Welcome emails that set the standard: 15 examples & tips

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Welcome emails are one of the most effective automated emails you can send. In fact, their average click-through rates are about 3X higher than those of regular newsletters.

Welcome emails work because they arrive right after someone has signed up for your newsletter. That’s the window of time when your new subscriber is most interested in your business and your emails.

But does that mean all welcome emails are equally powerful when it comes to converting? Absolutely not.

In this post, we’ve gathered the essentials – the best welcome email examples, types, and best practices to inspire your next campaign.

But let’s start with a little bit of theory.

What exactly is a welcome email?

A welcome email is the first message you send to a customer, usually after they sign up for your email list or fill out a form on your website or app.

The goal is first to confirm the new subscriber’s signup and, of course, welcome them into your business, setting the groundwork for what your brand offers and what it represents.

What exactly is a welcome email?

A welcome email is the first message you send to a customer, usually after they sign up for your list or fill out a form on your website or app.

The goal of a welcome email is first to confirm the signup by your new audience member and, of course, to greet them and welcome them into your business, setting the groundwork for what your brand offers and what it represents.

An example of GetResponse's welcome email that greets newsletter subscribers with a GIF of the Content Team.
An example of a welcome email from the GetResponse Content Team that greets newsletter subscribers.

Why welcome emails are so important

Welcome emails are incredibly important and can have a major impact, whether running a small blog or a multimillion-dollar business. Here’s why:

1. They set the tone and help you bond with your new audience.

First impressions matter, and your welcome message can either help or destroy the impression your audience has about you. That’s why it’s important to be genuine, human, approachable, and even funny if that’s your brand. 

To quote Michael Leszczynski, “In addition to driving engagement, welcome emails are great for setting expectations for your relationship with your new audience.”

2. People expect to receive them.

People expect a welcome email in their inbox to confirm signup or purchase. It’s pretty much second nature at this point in our digital lives. 

It can even be unsettling not to receive one and leave people wondering if a) they’ve given you the wrong email address or b) you’ve stolen their data and run. 

Because of that, welcome emails record the highest open and click-through rates among any email communication.

3. They can help improve your email deliverability.

One of our latest reports found that the average open rate of welcome emails is more than 63.91%. The average click-through rate is around 14.34%. 

To put it into perspective, 6 out of 10 new subscribers will open your message, and 1 in 7 will click through to your site and take the action on your CTA. That means this vital email will boost your email deliverability and conversion rates as well.

Let’s quickly look at the different types of welcome emails so that you can understand the various examples of welcome emails we’ll share afterward and their purpose.

4 Types of welcome emails

There are various types of welcome emails. While the most effective types for you will vary based on your audience, product nature, and business goals, certain welcome emails boost customer engagement. They include:

  • Traditional hello and welcome emails

These types of welcome emails are sent immediately after a user signs up for your email newsletter or creates a new account. They start off with warm greetings, then a welcome message, and thank the recipient for joining your list or their interest in your products. 

A great welcome email will also provide a brief overview of what the recipient can expect from your emails going forward.

  • Get started emails

These emails can also be considered onboarding emails. They focus on affirming your brand’s value to prospective and new customers, helping them feel at ease for taking the action they did. 

If you are in the software industry, you can use these emails to guide users through the initial setup process, helping them understand how to use the service effectively.

  • Educational emails

You’ll maintain active subscribers as long as your brand remains valuable to them. So, how about you start strong with educational emails? 

These emails include valuable content, which can be useful tips, statistics, or even links to helpful resources in your field. You can also send a series of emails that introduce the new subscriber to various features, products, or services over a certain period.

By providing this value to your audience, you encourage engagement while still establishing your brand as an authority in your niche.

  • Offer emails

Offer emails are one of the most common categories of welcome emails. As the name suggests, these emails offer subscribers an incentive, often because it was promised when they signed up for a newsletter. 

Your offers can be exclusive discounts, coupon codes, free trials, or exclusive content.

These emails motivate users to engage with the brand immediately after signing up. You can also use various active offers in your welcome emails to showcase and introduce your audience to your various product offerings.

