First impressions are powerful, and that’s just as true when you’re marketing your brand as it is when you’re getting dressed for a job interview or getting ready for a first date.
When you send a welcome email to new subscribers, that email is a first impression and a first step in creating a strong customer relationship, so it’s imperative that you get things off on the right foot. A welcome email campaign can start to build credibility and loyalty, showing benefits long past that initial message.
What is a welcome email?
A welcome email is simply the email you send to people when they first subscribe to your email list. These emails are usually brief and straightforward but they serve several purposes:
- Confirming for subscribers that their sign-up was successful
- Giving a warm welcome to new subscribers
- Building on subscribers’ excitement about your business by telling them what they can look forward to from your emails so that they stay engaged with your brand
In these ways, your welcome email will set the tone for your future relationship with this new subscriber, so make it count!
15 examples of great welcome emails
Where do you start when crafting an effective welcome email that sends the right message and nurtures lasting customer loyalty? While every welcome email will be unique because it should be true to your brand, there are plenty of ideas and techniques you can use. We’ve curated 15 stellar examples of welcome emails to inspire your design process.
1. Brand introduction
One approach you can take to your welcome email is to use it to introduce the subscriber to your business. Give them an overview of who you are, why you’re a fantastic partner for them to have, and why they’ll love being a subscriber and customer.
Check out how the grocery chain Sprouts tells new subscribers what makes them special in their welcome email.
Subject line: Hey Hailey, welcome to Sprouts!
This welcome email from Sprouts makes it as easy as possible for you to go shopping. The message gives you a peek inside the store complete with photos and an explanation of symbols used on their signage. For customers who have never shopped at Sprouts before, this welcome email example makes it simple to get started.
Why it works:
- Introduces the brand’s shopping experience and what it has to offer
- Invites readers to engage further with text alerts
- Tells subscribers what to expect from future emails
- Makes the branding prominent by featuring the brand colors
2. Welcome discount
A discount code is a great component to add to your welcome email design. They give subscribers an incentive to shop while also making them feel appreciated as subscribers.
Welcome emails with offers can boost revenue by 30% per email compared to welcome emails without offers. Try sending a simple 10% off discount code, like Le Prunier does here.
Subject line: Welcome to Le Prunier!
Le Prunier uses the 10% discount to thank the reader for subscribing and to prompt them to shop the site, but its welcome email goes beyond this too. It puts its welcome message front and center so subscribers feel like they’ve been warmly embraced and it gives a brief elevator pitch too, introducing subscribers to the brand’s core product.
Why it works:
- Features a simple design that’s easy to understand and doesn’t overload the reader with information
- Gives the subscriber the high points of the core product and its benefits
- Offers enough of a discount to encourage subscribers to shop
3. Product introduction
We’ve already talked about using welcome emails to introduce a subscriber to your business, but you can also take a more detailed approach by offering an overview of your core products. This serves the purpose of not only introducing the subscriber to what you have to offer but also attracting their attention and enticing them to click through and shop.
KIND Snacks does this by showing off some of its most mouthwatering snack bars.
Subject line: Welcome to the KIND family
This welcome email example provides a nice overview of KIND’s products. In a simple single-column layout, KIND lists four of its most popular products, providing a photo, simple description and CTA button for each. At the end of the email, readers also have the option to “Shop All Snacks” via a separate CTA button that leads to the entire store.
Why it works:
- Uses clever puns and relatable messaging to build familiarity with subscribers
- Features high-quality images that are appetizing and appealing
- Offers a discount to give subscribers more of a reason to click on their appetizing featured products
4. Free gift
Customers can unsubscribe from your mailing list just as quickly as they subscribed, so it’s important to keep them engaged from the start. One way to do this is to reassure them that they have made the right choice by welcoming them with a free gift.
Check out how restaurant chain Yard House has used this technique to generate enthusiasm from their subscribers immediately.
Subject line: You’re officially a House Insider!
After giving subscribers a warm welcome, Yard House lays out the perks for subscribers,like inside peaks at new menu items and an updated list of the latest beers on tap, but the main draw is a free appetizer for their next visit.
It’s also important to note that Yard House sends this welcome email as soon as somebody signs up for the company’s newsletter. It’s best not to wait too long to send a welcome email to a customer. When they opt in to your emails, your brand is on their mind — they’re expecting to receive a message. So your welcome email is more likely to be opened and read if you send it right away.
