We talk a lot about email marketing here on Hello Bar, but today I want to dig in a little deeper. Do you send welcome emails to your audience? If not, you’re missing out on a prime opportunity for conversions. That’s why I’m going to share 12 welcome email examples to inspire you.

First, though, I want to make it clear why you should be sending welcome emails and how they can specifically contribute to better conversion rates. The more you engage with your audience, the better, but welcome messages are particularly beneficial.

What is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is the practice of communicating with your audience via email after they have opted in to your newsletter list. In other words, it’s a marketing campaign based on permission.

You present an offer to your audience. You might incentivize signups via a lead magnet, such as a free download, in exchange for your prospect’s email address. You then add the email address to your database and begin sending targeted messages.

Each email should build on the first message: the welcome email. That’s why this first correspondence is so critical. It sets the tone for the rest of your email marketing campaign.

What is a Welcome Email?

A welcome email introduces your brand to your audience in a specific and positive way. I’ll discuss some of the most popular types of welcome email examples below, but in most cases, you want to let your audience know that you’re going to provide value.

Some marketers squander the welcome email. They simply introduce themselves and thank the audience. That’s fine, but you can do much better.

Maybe you could share a fascinating insider tip, for instance, or an introductory coupon code that’s valid for only a limited time.

Whatever the case, show your audience they haven’t made a mistake by signing up for your email list.

Welcome Email Statistics and Curious Facts

In a survey of the top 100 online retailers, nearly 60 percent of respondents reported that they send at least one welcome email.

The rest of the story is even more illuminating. Among those companies, nearly 30 percent of their subscribers opened that welcome email, and of those subscribers, almost 35 percent clicked on the offer contained within.

Those are amazing numbers, but I think you can improve upon them. By targeting the right consumer at the right time, you can boost open and click-through rates.

Why You Should Send a Welcome Email To Your Newsletter Subscribers? How Important Is It?

I don’t know about you, but when I sign up for an email newsletter or some other offer, I check my email almost immediately. It’s a habit.

Most marketers require you to confirm your subscription. Since I’ve just signed up on purpose, I want to get that housekeeping out of the way.

Furthermore, welcome emails build rapport. They show you respect your audience and that you’re grateful to them for subscribing.

It’s also a way to set expectations from the very beginning. What should your audience expect to receive from you? What value do you bring to the table? And why should they continue to open and engage with your emails?

What Is the Main Purpose of an Opt-In Welcome Email? And What Are its Main Characteristics?

An opt-in welcome email serves several purposes. It urges new subscribers to confirm their subscriptions, verifies that you’ve received the right email address, and sets expectations for future messages.

To that end, most opt-in welcome emails contain similar characteristics:

• A sentence or two of gratitude for the subscription
• Link to confirm the subscription
• List of benefits the subscriber will derive from your emails
• Introduction to the brand

You can also link to your privacy policy, reassure your new subscribers that you won’t abuse their contact information, and even share an incentive to buy something right away.

At the very least, you might introduce your primary product or service. Don’t go for the hard sale. Just let subscribers know what you sell and why it’s beneficial.

What Is the Best Way to Get Email List Subscribers?

Collecting email list subscribers is the first step to an awesome email marketing campaign. You can’t send welcome emails if nobody subscribes to your list.

Hello Bar allows you to collect email list subscribers quickly and easily from any page on your site. Install a top bar, for instance, that demonstrates your offer and invites subscriptions.

Top bars aren’t the only option. Sliders can also work well, especially when they’re put on a delay so they don’t show up the second a visitor arrives on your page.

I’m most fond of exit popups, though. They’re your last-ditch effort to wrangle a subscription. When a visitor’s mouse drifts toward the button to close the browser, he or she will see the exit popup.

Use bars in different styles to convince people to sign up. Make sure you have a welcome email in the wings so you can greet those subscribers right away.

Is It Important to Personalize Your Opt-In Welcome Emails?

Some marketers swear by personalization, while others insist it isn’t necessary — or even that it’s detrimental. If you ask me, the only way to know is to test.

Send half of your subscribers personalized opt-in welcome emails and send the other half emails without personalization. How do the open and click-through rates compare?

A personalized opt-in welcome email typically includes the subscriber’s name and other details specific to him or her. Keep in mind, though, that you might not always have the subscriber’s name.

In ecommerce email marketing, for instance, shorter signup forms work best. If you just ask for the subscriber’s email address in the opt-in form, you’ll get better results.

What are the Most Common Types of Welcome Emails?

Let’s get into some of the specific types of welcome emails you might want to send your audience. Each is tailored to a different goal, and you might want to A/B test different options to see which perform best among your subscribers.