Welcome email examples

Now for the exciting part. Here are 15 of the most inspiring welcome email examples and why they are so effective.

Oh, we’ve also included two examples of very weak welcome emails (#6), just for contrast.

Welcome email #1: Threadheads

Our first great welcome email example is this awesome Threadheads email. It’s quite long and image-heavy, but right from the start, you can tell that this message will be fun to read.

Welcome email from Threadheads.
Welcome email example from Threadheads. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

They also go straight to the point by offering recipients the discount code. But not before they catch their attention and get a giggle out of them with their opening sentence: “We’ve got more t-shirt designs than your ex had red flags.”

They’ve included a call to action (CTA) right after that that follows the standard guidelines to be catchy. Most subscribers who already know about the brand will be compelled to click on the button and claim their discount at this point. However, you will notice they place their CTA multiple times throughout the email.

The email outlines their unique selling points, from their incredible art to their brilliant service. All of which are backed with relevant and humorous visuals. If the opening paragraph does not get readers’ attention. Then this section most definitely will. 

The team photo is also a great addition since real faces help humanize the brand to the target audience. 

Besides that, they include information on how recipients can get in touch with them in case of any questions, more benefits, and links to some of the key web pages.

Witty unsubscribe link copy in the Threadheads welcome email.
Witty unsubscribe link copy in the Threadheads welcome email.

Threadheads also include a witty unsubscribe text. It might seem unnecessary to highlight an unsubscribe link in a welcome email because isn’t it too early to start losing subscribers? But do it anyway! Having it shows subscribers that they have the power. Plus, it helps you keep a healthy email list.

Welcome email #2: Keeps Home

This welcome email by Keeps is another great example you can emulate. The email starts by highlighting their free shipping offer, encouraging people to make their first order.

Welcome email example from Keeps.
Welcome email example from Keeps. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

Keeps’ opening copy is also attention-grabbing. It focuses on the benefits the new subscribers stand to gain from interacting with the brand and buying their products. See the link they include for readers who want to learn more about the brand and its product offering, which helps them save space.

They also include recommendations on some of the products a new subscriber can buy, accompanied by a brief product description and great product images.

The CTA is also well-executed. It comes right after their product recommendations, meaning it is more likely to encourage the desired action, which is making purchases. The orange color, white spaces, and bold all-caps text make it hard to miss.

The email also includes a previous customer review. This acts as social proof, which is more likely to influence potential customers to make a purchase than any other form of self-promotion.

Welcome email #3: Dirty Shirley

If your ideal welcome email is short and sweet, look no further! Follow Dirty Shirley’s lead. Check this out.

Welcome email from Dirty Shirley.
Welcome email from Dirty Shirley. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

The best part about this email is the copy. You can tell right from their greetings and their introductory copy that they, in fact, follow their advice and “keep it sassy”. The image was not left behind, either. You can tell from the elements included– this is for the classy kids. 

The rest of the email copy is also brief enough that you don’t get fatigued just from looking at it. Additionally, though they don’t go ahead to outline what set them apart, they compensate for it with the promise of good things ahead, which builds that anticipation. Readers will want to know more about that “ride”, which will keep them engaged.

Their “keep it sassy, keep it classy” email signature is also on brand. It’s one of those texts you read, and they are stuck in your head for quite a period after.

Dirty Shirley also included a CTA at the end. However, I feel the CTA have been more effective if it focused on their discount offer and if it were in a different color

Don’t get me wrong. Red is almost always guaranteed to get anyone’s attention. But when there’s too much red, then the element you want to stand out just disappears. That’s what has happened here; the CTA just sort of blends in instead of standing out.

Still, as you can see, sometimes you don’t need fancy email templates. All you have to do is be clear and to the point. Greet your new subscribers, set expectations for future emails, secure your deliverability, and remember to make the email about them.

Welcome email #4: DEEPS

This DEEPS email is also a great welcome email example with a brief copy. The email design and visuals, however, make the email seem longer than it actually is.

DEEPS welcome email example.
DEEPS welcome email example. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

They start by acknowledging that it’s the recipient’s first email, followed by a great image of what seems like a hand raised in greetings with the DEEPS sleep patch. While we can’t be sure the brand meant it to be interpreted as a greeting, it still shows the value of incorporating images that complement your email copy.

