The Ultimate Welcome Sequence Checklist
They’ve raised their hand to hear from you. Send your new subscribers a warm welcome that makes them happy they said yes.
From the moment someone says YES to your freebie/opt-in/lead magnet/newsletter, you’d be smart to follow up with an automated series of emails to welcome them, nurture them, encourage them to reply to your emails, and inspire them to buy your products or work with you.
The aim is to be of service, be memorable, and show that you're the right person to help with their problem.
The best way to do this is to love 'em up! Be a ray of sunshine that lands in their inbox. Show up as your real self, and help people feel something. Surprise and delight them so that they look forward to hearing from you. Give them what they need, show them some kindness, make them laugh, open their minds to new ideas — and most of all — give them hope that they can actually get where they want to go — with your help!
You’ve probably heard this before, and it's so true: In the world of online business, people need to know, like, and trust you before they'll buy from you. Help your new subscribers along on that journey by showing them some love right off the bat.
Hang onto your hat, because you're about to be bowled over by the responses you get to your shiny new — or newly polished — welcome sequence! Let's go!
PART 1 — HOW MANY EMAILS TO SEND AND WHEN
🔲 Set up at least one automated welcome email
This first email is delivered immediately after someone subscribes to your list. If you’re giving them a freebie/lead magnet/opt-in, provide the download or the information in the first email. Let them know that they’ve made a great decision, and celebrate the fact that they’ve just joined your world!
If this is all you can get done at first, that's okay! At least you've given something of value and introduced yourself to your new people. You can always send them your regular weekly newsletter after this — right? 😉
🔲 Ideally, after the initial welcome email, set up your system to automatically send 4 – 6 more emails to new subscribers
Rule of thumb: the welcome email goes out immediately, and the following emails are spaced 24 hours apart. You can spread them out further if you like. It’s totally up to you, and it depends on what you want to say/teach/provide over the course of your welcome sequence.
🔲 But Carolyn, what goes in these emails?
That depends! What's the goal of your welcome sequence? The idea is to greet people where they’re at, lead them on a journey over the course of your welcome sequence, and . . . think about it: What do you want them to know/feel/do by the time they get to the end?
Ideally, you'll be encouraging them to take the next step toward buying a low cost product or hiring you for one of your services. In that case, you'll be sending them to a sales page or inviting them to book a call. But there are other options as well. Let's explore further. . . .
PART 2 — BRAINSTORMING YOUR CONTENT
As you work through this section, open a notebook or a digital mind mapping tool and brainstorm ideas for the purpose and content of your welcome sequence before you nail anything down. What do you want this sequence to do for you on auto-pilot?
Where are your new subscribers at in their journey when they sign up, and where do you want them to be by the time they get to the end? Or look at it this way:
Who is your reader? Who do they want to be? Why did they sign up for your emails? What are they hoping to get from you? How can you help them succeed?
Ponder the questions above, plant your feet on the floor, take three deep breaths, and brainstorm. Here are some ideas to get the juices flowing:
🔲 Help people use the free resource you gave them
Use the freebie as a reason to keep on interacting with your new subscribers. Show up every day or so with a new tip for using the resource.
🔲 Deliver a short course via email
Instead of delivering a PDF or Google doc, teach a course through a series of daily emails, delivering written content or video, or a combination of the two. How many emails? Up to you, of course, but 5–7 is a good starting point.
🔲 Ask questions and encourage people to reply
This helps you engage your readers, and at the same time, you're learning more about how you can serve them. You can even make it a survey, asking one open-ended question along with 2–3 multiple choice questions.
Tip: promise (and follow through) that you'll be there to personally answer their replies.
🔲 Deliver value
"Value" doesn't necessarily mean teaching tips and tricks, but it could. Educate people about your topic. Break down myths, give useful strategies, address objections. You can also provide pure pleasure: give a surprise gift partway through the welcome sequence, just for the joy of it. Entertain them! Get right to the good stuff. Make your new subscribers happy they found you.
🔲 Tell your story
Let your readers into your world. What makes you tick? What's the big WHY that drives your business? Tell your story. What was your turning point? Show some vulnerability and reveal the struggles you've overcome, especially if you can help your clients overcome the same things.
