You may see a lot of content out there about welcome sequences and wonder if a welcome sequence is really necessary. At the end of the day, nothing is REALLY necessary. It is your business, and you can run it however you would like. But, we’re a big fan of welcome sequences here at Dangerous Words, and here is why.
What Is the Purpose of a Welcome Sequence For My Email List
The purpose of a welcome sequence is to introduce yourself and point your prospects to things they may find useful. Think of it as the equivalent of being shown around a hotel room. Could you figure out where the bathroom and Nespresso machine are by yourself? Probably. But, showing you around saves you time later on trying to figure out how to work the blinds, and you have a point of contact if you have questions.
Your welcome sequence should:
- Briefly introduce your business
- Explain what they can expect from your email list
- Point them towards any useful articles or resources
- Let them know how to get in touch if they have any questions or concerns
Do I Need To Have Different Welcome Sequences?
It will depend on your business and how many avenues there are for someone to join your email list. It is best to have a welcome sequence that is relevant to your prospects, as this is their first impression of your email list. If the welcome sequence is obviously made for people who purchased the product, but they just signed up using a form on your website, then they will expect that the whole of your email list will not be relevant.
So, consider having a number of welcome sequences depending on how your clients sign up. Most of the time, you can use the same framework, just tweak a few parts to speak to your prospects. Your welcome sequence for people who have bought your product or service may include some handy guides on how to use your products or troubleshoot common issues. Your website sign up or lead magnet sign up may include a discount code for your products or an invitation to book a free discovery call.
How Long Should My Welcome Sequence Be?
We have seen a whole range of answers to this question. Most people say 3 is the ideal number but we have also seen people saying 5, even 8.
But your welcome sequence should be as long as suitable for your business. If you are writing more emails for the sake of writing emails, then stop. Spamming your new prospects with daily emails for a week (not to mention your scheduled emails on top of that) is a great way to get them to unsubscribe before you’ve even finished the welcome sequence. Ask yourself, “Is this email adding value?” If the answer is no, review your sequence.
When we sit down with a client to write their email sequence, we like to discuss what their goal is for each email in the sequence. It may look a little like this:
Email 1: Say hi and introduce your business. Deliver on any promises you made to get them to sign up. (i.e. Send the lead magnet or discount code.)
Email 2: Ask them how they are getting on with the lead magnet/discount code/product. Point them to useful resources or articles or things you think they may like.
Email 3: Talk a little bit about what you do and how you can help them. Share a promotion if you want to.
What Frequency Should I Send Welcome Emails?
We’re firm believers that you should not send daily welcome emails. As we’re sure you’d agree, it can get overwhelming, and the recipients may worry that they are about to get daily emails.
In our opinion, you should send welcome emails every second or third day. People may not have time to read the first one the day you send it, and the more unread emails that pile up, the less likely they are to open the first email. Especially if they have signed up because of a lead magnet, you need to give them time to digest the lead magnet and put it into practice. That way, your second email is more useful, and they have your contact details to ask any questions.
Again, this is just our opinion. Daily welcome emails may make sense for your company, or your business may do better with even longer between welcome emails.
Should I Sell In My Welcome Sequence?
Again, the field is very divided on this one. We have seen some gurus say that prospects are warmest when they first sign up to your email list, that the longer they are on your email list without buying, the less likely they are to buy from you. We have also seen some people saying never sell on your welcome sequence ever.
We lie somewhere in the middle. No one likes signing up to an email list only to be bombarded by emails selling someone’s course or webinar, sometimes multiple times a day. But also, a little bit of soft-selling never killed anyone. So how do you hit that sweet spot?
Above, we mentioned the third email in a welcome sequence should tell prospects a little bit about what you do and how you can help them. You don’t have to talk prices or go into minute detail; keep the email short. But you can talk about the different ways your prospects can work with you and provide links to read more on your website. Then while you’re talking about it, offer them a discount code for their first purchase.
Need Help Writing Your Email Sequence?
Email lists are a gold mine, but finding time to write those damn emails can be tricky. Why not let us handle all the email writing for you? We love helping startups, and small businesses keep their leads toasty warm and show them how to increase conversion and total customer value amongst their loyal clients. Check out our services here.