The email then goes ahead to explain their brand mission and product benefits, including “more about us” and “see now” links to the website. Such links provide readers the opportunity to interact with the brand beyond emails. They also include a 10% discount code for first orders, which will encourage more subscribers to convert into customers.

Welcome email #5: Material

Material in the example below makes their offer welcome email a little bit different. Instead of the usual email content that encourages readers to make a discounted purchase, they opt to kick off their relationship with new subscribers with some social proof.

Welcome email example from Material. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

Each review is quoted to show originality, and they all include the reviewer’s name for authenticity. The great images also entice you to read the copy, which, by extension, helps recipients learn more about Material’s products.

Material highlighting the benefits of their offer.
Material highlighting the benefits of their offer.

For the rest of the email, as shown above, Material highlights their added benefits besides their product’s quality, which includes a hard-to-refuse 60-day trial period. 

Also, notice how the brand sticks to a single CTA, “shop now,” throughout their email to avoid confusing readers.

Welcome email #6: Two ad agencys’ welcome emails

These two emails define another “standard,” which is what welcome emails look like if you don’t take the time and effort to customize them.

I’ve changed the names to protect the innocent here. I don’t want to embarrass anyone. But these two welcome emails – both of them from well-regarded ad agencies – are embarrassing. If you could see these companies’ websites, you’d see the hip design and lots of talk about marketing successes.

And yet here are their welcome emails. Hey – it happens to the best of us.

Just to clarify, these are from two different companies. They only look identical because neither company chose an alternative template for their welcome email.

Welcome email from an agency.
Welcome email from an agency with a personalized salutation

This one didn’t even get the personalized salutation right:

Welcome email from an agency without personalized salutation.
Welcome email from an agency without a personalized salutation

Overall, don’t just send a default welcome email. Customize it and add your own voice and brand style to it like the other better examples here. It only takes a few minutes, plus you can leverage an AI email creator. 

By the way, I’ll talk more about the AI email creator later. Let’s explore three more examples first.

Welcome email #7: Arhaus

Here’s another great, unique example by Arhaus. This brand switches up its email design by starting with a personal welcome note in the first half.

Welcome email from Arhaus.
Welcome email from Arhaus. Source: Mailcharts

Email subscribers will easily connect with such a personal brand story, encouraging them to engage actively. The co-founder’s email signature is also a great addition since it will help personalize the email further while adding a human identity to the brand.

The other half focuses on the benefits subscribers stand to gain, which include personal design inspirations and exclusive promotions.

The links to the web pages showcasing Arhaus’s range of products at the bottom are a great addition. From the CTAs in the email, you can tell the main goal is to familiarize their audience with product offerings.

Welcome email #8: Gymshark

This is another great welcome email example I couldn’t leave out. It starts with a great Gymshark team image that catches your attention instantly. They also place their CTA above the fold, making it hard for subscribers to miss.

Welcome email from an ecommerce brand, Gymshark.
Welcome email from an ecommerce brand, Gymshark. Source: Mailcharts

After briefly welcoming the subscriber to the family, the email gets right into their exclusive discount. 

In the next half of it, Gymshark highlights the benefits their new subscribers should expect to enjoy.

The high-quality images and sub-headings between the copy prevent text monotony. This also ensures the text is easily scannable and keeps subscribers engaged, encouraging them to keep reading. 

Additionally, notice how they include links to the relevant pages in every sub-section. 

Welcome email #9: prAna

Do you have a lot of great information to share with your new subscribers and don’t want to leave it out? Well, you don’t have to. You can follow this great example of a long email by prAna.

You first see a relevant image that complements the email’s purpose and the positive and warm energy you want readers to feel.

prAna welcome email header.
prAna welcome email header.

The copy above the fold, which is what most readers see as soon as they open your email, is also equally welcoming. It highlights the main benefit for new subscribers: staying updated on the latest and greatest company news.

Notice that they also include great CTAs above the fold, encouraging new subscribers to convert into customers. 

