Designing the perfect welcome email

Celine Neulat | @loyaltycrm101

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Celine Neulat CRM and Loyalty Consultant

cneulat@gmail.com | @loyaltycrm101

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50%

20%

Welcome email

Average rate

3 months

Email open rate statistics

First inbox point of contact

Can mean the difference between an engaged subscriber and an inactive one

Learn here the keys to a successful first e-pression

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PERMISSION

Simple 3 step process:1. User subscribes from field visible on homepage2. Selects basic preferences (low barrier to entry – minimal required

fields)3. Thank you screen – acknowledges confirmation

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1

2

3

Source: Barneys New York

Low barrier - 2 mandatory fields (email and zip code)

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1

2

3

Source: Net-a-porter

Subscription preferences in lieu of information – 2 click process

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SUBJECT LINE

64% of people say they open an email because of the subject line (CMB)The subject line should be clear and concise. It should contain 2 elements:1. Name of the company2. Words such as “thank you”, “welcome”

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CONTENT

Convey:• Gratitude: acknowledge and thank the subscriber for signing up with

the service/ program• Education: explain clearly what to expect such as type of benefits

(membership program), type of communications (Discounts? News?). Put the subscriber in control.

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Convey gratitude for subscribing

Source: Bloomingdales, Macys

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Set expectations for the next communications

Sources: Saks, Piperlime, Expedia

Email series (3 emails to be expected)

Benefits from subscription/ membership

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Offer additional resources to educate the subscriber.

Sources: Gilt, SPG

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CLEAR CALL TO ACTION

Provide somewhere to go beyond a header and footer to:• Garner additional information about your new subscriber

(personalization)• Drive to web to learn more or make a purchase

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Personalization driven

Revenue driven

Sources: Net a Porter, SPG

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CONNECT!

When it comes to social media 96% of marketers measure number of fans and followers, 89% measure traffic, 84% measure mentions, 55% track share of voice, and 51% track sentiment. (Source: Awareness, Inc.)

A simple way to increase followers and fans is to ensure they know about your other venues.

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Promote other social media outlets or your app to cross channel

Sources: Piperlime, Homedepot

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WHITELIST

Ensure deliverability of your emails by getting your subscriber to whitelist you: have them add you to their address book.

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Sources: Allrecipes, Royal Caribbean, SPG

Ask to be added to the subscriber’s contact list – provide step by step instructions by email client.

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MOBILE OPTIMIZED

38% of email is now opened on a mobile device, with 33% for desktop and 29% for webmail. (Source: Litmus Email Analytics, 2012)

20% check their mail on text-only mobile phone applications (Source: Comm100, email marketing tutorial)

Nearly 1/3 of mobile clickthroughs are “tap errors” as a result of buttons being too close together (Source: Chiefmarketer.com, Email Trends: The Importance of Tap Errors, Alt Tags and Mobile Design - Beth Negus Viveiros, Oct 2012)

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Images off Images on

Sources: Gilt, Allreceipes

Content available before image download

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Sufficient tap area around the Call to action button

Sources: Saks Fifth Avenue, Groupon

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1. Visible subscription with low barrier2. Subject line stating company name and conveys gratitude3. Content is educational4. Clear call to action5. Whitelist6. Promotes other social media venues7. Mobile optimized

Key Takeaways

Happy emailing!