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6 tips to optimize welcome emails

Posted by Bridget Fair on April 23, 2014

According to a recent report, 53% of marketers agree that welcome messages best help achieve their business goals, up from 15% in 2011.1

Why are welcome emails such a key component of a successful email marketing strategy? The primary reason is that welcome emails reach your audience when they are most receptive and approachable.

This is because welcome emails are behaviorally triggered. The trigger can vary widely. For example, welcome communications can target new email subscribers, new registrants or someone who just made a first purchase. Despite the variety of behavioral triggers, there is a common thread: each behavior demonstrates an interest in your company and openness to beginning a relationship.

Smart marketers capitalize on this receptivity and use the opportunity to start cultivating a long-term, profitable relationship. And that’s why welcome emails are so important. But email senders beware: if not done well, a welcome email can be both the first and last opportunity to communicate with a recipient.

With this in mind, here are some best practices that can help you optimize your welcome emails.

1. Send emails within 24 hours of the behavioral trigger.
Hit your recipient’s inbox when your company is top of mind and your recipient will be more likely to engage with the email. Plus, a timely response shows a commitment to customer service and makes recipients feel like a priority.

2. Use the Friendly From and subject line to put recipients at ease.
Many people feel anxious when they see a new, unfamiliar or unrecognizable name in their inbox. It’s important that email recipients immediately recognize the email sender or they will not feel comfortable opening the email. We’ve found that including the company name in the Friendly From and subject line can help increase open rates and reduce unsubscribes and SPAM complaints.

3. Confirm why recipients are receiving the email.
An email has more authenticity if a recipient understands why they are receiving it. People want to feel comfortable in their private email account and in control of the messages they receive. If they don’t understand or can’t remember what they did to trigger an email, they could get spooked and quickly trash the email or unsubscribe.

4. Communicate how to maximize the benefits of your product or service.
To reiterate: the end goal of a successful welcome email is to build a positive, long-term relationship. To do this, it’s important to communicate why your audience should continue to engage with you, especially if your email recipients have not yet used your product or service. Email recipients may need motivation to overcome certain hurdles to getting started.

5. Make sure your email is user-friendly.
Your welcome email will set the tone for future communications. If the email is difficult for your audience to view, read or click, they will be less motivated to open future emails.

A majority of people now view emails on their mobile device or tablet, rather than a desktop. You typically have one chance to engage your customer, so emails need to be user-friendly on a wide variety of devices. Don’t expect your audience to make an extra effort to view your email. If they open it on a mobile device and have a bad experience, they are unlikely to revisit the email later on a desktop computer.

6. Make it easy for email recipients to find answers and get help.
To build a long-term relationship, you need to provide guidance and support to email recipients. They need to be able to quickly find answers to questions before they become permanent hurdles to engagement. We've found that including links to an FAQ page and demo, as well as providing customer service information, help drive more engagement and conversions.

Behaviorally triggered, automated welcome emails are key to a successful email marketing strategy. However, before you deploy, it’s important to think through these best practices to ensure your welcome email will support your business goals and help build long-term relationships with your audience.

Need help evolving your email marketing efforts? Sign up for your free email marketing assessment and learn more about practical applications for successful email marketing communications.

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Topics: Email Marketing

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