How to write a good welcome email?

What is a welcome email?

A welcome email is the first message automatically sent to new subscribers or customers after they sign up for your newsletter, service, etc. This welcome email serves as your 'introduction' to welcome new customers or contacts.

The primary purpose is to thank the subscriber for their registration. Additionally, you'll immediately share information about what they can expect from your future communications.

Because your contacts are curious about this, the average open rate of a welcome email is much higher compared to newsletters and other emails.

Don't lose sight of the strategy

Behind a good welcome email lies a certain strategy; it's part of your email marketing. You can use a welcome email to increase the engagement of your (new) customers.

It's essential to consider what information you include in your first email. If done correctly, your welcome email can set the tone for a positive and long-lasting customer relationship.

Why send a welcome email?

Out of courtesy, of course! But also because the first emails your reader receives after signing up generally have the highest open rates. If you can capture their attention in that initial welcome email, the likelihood of them opening your subsequent emails increases significantly.

So, it's best to start providing value as early as possible for obtaining their email address. We'll provide you with handy tips for a successful welcome message.

Define the purpose of your welcome email

Determining the purpose of your welcome email is essential because it shapes the direction and effectiveness of your communication. Without a clear purpose, you run the risk of sending disjointed messages that don't align with the expectations of your new subscribers or customers. A solid content strategy can assist you in this regard.

By giving your welcome email a distinct purpose, you focus from the outset on targeted and relevant content. This increases engagement and leaves a positive first impression.

Assigning a purpose to your welcome email will also help you achieve measurable results and evaluate the impact, enabling you to make improvements for more effective long-term communication.

How to write a welcome email?

That very first email is crucial for the customer journey of your clients. A strong welcome email can truly make a difference; take our word for it.

To ensure you make a good first impression, we'll outline about ten elements that are important when writing and sending your welcome email. This communication involves a bit of email marketing, after all. 😉

1. Timing

Most new contacts expect an email after signing up and are eager to hear what you have to say. Don't keep them waiting for too long. An efficient way to send your contacts a welcome email after their sign-up is by utilising automation.

Here you can read exactly how to set that up in Flexmail. This way, you can be sure they receive your welcome email on time, and you don't have to worry about forgetting anyone.

2. Subject line

The first thing your contact sees in their mailbox is the subject of your email. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure that you stand out among all the other messages. Using "Welcome" in the subject indicates that it's a welcome email, prompting the contact to see what you have to share.

Also, including an emoji in your subject line certainly grabs attention. Ponder on it carefully because your welcome email is one of your most important emails.

n addition to the subject, the sender address is important too. Use a recognisable name, and consistently use this name in your subsequent campaigns so your contacts can immediately identify you.

3. Personal greeting

For the initial contact, use a personal greeting to make your new customer feel that the email is personally directed to them, creating a sense of welcome.

Make sure to ask for their name during sign-up so you can use it. The more personalised the email, the more important the contact feels, and that's precisely what you want to achieve with your welcome message.

4. Expectations

Your contacts sign up with specific expectations. Don't leave them in the dark.

Make it clear:

• Who you are and what you do.
• What information they can expect.
• When you will send campaigns (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
• Whether there are specific onboarding steps to follow.

Remember to stick to what you promise, ensuring your contacts eagerly look forward to receiving your campaigns each time. Deliver on your commitments, whether it's the promised e-book, a trial product, or a compelling promotion for your new subscribers.

The example below from Commonry does an excellent job of explaining what makes them unique:

5. Images

You can create a message with endless text, but the likelihood that your contacts will read it all is very small. Condense the text and showcase related articles or add an image that clearly conveys the message.

Capture attention by including a relevant image in your message to reinforce your text. In any case, it's essential to maintain a good balance between text and images.

6. Clear CTA

With a good welcome email, you want to greet your contacts, but you also want them to be interested in your products. Therefore, ensure that your email includes a clear Call To Action that encourages further engagement.

Create a prominent button with text that clearly indicates what they can expect when they click on it.

Take a look at the following example. The button clearly communicates what to expect, and the image speaks for itself, even if you haven't read the text:

7. Social media

Do you use social media? Be sure to include these channels in your welcome email so that customers can also follow you through these platforms.

8. Unsubscribe link and interests

Even in a welcome email, you need to consider the GDPR regulations and provide an unsubscribe link. However, this doesn't necessarily have to be negative. Of course, the goal is not to have your contacts unsubscribe immediately after the first welcome email.


By adding interests to your unsubscribe link or update link, you give your contacts the opportunity to indicate what they are interested in instead of unsubscribing completely. This way, you gather more information about your contacts, allowing you to tailor your campaigns even more effectively. A win-win situation.

9. Give something away

Who doesn't love receiving a gift? Everyone does, right?

Show your appreciation to your contacts by offering them a whitepaper or expressing your joy at their addition to your mailing list with a discount or special offer.

10. Address book

And last but not least: ask your contacts to add your address to their address book. This ensures that your emails don't accidentally end up in their junk mail, preventing them from missing out on all your valuable information. Additionally, your images will be displayed by default.

How can I measure the effectiveness of welcome emails?

You can measure the effectiveness of welcome emails using various metrics. Firstly, the open rate is a crucial indicator.

It shows how many readers actually opened your welcome email. A high open rate suggests that your email subject line was attractive enough for recipients to open your email.

Secondly, the click-through rate is important. This metric measures how many contacts actually clicked on links or buttons in your welcome email. A higher click-through rate indicates an engaged audience that found your email content valuable enough to explore further.

Additionally, the conversion rate is crucial, especially if your welcome email includes a special offer (e.g., a discount code).

This tells you how many recipients actually took the desired action, such as making a first purchase or filling out a form. If you send your welcome emails with Flexmail, you can track everything accurately through your own account.

Analysing the behavior of new subscribers

Another method to measure effectiveness is by looking at the behavior of recipients after receiving the welcome email. You can analyse how they interact with subsequent emails after receiving your welcome email, how long they stay on your website, and what actions they take.

Analysing this data provides insights into how effective your welcome email is in engaging new subscribers or customers with your brand.

It's also worthwhile to add surveys or feedback requests to your welcome email, gaining immediate insight into the experiences and expectations of your recipients. This information can help you further improve your welcome campaigns.

Effective welcome email examples: standing out

Something tells us that you're looking for a 'welcome email example' or maybe several examples to draw inspiration from... We understand, of course.

After reading this blog post, your mind is likely filled with tips to launch a good welcome email.

So, it's time for the next step: writing your welcome email. With these examples, you'll certainly stand out and ensure that new customers feel welcome. With greetings from Flexmail! 😁