Self Introduction Welcome Email

Use this welcome email to introduce yourself and your brand to subscribers. Explain why your company exists, what you sell, and how you bring value to the table.

In many cases, welcome email examples often include the lead magnet you advertised in your opt-in form. Perhaps you advertised a free checklist or cheat sheet in exchange for subscribing.

In this case, make sure the free download is attached to the welcome email.

The Special Offer/Discount Welcome Email

These types of welcome email examples are common among ecommerce businesses. You offer a special discount or other type of savings right off the bat.

Consider the type of product you offer and its price point. If you sell something that costs $20, you can speed up the conversion funnel and make a sale much quicker. In that case, a discount welcome email makes sense.

However, if your product or service costs thousands of dollars, you can’t go right for the sale. Consider other welcome email examples instead.

Instructions on How to Get Started Welcome Email

Let’s say someone has just bought from you and has agreed to be added to your email list. Sending a welcome email with instructions on how to get started can prove highly beneficial.

First, it will incentivize your audience to interact with whatever you’re selling right away. Second, it clears up any confusion about how your product or service works.

Be very clear and simple in your instructions. Write in the active voice and start every sentence with a verb. I also recommend adding photographs or illustrations to help further explain the instructions. Some people learn best visually.

At the end, include a link to your help center or FAQ page if available. That way, your subscribers can get further assistance without having to contact you directly.

Lead Magnet/Content Upgrade/Free Trial Download Instructions Welcome Email

I’ve grouped these together because they all fall under the same category. You’re offering some kind of download, so you’ll need to introduce that download and provide any relevant instructions.

For a lead magnet, the instructions might be pretty straight forward. You’ll attach your e-book, whitepaper, or other download to the email, or include a clickable URL.

The same goes for a content upgrade. Maybe you’ve offered an extended version of an article you’ve written for your blog post. Again, use a download or a URL to provide the content.

For SaaS businesses and other companies that offer free trials, you might need to provide more instructions. For instance, the user probably needs a login and password to access the free trial. Explain how to get started and what to do if the user has problems.

Product Catalog Welcome Email

This is another ecommerce store favorite. You can send a whole product catalog with your welcome email to direct prospects toward products you think they might like. For instance, you could segment your audience based on the product pages they visited, then reinforce their interest in those products.

Social Proof Welcome Email

A social proof welcome email demonstrates your popularity in some way. It’s kind of like a beauty contest, but far less objectionable.

Testimonials can be powerfully persuasive, as can reviews from third-party websites. Show how popular you are with your existing customers.

12 Welcome Email Examples From Successful Businesses to Inspire Your Next Email Campaigns

Now that we’ve covered some of the types of welcome email examples you might emulate, I want to show you how they work in action. I’ve chosen some of the best welcome email examples I’ve ever seen so you can get inspired and create your own.

1. Amazon

Amazon needs no introduction. It’s fantastic at all types of ecommerce marketing, from email to social. I’m particularly impressed with its welcome email, though.

This is just one of Amazon’s many welcome email examples. It customizes its emails based on how you signed up for an account or for the company’s mailing list.

In this case, it reinforces the brand with that stack of boxes, each of which bears the Amazon logo. Then there are convenient hyperlinked subheadings naming all the major pages you might want to check out, plus a small bit of body copy underneath each to describe its benefits.

You might notice that it’s pretty simple. That’s okay, especially for a big brand.

2. Uber

Uber’s welcome email for customers (versus potential drivers) is a bit longer than Amazon’s. It includes several widely-spaced sections, which makes it easy on the eyes, and it incorporates the instructional aspect of welcome email examples very deftly:

Easy as 1, 2, 3, right? The instructions also incorporate benefits, such as ease of use. That’s a great way to set apart your brand.

Other parts of the email include contact information and a brief thank-you to the subscriber.

3. Ticketmaster

If you enjoy concerts and other events, you might be familiar with Ticketmaster. It’s one of the most popular places to buy and sell tickets.

When you buy tickets through Ticketmaster, you get a fantastic welcome email. There’s an animated gif right underneath the company logo as well as a friendly greeting.

My favorite part of this welcome email example, though, is the very last sentence. After outlining the brand’s USP, the email says, “This coming week we’ll follow up with some tips on how to get the most out of Ticketmaster.”

That’s an elegant and effective way to set up expectations. The subscriber knows exactly what he or she will get.

4. Nike

I like Nike’s welcome email because it’s short and sweet. First, you get a friendly introduction to the brand with the familiar Swoosh and a thank you. Then comes the value proposition, which tells you why you’ll thank yourself for signing up.

Then there’s a CTA to sign up for Nike+. It’s an elegant way to lure consumers further into the company’s umbrella and encourage them to engage more with the brand.