Since your relationship with subscribers is new, you want to show them they made the right choice. What best way to do this than to highlight your brand story and the values you stand for like prAna does in their email?

prAna welcome email continued – brand story section
prAna welcome email continued – brand story section

Besides that, the email includes a fan faves section, where they showcase the top product categories.

prAna welcome email continued – fans favorite section
prAna welcome email continued – fans favorite section

The final unique detail is this “we stand for” section, which helps humanize the brand.

prAna welcome email continued – what we stand for section.
prAna welcome email continued – what we stand for section.

To successfully execute a long-copy email, as prAna did, ensure you use images, subheadings, and ample white spaces to boost readability and audience engagement levels. Also, ensure you choose a functional email design that allows you to include all the above elements.

Welcome email #10: Nomad Goods

Like most of the great emails we’ve featured above, Nomad Goods starts strong by welcoming its subscribers to the Nomad family. They then go ahead and highlight the benefits the email recipient will enjoy as a member of what they call their “insider crew”.

Nomad Goods welcome email example.
Nomad Goods welcome email example. Source: Mailcharts

However, you can tell that their focus is on earning the subscribers’ trust since they focus mostly on what sets their brand apart and their commitment to designing high-quality products. 

Besides that, the brand uses highly relevant images, some of which show the behind-the-scenes of their design and creation process. Such images add more depth to their words while also acting as proof of authenticity.

The email also includes the hashtag “#AdventureOn”. Using hashtags in your emails will help you boost awareness of a specific active campaign.

Welcome email #11: Magic Spoon

Welcome email example from Magic Spoon.
Welcome email example from Magic Spoon. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

The greeting and image combination are damn near perfect. They thank you for signing up, they give a great tag line (“Strong move”), they illustrate that tagline with the image, and incorporate their product there as well.

And don’t miss that header, which features their logo, a comparison invite for “US VS THEM” to show they believe their product is better and are ready to tell you why, and a CTA, “TRY NOW”, all without being annoying or cumbersome.

The introduction lets you know what you’re getting: emails without any junk, just like the cereals. In a short sentence they let you know who they are, what they’re about, and what to expect. Then they prompt a question that encourages thought and engagement from the reader, “Are you ready to join the breakfast club?” This even invokes a memory for some people who remember and are fans of the movie The Breakfast Club.

After that, the present their offerings, give a code for a discount and tell you their special offer. Their social media presence – Instagram – follows with an invite to connect, and they finish the message with one more trust-worthy message, “Happiness 100% Guaranteed”.

What could have been better?

In general, left-justifying text performs better and is more readable to most audiences who read from left to right. There could be a little more explanation of their brand, their virtues, but they have chosen to represent that in images and to invite you to explore more through links and CTAs, giving them a boom-or-bust click-through rate.

Habeab Kurdi, Copywriting Coordinator @ GetResponse

Welcome email #12: Burrow

Welcome email example from Burrow - part one featuring the header.
Welcome email example from Burrow – part one featuring the header.
Welcome email example from Burrow - part two featuring the main offer.
Welcome email example from Burrow – part two featuring the main offer.
Welcome email example from Burrow - part three using simple imagery to emphasize unique selling points.
Welcome email example from Burrow - part four adding a simpler and cheaper way to buy.

Why it’s so good

Across the board, Burrow present themselves as comfortable, and give you a vision of relaxing.

The message starts with a catchy tagline, “No interest in paying interest?” which presents an invitation, an offer, and a CTA all right away. Then they offer you a free sample as well as a tongue-in-cheek lighthearted gesture that it’s not just a swatch sample, but something you can keep using (bring in the less-waste crowd). The message closes out with an offer of help and a phone number, along with their social feeds.

There’s also a sleeping cat, which will win over most audiences on the web. Then they go straight for the CTA and a tagline that introduces who they are and what they’re all about. What do they do? Solve problems. Modern problems. Problems for your home. They are here to solve your problems.

The third part of the message is an invitation to enjoy yourself, to relax, and an invitation to a better life. That type of messaging dates back more than 80 years, that your product/offer/business is not just an improvement in and of itself, but it will actually make your entire life better. It’s “more than furniture.” And they do it so simply. Plus, they feature tabs at the top that act as CTAs and resources at the same time.

