From Subscriber to Superfan – The 3-Step Email Welcome Sequence That Boosts Engagement
It’s easy to think if someone has clicked the “Subscribe” button that you have been successful. However, your new subscriber is simply sitting at the edge of your blog. They might have shown interest, but they are not yet committed. Plus, they are almost certainly still receiving emails from plenty of other blogs.
The automated welcome sequence you use isn’t just a nicety. Essentially, it is the most important set of emails you will ever send. It determines whether someone will become a lurker, or an active participant who clicks, buys and comments. Let’s take a look at three essential emails you need that can help you turn this around.
The instant gratification & setup (sent immediately)
There is only one job this email needs to fill and that is delivering the goods and building trust.
The email should begin with a friendly welcome, something which affirms their decision to sign up. This should be followed by the freebie or lead magnet. This is the content you promised immediately. It might be an e-book, a checklist or something else. Use a big bright button that they cannot miss.
Next, it is very important that you manage their expectations and prevent any spam complaints. Make it clear how often they might expect to hear from you. As a crucial PS you should ask them to “whitelist” you. This relationship is one that starts immediately. When you immediately deliver value, it ensures future emails will be well received.
The core philosophy & quick win (sent 24-48 hours later)
Once you have delivered the freebie, you need to define your value and show them that a quick win is achievable with your help.
Consider why your blog exists? What are you looking to solve? Define your why to show the purpose of your blog. Whilst you may think the best choice in this email is to send people to your most recent post, It isn’t. Instead point them in the direction of your most helpful, popular and relevant post. This should be a foundational piece of content.
End your email with an easy non-committal question. This will get people used to replying to you. What you are aiming for with this email is proving your content works and training people to open and reply to your emails.
The community & next steps (sent 3-4 days later)
This is a transition email, moving them from the “Welcome” series into your regular broadcast sequence, and also introducing the next level of connection.
Now they have had a quick win you need to show the complete process. This means directing your audience to foundational resources such as category archives, resource pages etc. This is how you introduce your main content hubs. It is also the time to introduce your community (Facebook, Instagram) if you have them.
You should also now consider a first, gentle, mention of your paid service or product, this should not however be a hard sell. It can however be framed as the solution to a pain point that you mentioned in email 2. Make sure that you clarify your position of authority and introduce your business model.
