How to Write a Perfect Email Welcome Sequence for Values-Driven Brands
Congratulations! Someone signed up for your email list! You've done the work with lead generation and they’ve accepted your invitation to get to know more about you and the work you do.
So what’s next? Do you just add them into your regular email list? Start sending out broadcasts and launches as you have them scheduled?
Not quite - you need to start with a welcome sequence. Think of it like the first chapter in the story you're sharing with your newest followers. It sets the tone, builds trust, and initiates a relationship that could last years.
Maybe you’re stuck about wondering what your welcome emails should say exactly. How many emails should you include in your sequence? What information should you share?
When you’re unsure what to do, it’s hard to move forward.
The good news is, you can skip the stress and anxiety and write a perfect email welcome sequence by including a few key elements.
In this article, I’ll provide the essential ingredients to write a perfect email welcome sequence that resonates with your brand's mission and captivates your audience from the start.
What is the perfect welcome sequence for values-driven brands?
Write a perfect email welcome sequence that reflects the heart and soul of your brand while engaging your audience by effectively blending several key ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in shaping how your audience perceives and interacts with your brand.
A welcome sequence, often referred to as a welcome email series, is a set of initial emails that are automatically sent to new subscribers after they join your mailing list. This sequence serves as the first point of contact between your brand and the subscriber. Typically, a welcome sequence includes multiple emails spread out over several days or weeks. Each email has a specific purpose, from introducing the brand and its values, providing value, building trust, to eventually leading to a call to action.
The goal of these emails is to engage subscribers right from the start. This series also ensure readers feel valued and informed. It’s about making a strong first impression that sets the tone for the ongoing relationship.
Build Immediate Connection
For purpose-driven brands, those with a cause or mission beyond simply providing a service or product as a way to gain revenue, the welcome sequence is particularly powerful. It’s an opportunity to connect with subscribers on a level that goes beyond transactional interactions. Sharing the brand's story and mission in the initial emails lets you align with subscribers. They understand you share similar values and are supportive of their goals, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Educate Subscribers
A welcome sequence allows you to educate new subscribers about your mission. This educational aspect is crucial for setting expectations and deepening the subscribers' understanding of what your brand stands for. For a purpose-driven brand, it’s not just about what you sell but why you sell it. Your welcome sequence can effectively communicate this 'why.'
Establish Trust
Trust is a critical component in any brand-client relationship. For purpose-driven brands, it’s even more vital. Subscribers want to know that they are supporting a brand that truly lives up to its promises and commitments. When you write a perfect email welcome sequence that showcases your achievements, endorsements, and the impact of your work, you help to build credibility and trust.
Encourage Engagement
Well-crafted welcome sequences encourage new subscribers to engage with the brand actively. Whether it's inviting them to connect on social media platforms, participate in events, or simply reply to an email, these initial interactions are pivotal. They set the groundwork for subscribers to become not just customers but advocates for your brand.
Segment Your Audience (optional)
Finally, welcome sequences can help you segment your audience based on their actions or responses. For purpose-driven brands, understanding the specific interests or engagement levels of subscribers can tailor subsequent communications to be more relevant and impactful. This segmentation can lead to higher engagement rates and more effective marketing campaigns tailored to the needs and interests of different subscriber groups.
What Should be Included in Your Welcome Sequence?
The First Ingredient - Your Story
Start your welcome email sequence with a powerful introduction to who you are and what you stand for.
This is your opportunity to connect on a deeper level by sharing your brand’s backstory, mission, and values. It lets your subscribers know why your brand exists and the unique path you're traveling to make a difference.
This helps to build emotional investment and aligns your audience's expectations with your brand’s goals.
Many people who are new to email marketing may have the best intentions when writing their emails, but they get stuck because they aren’t sure exactly what to write or how to share the story behind their brand in an easy way.
So instead, they may wind up just sharing about their brand in a way that doesn’t connect with their readers or they may skip the process altogether.
When you write a perfect email welcome sequence that resonates, ensure the focus is on what’s in it for them. Why is your story important for them to know? How does sharing your mission and values assure them you are the right person to help them with their problem?
To get started with this step, frame the information in a client-centric way. Are you able to come alongside them because you’ve been where they are? Are your mission and values unique to you within your niche that offers something other than what they are used to?
The Second Ingredient - Instant Value
Provide immediate value in your welcome emails to reinforce your subscribers' decision to join your mailing list. This could be in the form of insightful tips, a valuable download, or exclusive content that's not available elsewhere.
A key here is understanding where your audience may be struggling. Is there something they have spent time or money trying to do without success? This may be a good place to offer your support with a quick, easy to digest download, video, or blog post.
Demonstrating value upfront not only gratifies your new subscribers but also sets the stage for what they can expect in future communications.
The Third Ingredient - Social Proof or Elements to Show Your Authority
Incorporate elements of social proof such as testimonials, user-generated content, or notable achievements that underscore your authority and credibility.
Showing that others have gained value from your brand encourages new subscribers to feel more confident in their choice to engage with your brand.
The approach you can use to show your authority is:
Incorporating testimonials
Sharing media where you’ve been featured
Linking to case studies that may be helpful
Referencing notable achievements that underscore your accomplishments in your niche and your credibility
Of course, if you are just starting out, you may not have an abundance of social proof yet, but you can show your process or framework that demonstrates your knowledge within your niche and how you help your clients achieve their transformation.
The Fourth Ingredient - Your Best Offers or Products
When you write a perfect email welcome sequence, your subscribers may be wondering how they can work with you to achieve results,
After you’ve shared who you are and that transformation is possible for them, highlight your standout offerings or products that best represent your brand’s mission. Make sure that what you're presenting aligns with your audience's interests and your brand's purpose.
This isn’t about making a hard sell; rather, it’s about showcasing how your products or services can serve the needs or solve the problems of your subscribers.
The Fifth Ingredient - Set Expectations/Next Steps
Your new subscribers may be wondering what they can expect moving forward. Will they receive weekly emails? What type of content will you share?
Setting these expectations early on helps manage subscribers' anticipation and prepares them for the type of engagement they will have with your brand.
Remember, consistency is one of the elements that helps to build trust, so you’ll want to set an expectation you know you can stick with.
Putting It All Together
There you have it! The 5 components needed to write a perfect email welcome sequence as a purpose-driven brand..
It may sound like a lot, but like most things practice makes perfect. Just focus on combining these ingredients in a thoughtful and intentional way. Your welcome sequence should flow smoothly from one email to the next, gradually building a relationship and encouraging interaction.
Each email is a step towards deepening the connection between your brand and your audience, crafted to elicit feelings, provoke thoughts, and drive meaningful actions.
Next Steps
Remember that the ultimate goal is to foster a community of engaged followers who believe in your mission as much as you do. Now that you have the tools and knowledge to set up your welcome sequence, it’s time to put these strategies into action.
If you need help getting started, my Welcome Sequence Shortcut will help you get a head start on crafting compelling email content that resonates with your purpose and passion. This tool is designed to help you streamline your process and ensure that every message you send out is impactful. Plus, because it leverages the power of AI, you can write a perfect email welcome sequence and have it ready to automate in under an hour!