5. Todoist

If you’re not familiar with Todoist, it’s an app that allows you to create electronic to-do lists. When you sign up for an account, you receive a welcome email. The first part welcomes you to the Todoist family and shares the benefits of a membership.

Then you get handy buttons so you can download the Todoist app on your mobile device. This is smart on the company’s part because people need access to their to-do lists while on the go.

Couldn’t be easier, right? That’s the great thing about the best welcome email examples. They promote ease of use and help the subscriber take action immediately.

6. Benny Lewis

I wanted to include some brands in this list that people might not know about. Benny Lewis is an expert in teaching people how to learn new languages faster and easier by simply speaking the target language.

When you sign up for his emails, you get a short and sweet confirmation email that reinforces the value of his lead magnet.

Notice that the CTA button is highly visible on the page. Otherwise, this is a plain-text email that doesn’t waste the subscriber’s time.

7. Bicycling.com

I love the welcome email from Bicycling.com. I signed up for a gift subscription because I have a friend who wanted to learn more about cycling, and I received this in my inbox moments later:

It’s colorful, positive, and conveys exclusivity. It’s also heavily focused on the magazine’s USP, and it makes beginners feel comfortable and welcome while still acknowledging that veteran cyclists can benefit from their subscriptions. Awesome.

8. Facebook

We might as well acknowledge Facebook here because the company has marketing down to an art and a science. Its welcome email is deceptively simple, but that’s because it wants users to do one thing: Engage with their followers on Facebook.

It tells you exactly how to do just that with links to find friends, upload a profile photo so you’re more visible, and edit your profile so it matches what you want to share.

Then there’s a Get Started CTA for good measure. Well done.

9. Nextdoor

If you haven’t given Nextdoor a try, you might want to consider it. It’s a social networking site that unites people who live in the same neighborhood, community, or general geographic area. Its welcome email is simple but effective.

First, there’s social proof. It tells you how many of your neighbors have also signed up. Then there’s a list of benefits for members.

Then you have a list of CTAs so you can immediately interact with the site.

10. Medium Partner Program

Medium.com has a Medium Partner Program, which allows writers and other content creators to get paid for the work they publish on the platform. When you sign up, you get a fantastic welcome email.

After a personalized welcome message, Medium tells you exactly how to get involved with the community, publish content, and keep track of your earnings.

11. ButcherBox

ButcherBox allows you to sign up for a subscription plan that delivers meat to your front door at regular intervals. If you sign up for the ButcherBox mailing list, you get a welcome email that invites you to get a subscription and enjoy free meat in the process.

Not only can you get filet mignon and bacon for free, but you also get $10 off your first box.

This is a great example of marketing in general. The company is tempting its subscribers with an excellent offer for people who value well-priced meat and the convenience of delivery.

12. Magnolia Market

Even if you’re not an HGTV fan, you’ve probably heard about Chip and Joanna Gaines. They’re the stars behind “Fixer Uppers” and have become serial entrepreneurs. Their ecommerce store, Magnolia Market, has an awesome welcome email. First, you get a photograph of the proprietors.

Then there’s a big thank-you along with the lead magnet: a 15-percent-off coupon.

See the SHOP NOW CTA? It’s bold and has lots of contrast, which means people are more likely to click it. Associating the discount with the SHOP NOW offer makes it more attractive. Yes, you’ll spend money, but you’ll get a discount in the process.

Use Hello Bar to Get a Lot More New Subscribers To Your Email List

You’re fully versed in welcome emails by now, so how do you put them in action? You start collecting email addresses.

Hello Bar allows you to introduce a lead magnet, display your GDPR compliance, and collect email addresses without any friction. And that’s important.

These days, people are inundated with emails. They aren’t going to want them from you unless you give them a darned good reason.

Supercharge your email collection process by using a top bar, slider, modal, exit popup, or other bar to let people know what they can get for signing up. Use a strong call-to-action phrase that makes visitors want to click.

Practice writing headlines, too. The stronger your headline, the more people will pay attention.

Conclusion

You didn’t think your welcome email was important, did you? Now you know different.

If you’re able to engage your subscribers from the moment they provide you with their email addresses, you’ll hit the ground running — and set yourself up to generate more revenue.

There are lots of different types of welcome email examples. Send a list of instructions for your free demo trial, a product catalog, an introductory email, or a social proof email. Demonstrate your credibility and your gratitude to the subscriber.

I also urge you to review the 12 welcome email examples I showed you. Figure out what you like about each and what you don’t.

The more you experiment, the stronger your emails will become. A/B test them over and over again to find that sweet spot.

What’s the best welcome email you ever received?