Hello there, it’s Shauna here! In addition to being Kerstin’s Calm Business Manager, I am also a longtime copywriter and content consultant who is passionate about words and communication. Today I want to share some thoughts and tips on how to get the most out of your email welcome sequence.
It’s quite a big deal when someone signs up for your mailing list. People don’t just let anyone into their inboxes! By hitting the subscribe button they are effectively saying, “I want to hear more from you”.
What better way to honor that than by giving them a nice warm welcome?
Also known as a welcome series or welcome sequence, a nurture sequence, is an automated series of emails that are sent to a new mailing list subscriber over a period of time. They’re a great way to build trust and establish credibility with your subscribers and give them a whistle-stop tour of you and your brand, your values, and how you can help them.
“I modeled my email welcome sequence on Kerstin’s, and I am getting rave reviews from my new subscribers. And even better, it converts them to customers!” –Jenny Kellog
5 reasons to start a nurture sequence
1. It’s THE time to make a great first impression
Subscribers are at their most engaged when they first sign up. Welcome emails enjoy a higher open rate than regular newsletters, so strike while the iron is hot! This is the time to start nurturing a relationship so they’ll want to stick around… and perhaps be a future client or customer.
2. You can introduce them to your work and how you can help them
While some subscribers may have poured over every page of your website before subscribing, others will have randomly landed from Google and pounced on your freebie, if you have one, with barely a glance around. Both types of subscribers will be keen to know what value you can provide, a welcome sequence is a great place to give an overview of how people can work with you or buy your products.
3. You can introduce yourself
As well as talking about your work, let people get to know the human behind the business. Sharing some tidbits helps people get an idea of your personality and style. We share some ideas for this further down in this post.
4. You can set expectations for future emails
It’s good to let people know what value you are going to provide in your emails. Let them know what kind of content they can expect - tips, news, essays, personal musings, helpful links? Also include how often they will hear from you, for example, “You’ll get an email every Friday” if you publish regularly, or “Once or twice a month, I’ll share…” if you’re allergic to schedules like us here at Team Calm!
5. You’ll sift out subscribers that may not be a good fit
A nurture sequence gives subscribers a window into your world. If you are yourself and clearly set out what your business is all about, it will allow folks who decide you’re not their cup of tea to easily unsubscribe. This is a good thing! You want readers who are interested and engaged.
What to write about
☞ Start with an intention.
Before you start planning and writing your sequence, decide on a goal. What do you want people to do at the end of the sequence? Is it purely for educating your subscribers about your business, or do you want to nudge them to join your Facebook group, sign up for a course or book an intro call?
☞ How many emails to include in a welcome sequence?
There are no hard and fast rules, but we think 3-5 is a good range. It’s about knowing what you want to share and finding the sweet spot - too long and subscribers might switch off, but too short they may be left wondering what your business is all about.
In terms of timing between emails, you want to give people enough time to digest each one without losing momentum. As an example, Kerstin has 4 emails in her series, with the initial welcome email sent immediately after subscription and then a daily email for the next three days.
Let people know what to expect, here is an example from Kerstin’s welcome email which lists the nurture sequence:
☞ How to set up a nurture sequence.
All good email platforms include the ability to build an automated series of emails. Kerstin uses Squarespace Campaigns for her nurture sequence. It’s very simple to set up and looks very nice! Subscribe to Kerstin’s Calm Letters to see for yourself.
☞ What should I write about in a nurture sequence?
The first email of the sequence should be a warm welcome and include the basics: Confirm your subscriber is now on your list, include any promised freebies or discount codes, and thank them for subscribing. This is also where to let them know how often they can expect to hear from you and what kind of content you’ll be sharing. You may wish to also ask them to whitelist your email address so they don’t miss future messages.
For the subsequent nurture emails, you can let your creativity fly! Just keep your goal and the subscriber’s needs front and centre. Here are some ideas to try…
Share your mission.
Talk about how you started your business, what challenges you overcame, and why you love doing what you do.Talk about your offerings.
Give an overview of all the ways people can work with you. You could include a happy testimonial or two!Introduce yourself and your team.
For instance, the first email of Kerstin’s nurture sequence includes a short bio and some fun facts about her. If you have a team, introduce them, too! If you’re a video person, you could link to a video welcome message.Share your best content.
Have a look at your blog and link to posts that would be most helpful to new subscribers. This could be anything from a list of tips, blog posts, video tutorials to a podcast interview.Add value to your freebie.
If you included a lead magnet at sign-up, you can use one of the follow-up emails to check in with how the subscriber is doing with it. You could also add some extra tips or additional info, and sow the seeds for a related paid offering.Ask a question and invite replies.
Invite your new subscriber to hit reply and introduce themselves, or to ask you a question or share what they’re finding challenging in their own business. Kerstin’s subscribers use this invitation to reply a lot!Share a client case study.
Real-life examples of the impact of your work show your future clients or customers how they, too, might benefit from your products or services.Share your affiliate partners/discount codes.
Share your favorite tools and apps, with discount codes if you have any. This is a great way to introduce your audience to helpful products while earning a small commission.