A solid opt-in process is the best way to add subscribers to your mailing list, but it's only the beginning.
A good welcome program will help you reduce list churn, because you will lose fewer subscribers due either to unsubscribing, spam complaints or lack of interest. It's more than just a hasty email dashed off to confirm an opt-in, though.
Rather, your welcome program is an automated series of emails that commences immediately after opt-in and progresses to put your subscriber relationship on a solid footing.
Here's how a welcome program helps you reduce list churn by engaging subscribers immediately:
- You acknowledge the opt-in promptly while it's still fresh in your subscriber's mind. Wait too long to send that first email, and your subscribers might forget. Subscribers who don't know why you're in their inboxes are more likely to click the spam-complaint button. That hurts deliverability.
- You capitalize on new customers' enthusiasm. Your newest customers often are your best ones. Research by marketing publisher MarketingSherpa shows interest begins to disintegrate as soon as two weeks after the opt-in, as measured by the open rate. Within two months, the open rate typically falls 20 to 25 percent from 50 percent or higher.
- You establish a recognizable presence in the inbox. This series of emails will reinforce your brand, your email program and the expectations your subscribers set when they opted in, which builds trust.
Will It Be Email Marriage ... or Divorce?
The email relationship is like dating. It can either lead to marriage (a long and happy customer relationship) or a permanent breakup (unsubscribing).
The welcome email is your first date. They called for a first date (the opt-in). But they haven't committed to you yet. The welcome email helps you make a good first impression and encourages them to keep the relationship going.
Three Elements of a Welcome Program
It takes more than just a message saying "Successfully subscribed to XYZ Newsletter!" Yet, that's what I see quite frequently. Pretty blah, it does nothing to make the subscriber want to call for a second date.
Business-to-business welcome emails will differ slightly from business-to-consumer emails, but they share three elements:
1. Transparent Opt-in Procedure
A good welcome program begins before the beginning, at the opt-in. Here, you help set expectations by stating clearly what kind of email you will send, how often and in what format. You can also post a sample email or screenshot so subscribers can see exactly what they'll get.
2. Initial Welcome Message
This is the first official email you send (aside from the confirmation request for double opt-in users, and it will set the tone for your email relationship.
It should establish your brand and your rightful place in the inbox, confirm what subscribers signed up for, reaffirm your value proposition and build a solid bridge to your Web site.
Here's how to create an engaging and effective welcome letter:
- Personalize with the sender's first name
- Restate the newsletter name (if appropriate), content and frequency or list the kinds of email messages you will send.
- Thank the subscriber for opting in.
- Post contact information (editor, info or tech-support email addresses, plus postal and telephone data if appropriate).
- Link to important or relevant content on your site, such as current offers, resources or past issues.
- Link to a past or current issue or promotion.
- Design the HTML version to reflect your Web site, brand or other email messages, using the same colors and images.
- Lay it out neatly and cleanly so that the contents are clearly visible when seen in the preview pane and with images blocked. Write clearly and simply, using white space to break up text and make it easier to read.
3. On-boarding or Welcome Series
These messages are sent on a regular schedule, separately from your regular content or offers, or are triggered by subscriber action or inaction.
We'll outline in detail the "welcome series" next month in Part Two of this article.
