Their framework has five rules for welcome emails:
- Extend a warm welcome. Greet customers by their first name and show genuine enthusiasm that they’ve signed up.
- Introduce yourself – don’t forget to show the real person behind your product.
- Build a connection from the start and show you’re keen to help.
- Provide the most impactful next steps for them to take.
- Answer the three most common questions customers have on the first day.
The first three points definitely also apply to editorial newsletters. And while the latter two are mostly designed to start selling a product or service, they are certainly good to keep in mind.
In fact,
Cory Brown, who helps newsrooms develop email, has written a great
article with three very similar keys for welcome emails for editorial newsletters.
1. Be human: Nobody likes being treated as a nameless, faceless record in a database.
2. Put the reader first: Each new subscriber gave you their email address. They probably also gave you their name. Show them they can trust you with that information.
3. Keep it brief: Don’t overwhelm your new subscriber. Hold a little back. Don’t be pushy. Allow your new subscriber time to get to know you.