🔲 Give exclusive content or offers that you don’t give anywhere else
Now that your subscribers are in your "secret club," what can you offer them that no one else has access to?
🔲 Have fun with your running themes, your quirks
If you mentioned some of your unique traits on your website or in your other marketing (and I hope you did), here’s your chance to elaborate. What are your personal trademarks? The things you could do all day? What do you stand for? Dare to state your point of view! You don’t have to fill your welcome sequence with these, but pepper them in, and then continue to include them over the long term as you write weekly emails for your new fans, er — subscribers.
🔲 Establish credibility and build authority
You can do this by using testimonials and case studies that highlight the successes that your clients have had. Use before/after images or stories.
Show your track record. Let your new subscribers see themselves in your clients' success stories.
🔲 Provide ideas for next steps
This could entail sending readers to your best blog posts or podcast episodes, encouraging them to follow you on social, or suggesting that they book a discovery call — even early on in the welcome sequence.
🔲 Make an offer!
Preferably, a special one-time offer with an expiration date. Some people are ready to buy when they first sign up. Give them an extra incentive to act now. If you haven't got an offer ready to go, mention that there will be paid offers in the future, preparing new subscribers to buy from you down the road. Let people know how you can serve them! Come right out and tell them. Think of your welcome sequence as a bridge between your freebie and your paid offers.
PART 3 — PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
If you're more of a mind mapping person, break out the crayons!
SAMPLE
YOUR TURN!
PART 4 — YOUR WRITING STYLE
🔲 Imagine that you’re writing to one person
Picture someone you actually know, someone who has the wants and needs of your ideal client. Use the word “you” when you talk to them. Even though you’re writing to many people (and we all know it), you want each person to feel as if you’re writing only to them, so avoid saying things like “Hey everyone!"
🔲 Show up as your best self and make a good first impression
Do this without being too serious or formal. You can be casual and still be professional. Be unabashedly yourself. What’s your vibe? Show your style!
🔲 Write like you speak, using contractions and informal language
This doesn’t mean that you need to swear and crack jokes if that’s not your style. Read your writing out loud. Read it to a friend. Does it sound like you?
🔲 Use short paragraphs of two or three sentences each
This breaks up the text, making it easier to read or scan. Go further and try using subheadings as "speed bumps" to get your main points across to the true skimmers (you might even succeed in getting them to slow down and read every word)!
🔲 Experiment with using the FIRST NAME merge tag
You can use it in the subject line, preview text, salutation, or place it strategically in the body of the email. Use it, but don’t overuse it!
BONUS TIPS!
🔲 Include one Call to Action (CTA) per email
In general, stick to the guideline, “one email, one link.” Avoid bombarding people with too many possible actions in one email. Exception: If you’re showing off your best content and giving your readers a list of links to your best blog posts or podcast episodes, go ahead and share those links.
🔲 Create an open loop in your subject lines
Ask a question or pose a thought that makes people want to open the email. Leave a curiosity gap. Instead of, “Why you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day,” which already tells them what they need to do, try “One simple skin care step I wish I'd taken ten years ago."
🔲 Avoid using title case in the subject line
Title case looks formal, like an old-fashioned newsletter: “Guess What I Did Today!" Instead, write the subject line like you would to a friend: “Guess what I did today!” or (if you would really write like this), "guess what i did today!"
🔲 Make use of the preview text!
Too many people are missing out on this opportunity. The preview text is what people see next to or below the subject line, before they open your email. Depending on your email service provider (ESP), you should be able to choose your preview text. If your preview text says something sad like: “View this email in your browser,” you’re squandering valuable real estate!
🔲 Consider using video or gifs
Insert a gif of yourself or a photo with a “click to play” arrow on it, linked to a video on YouTube or Facebook Live. People can't resist clicking on that arrow! Or just include gifs for the fun of it; they don't have to lead anywhere. You can make your own gifs at www.makeagif.com.
What’s your #1 takeaway?
Tell me in the comments. I want to know.
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