The last part of the email tells you more about who they are, with their special offer big and bold right in the middle of the message. You see a repeat of their “Interest” line as well, showing how you can move, mix and match assets for different messages, as they have done with the sleeping cat image as well (in the second and third messages).

What could have been better?

They don’t necessarily greet you or welcome you with words, instead they rely on the images to do that. It’s bold and a little risky, as they are assuming you know about their brand and you are invested in furniture. It’s not a stretch being that the person signed up or consented to the messaging.

Habeab Kurdi, Copywriting Coordinator @ GetResponse

Welcome email #13: Patagonia

Welcome email from Patagonia.

Why it’s so good

Sometimes a simple, warm greeting is enough when you want to connect with your audience. Patagonia doesn’t go with a slogan or tagline to start, they just welcome you to their family, which is something everyone can relate to. They launch right into what to expect, and they touch on who they are with their mention of “in support of the wild places we love.” They also put some clickable links right at the top. The special offer of free shipping is there at the top but not too flashy or distracting, and they give you further trust by promising not to share your email, too.

The mission statement is strong and shows they know their audience, who they have defined as someone who supports sustainability and eco-friendly products. Instead of trying to make sure they connect to everyone, they make sure they connect with who they align with, and who aligns with them.

They finish the message with their guarantee, which is their way of saying “this is better than a discount, you can buy something and know it will be good, or we’ll make it right.”

You can see that throughout this message, they have clearly identified who their audience is, what their values are, what they want from a product, and what makes them feel like trusting the brand. These considerations are incredibly important for everyone when messaging their audience.

What could have been better?

Let’s look at that special offer again. It’s in a black bar that seems to almost be hidden. It fits their theme, but it isn’t especially alluring or something that will be noticed, and can be passed over easily.

They don’t tell much about their brand as far as their offerings or what they do best to introduce themselves to someone who may not know their brand, but they are banking on the fact that if you signed up for their emails, you know their products. That is not always the best method and especially if you are not one of the most visible brands in the world, you should include more about who you are. They are counting on the “Packs & Gear” tab to show what they offer, as well as the photo.

Habeab Kurdi, Copywriting Coordinator @ GetResponse

Welcome email #14: MeUndies

Email welcoming new subscribers - MeUndies.
Email welcoming new subscribers – MeUndies.

Why it’s so good

Compared to the Patagonia example, this welcome email from MeUndies is more visually appealing and relies more on those elements to help tell the story and entice their audience.

They let you know who they are immediately though the slogan, “The World’s Most Comfortable Underwear” and they, just like Patagonia, welcome you to their world in the first sentence. Their model of telling you what problem they’re solving – giving people better underwear in the world – positions them as an authority who “gets you.” They further position themselves as different and better by saying “Change” a few times and using a conversational tone.

They tell you where to start, give you links on what they think are their best items to entire a click, and finish it up with a special discount and offer, but in doing so they are asking for a monthly commitment. If you have something extra special to offer, or an asset that is very valuable, you can put it behind another subscription tier or ask your audience for something in return when making them an offer. Here, the customer is offered savings, “up to $8 per pair” but only “on subscription plans.”

This is a great way to offer an upsell right away without seeming like you are asking for more money, and the CTA is very non-committal in “Learn More.”

Finally, another guarantee. As we know, people love guarantees in a world of uncertainty. MeUndies states simply that you can get your money back if you don’t like them. Then they have a way to contact them, learn more, and their social media channels.

What could have been better?

This email could be seen as a little sexually suggestive for some audiences, even if it’s not meant to be. They are offering underwear afterall, so people expect to see models in underwear showing the products. But it doesn’t necessarily show that their underwear is for everyone. And the only photos of a female are with a male. These aren’t necessarily bad, and most likely it fits in line with who MeUndies has identified as their audience, but they do risk losing some customers this way. Again, this is why it is so important to know your audience, and to know what they will expect from you.

But overall, it’s a great welcome email.

