, while 'save' only increases open rates by 3.4%. 'News,' 'bulletin,' and 'video' all increase open and click-through rate as well, while 'report' and 'webinar' tend to hurt open rates.
Time is also of the essence when it comes to welcome emails. Welcome emails sent in real-time see ten times the transaction rate of welcome emails sent in batches.
Also, a generic email address (especially a 'noreply' email address) prevents your new customer from engaging with your business. An email address that includes an actual name is much more welcoming.
Similar to subject line optimization, email copy can be optimized to be persuasive while still avoiding the spam folder. Some common spam trigger words include prize, free, bonus, buy, purchase, order, and anything written in all capital letters and/or including multiple exclamation points. On the flip side, 'because' has been shown to increase compliance with a given request from 60% to 94%, and 'you' helps personalize email copy while involving the reader in your story. Similarly, 'imagine' can prompt readers to imagine using a product service, which then increases their desire to purchase.
Finally, make sure to follow these common email best practices in the Infographic below:
By following email best practices and optimizing your welcome emails, you’ll see the positive effects of a strong welcome email.
Thanks to Matthew Zajechowski for sharing his advice and opinions in this post. Matt works for Digital Third Coast. You can follow him on Twitter or connect on Google+ .
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