Habeab Kurdi, Copywriting Coordinator @ GetResponse

Welcome email #15: Casper

Onboarding email from an ecommerce brand, Casper.
Onboarding email from an ecommerce brand, Casper. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

Why it’s so good

The heading is very strong in going with their brand, and for people “dreaming” of better sleep. It really starts off in a great way, with great imagery that fits the tone. They welcome you into their community and make you feel comfortable, with a lighthearted joke about sleep as well. The CTA fits the brand as well.

Casper tells you what you’ll get immediately, and without using a lot of visuals the email is still visually striking in the blocks of color going from dark to a lighter yellow, then cascading into a light then dark blue. You can tell the difference in each section, and it’s visually pleasing and appealing.

Their special offers come in “first to know” as well as “early access”. Plus, they let you know you can get tips on sleeping better as well in their newsletter, plus free shipping. Then they give you that first tip to demonstrate what they mean. Lastly, they give you a discount of 20% with a CTA and offering a “bundle”, which means the brand is attempting to sell more and upsell the customer with a great package and offer.

Lastly, social channels and contact info. A truly solid welcome email example.

What could have been better?

They never actually state they primarily sell mattresses. The word mattress does not appear in the message. While they show who they are and talk about sleep, they are relying on the customer to 100% know who they are. A simple mention of mattress or something to that affect would help.

Habeab Kurdi, Copywriting Coordinator @ GetResponse

Welcome email templates

You can choose to create a custom welcome email from scratch. However, this can be extremely challenging if you have no design knowledge. Plus, why go through such a tedious task of constantly creating new welcome emails? 

You can use welcome email templates and still run effective email marketing campaigns. Heck, you could even use an AI email generator to have a custom-made template built just for you.

Here are a few great free welcome email templates from the GetResponse library.

1. The short and sweet “Wonderland” template

Remember, we featured some great short emails that keep readers engaged to the end. Well, you can create one with the help of our Welcome to Wonderland template.

Wonderland welcome email template in GetResponse
Wonderland welcome email template in GetResponse

Such a template is great for a warm greeting, an introduction to your brand, and a few of the things your new subscribers can expect from you.

2. The product-focused “chocoholics” template

At this point, you already know that a welcome email provides an excellent opportunity to advertise your various product offerings. So, if you want to create an email that focuses on your products or services, this warm welcome template is ideal.

Chocoholics welcome email template from GetResponse
Chocoholics welcome email template from GetResponse

The sectioned email design breaks what would otherwise be monotonous blocks of text. This boosts the email copy’s readability. The template also includes CTA buttons in each section, which you can link to the specific product pages on your website.

3. Text-only template

You can also opt for a simple, short text-only template. This means you’ll have no other images apart from your logo.

Text-only welcome email template in GetResponse
Text-only welcome email template in GetResponse

If you go for a text-only email, ensure you don’t overcrowd your email or use overly long sentences. Make the copy skimmable. 

There are many more templates where these came from. Just check out our library of over 150 email templates.

What to include in your welcome email

There are many ways you could go about creating welcome emails.

Depending on your business (and your goals), you may pack your message with different types of information and visuals. Most companies choose to tell their new subscribers something like this:

  • Welcome, and thanks for signing up. It seems obvious, sure. But showing you appreciate your new subscriber means a lot. You are building a relationship with this reader, after all. You’re building trust and hoping to establish a pattern of them engaging with what you send. Why not start with a thank you?
  • Here’s your free gift. As you may already know, we’re big advocates of offering a “lead magnet” or some other kind of sign-up incentive (here’s a useful list of lead magnet ideas). It gets subscribers but also immediately sets your new subscribers up to expect good things from you. Your welcome email can be the delivery mechanism for that signup incentive.
  • Here’s our best content. Pointing people to a welcome guide is the best at this stage. But if you don’t have that, just point them to a few “top of the funnel” types of content. For instance, send them a list of your three or four all-time most popular blog posts.
  • What do you want to know? I’m seeing more and more surveys in emails these days. Some days, 2 to 3 of them show up. It’s good to see. Surveys are one of the best ways to find out what content your readers want, but it can be quite tricky to get them to tell you. 

Leverage the good feelings and high engagement rates of your welcome email to get this information upfront.

  • Whitelisting instructions. Struggling with deliverability issues? Consider adding whitelist or “safe sender” instructions to your welcome email. Adding an image or even an animated gif to explain how to whitelist your emails is even more effective.
  • Offer something for sale. As mentioned before, your new subscriber’s enthusiasm for your work is high when they first sign up. Why not take that opportunity to sell them something? Even a $7 introductory ebook could work. Actually, it might be exactly the kind of content they want at this stage. Add a coupon code to your emails to encourage more purchases.

Welcome email best practices

I mentioned in the opening that welcome emails work because of their timing. They must be sent as soon as your new subscriber has finished the opt-in process. Don’t “batch” them to arrive a few days or even hours later. You’ll hurt your results. 

Besides that, here are some additional best practices by Habeab Kurdi that’ll help you make a long-lasting impression on your new subscribers & customers:

1. Thank them

Let them know how much you value their time and appreciate their investment in you and your business.

2. Set the tone

When anyone opens an email, they have expectations – consciously and subconsciously. So, let your readers know what to expect, what type of content they’ll get from you, how often you’ll send messages, and establish yourself as trustworthy and friendly.

3. Introduce yourself

You know what happens when you assume… so don’t assume anyone receiving the message knows all about you already. Give them a quick rundown of you and your brand. (Unless you are Nike, then they know who you are. But we’re guessing you’re not Nike. If you are, though, awesome, thanks for reading our tips!) Encourage a little dialogue, even by asking a question or asking for feedback.

4. Make them feel special

This is where you present an offer, a discount, a limited-time item, something that makes them feel like the action they’ll take is all worth their time. Whether it’s checking their email, opening this email, or reading this message. Everyone values their time, and everyone loves a great offer. Give them that tingly feeling.

5. Be helpful, be a resource

Give them some quick resources and/or content with some links to your blog, ebook, guides, videos, or any materials that would be cool, engaging, and helpful for your audience. It just needs to present value to the reader. This also allows you to get clicks through to your website and get your new customers exploring other sides of you and your brand.

6. Have a goal

Given the high click-through rate for welcome emails and their potential reach and impact, setting a goal to take advantage of this unique situation is crucial. 

Take advantage of having your audience’s attention and share some of your USPs, such as free shipping, free returns, CSR, and even your favorite/most important links they wouldn’t necessarily know about.

7. Network

Of course, let them know where you’re posting your great videos, special releases, and offers. Include clickable links to your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or wherever you’re networking, get them in that network too!

8. Adios! Pa! Au revoir! Bye-bye for now

Finally, sign off with your contact info, the place for customers to direct questions or even introduce the rest of your team (or some of them if you’re a larger business). Put a face (or faces) to the brand and make it personal.

9. One more…automate

You can create automated welcome emails triggered when a new email subscriber performs a certain action, such as registering or filling out that form on your site. That’s how those emails land in your inbox so quickly. Even better, automating lets you personalize the message. It’s true!

Use the customer data provided, and customize your greeting to welcome them by name. An automated message can automatically fill in their first name for you and send it. You don’t have to check for new signups and then manually hit send. It’s all done for you!

These are just some of the few best practices to help you run successful email campaigns. The video below will offer more depth on how to make the most of your welcome emails.

It is an especially great guide for beginner email marketers looking to use welcome emails to boost their click-through rates and general customer engagement. 

Welcome email subject line ideas

Finally, let’s have a look at the welcome email subject lines.

Here’s what Habeab Kurdi suggests:

The most common subject lines don’t necessarily catch someone’ attention, but they’re common for a reason – they usually work. “Thank you for subscribing/signing up/registering” along with “Welcome to [brand name]” are the most common, but they tell the reader what this message is without much thought.

We’ve found that subject lines between 90 and 140 characters perform the best and are opened most often. More and more, subject lines are trending toward being even shorter than that – especially with the prominence of checking email on a smartphone or smaller device. We also found that some of the highest click-through rates actually came with subject lines that were between 220-249 characters. That could be because of brand’s using longer subject lines having more familiarity or comfortability with their audience, too. You can use a tool like Lettercount.com to easily check your subject line character count.

It’s more about the content of the message rather than the length though, so don’t get too bogged down there. Remember the old idiom (updated by us): KISS, which means Keep It Simple Silly.

Furthermore, a current dilemma facing marketers and brands is the use of emojis. While we found about 23% of messages used emojis, they were opened at a rate of 26.42% compared to messages with no emoji in the subject line (28.26%). Though they are a great way to help tell the story, make sure you don’t just use one to use one, because more and more nowadays, people are viewing emojis as sometimes unprofessional, inappropriate, or as trying too hard.

Here’s what to keep in mind when using emoji:

  • Use the emoji that make sense for your email
  • Don’t go overboard
  • Run an A/B test to check your results

Though they are a great way to help tell the story, make sure you don’t overuse them or use one for the sake of it. Doing this may come across as unprofessional or trying too hard.

Here are some welcome email subject line ideas:

  • Welcome to the club!
  • Welcome to the world of [brand name]
  • Welcome to the family!
  • Welcome to [brand name] Ready for 20% off (or another offer)
  • Welcome! We’re glad to have you on board
  • Welcome to [brand name] – ready for your special offer?
  • Welcome! Here’s 15% off to get you started
  • Thanks for signing up! We’re glad you’re here
  • Thanks! How about a free gift?
  • Here’s our best content
  • All you need to know about [brand name]
  • Take X% off your first order
  • Building a better X
  • We’re here for you!

Saying something like “Welcome” to start your message is pretty fail-safe, but it won’t make you stand out (not always a bad thing). Of course, it’s even better if you can make it more about your brand. For instance, the shoe company Allbirds says “Welcome to the Flock” as a play-off of their name. 

Allbirds cleverly opens their email with a "welcome to the flock" greeting that plays off their name
Allbirds cleverly opens their email with a “welcome to the flock” greeting that plays off their name. Source: ReallyGoodEmails

Additionally, try signing up for the newsletters of brands you like, competitors, or ones that you think have great marketing, and see what kind of welcome email you get from them and what type of subject line they use.

👉 Learn how to write better email subject lines with our expert guide.

💡 Not a copywriter? Worry no more. With the GetResponse AI subject line generator, you can get past your writer’s block and launch your email campaigns in minutes instead of hours!

How to create a welcome email in GetResponse

Step 1. Sign up for a free account & log in.

Step 2. Click Autoresponders in the main menu and create Autoresponder. Pick one from our 150+ free email templates or choose the AI Email Generator to create a custom-made message for you.

Welcome email templates in GetResponse.
Welcome email templates in GetResponse

Once created, customize the template to your liking. Tweak the copy, add your branding, and make sure the links point to your website.

Step 3. Click next, specify when the email should go out, and test your email.

Step 4. Click save and publish.

Step 5. Import your list & send your welcome email away!

Make welcome emails part of your email marketing strategy

By now, I’m sure you have a clear understanding of why welcome messages play an important role in any winning email marketing program.

You’ve also learned what information to put in your welcome messages to thank and greet new subscribers and set the right tone for future communication.

Finally, you’ve seen 15 inspiring welcome email examples you can borrow from and some welcome email subject line ideas.

Now, it’s time for you to act.

All you have to do is log into your email marketing platform (if you don’t have one, check out this list of the best email autoresponders), pick a welcome email template, and ensure it sends automatically whenever a new subscriber or a new customer joins your list.

And if you’re still worried you won’t know how to write a welcome email, let our AI email generator help you. Rest assured, you’ll be able to tweak the autogenerated emails to match your tone and style.

Looking for a more effective way to send your email campaigns? Take GetResponse for a spin!


Pam Neely
Pam Neely
Pam Neely has been marketing online for 15 years. She's a serial entrepreneur and an avid email and content marketing enthusiast with a background in publishing and journalism, including a New York Press Award. Her book "50 Ways to Build Your Email Marketing List" is available on Amazon.com. Pam holds a Master's Degree in Direct and Interactive Marketing from New York University. Follow her on Twitter @pamellaneely.