Why it works:
- Features an appealing and on-brand design
- Clearly articulates why the subscriber should be glad they signed up and should continue to subscribe
- Encourages subscribers to visit the restaurant with the special offer of a free appetizer
6. Social proof
Showcasing that other people are using a product is a great way to encourage new customers to sign up because they think, “if that many people use this, they must be enjoying it!” That’s an excellent strategy for a variety of different marketing projects including your welcome email.
Let subscribers know that they’ve now joined a popular club (or could join it by taking the next step and becoming a customer). One brand that does this well in its welcome email is Monday.com.
Subject line: Welcome to monday.com
In this welcome email example from Monday.com, the company includes a user statistic, tapping into the bandwagon effect to get more people to jump on board. To add even more reasons to enjoy the brand’s product, it provides a bulleted list of features, shining a light on the benefits of Monday.com’s services and letting you know how the platform works.
Why it works:
- Speaks to users’ desire to find out why the product is so popular
- Keeps the email short and to the point, serving as a true introduction without overwhelming readers with information
- Encourages ongoing engagement with a clear call-to-action to take subscribers to their accounts and explore the platform’s features
7. Getting to know you
Your welcome email doesn’t just tell subscribers about your brand - it can tell your brand about subscribers too.
When you strategically use your welcome email to ask for more information, you can better serve your new customers. You’ll be able to use that information to segment your emails, sending each subscriber relevant, personalized content they want to read. You can create segments based on geographic location, purchase history, or other information about your customer. It’s all a matter of what you’re able to learn about your subscribers, and your welcome email is an excellent place to start.
Take a look at Purina’s welcome email and how they use this strategy.
Subject line: Bee, welcome to the Purina family
In this welcome email, Purina asks new customers for more information about their pets. The “tell us about your pet” CTA button takes you to a page where you can check off whether you have a dog or cat and input their name, birthday, and size. All of these questions provide Purina with more opportunities to specifically market to individual customers.
Why it works:
- Uses a clear CTA to direct subscribers toward the customer profile
- Maintains a simple design so the CTA doesn’t get lost in the clutter of too much information
- Builds familiarity with the brand by highlighting the brand’s values with the three icons and statements at the bottom
8. Confirmation
A welcome email doesn’t have to be overly detailed and complex. In fact, a simple, straightforward design with plenty of white space will allow your subscribers to take in your core message without being distracted by other information.
One brand that does an excellent job of using strategic white space is Warby Parker:
Subject line: "You're all signed up"
Warby Parker‘s mission is to make shopping for glasses simple, easy, and fun. The company’s welcome email reflects that brand mission with a simple message that’s easy on the eyes—clean and modern-looking with lots of white space—but still exudes a fun energy with the animated graphic right at the top.
Why it works:
- Uses a simple design to keep the core message from becoming choked by clutter
- Creates a positive association with the brand through happy and lighthearted messaging
- Provides a CTA that invites subscribers to start shopping
- Uses a GIF to engage readers and stand out
9. Community oriented
Your welcome email is an introduction to your brand, so it’s an excellent place to let subscribers know where they can learn more about you.
When you feature your social media pages in your welcome email and link to them for an easy user experience, you encourage the subscriber to become more invested in your brand and be part of your community. Check out how Rolling Stone does this
Subject line: "Thank you for signing up for the Rolling Stone Newsletter!"
Rolling Stone doesn’t inundate subscribers with content right away. Instead, the magazine’s message is simple: “Thank you.” It confirms for subscribers that the newsletter will be on its way, and in the meantime lets them know where to connect with Rolling Stone on social media.
Why it works:
- Simplistic design keeps the focus on welcoming subscribers and highlighting the brand’s social media pages
- Social media icons are recognizable but still within the brand’s color scheme, keeping them consistent with the brand’s image
- Let subscribers know what they can look forward to in the newsletter
11.Value oriented
When a customer subscribes to your mailing list, you get a more engaged customer who will see your brand routinely and will be more likely to buy frequently and become a loyal long-term customer. But what does the subscriber get?
You can answer that question in your welcome email by listing out the perks and the value the subscriber is getting. This encourages them to not only stay subscribed but to open your emails when they come in.
Check out how Lord & Taylor does this:
Why it works:
- Articulates subscriber perks clearly and cleanly
- Features on-brand styling and imagery
- Grabs attention with a banner announcing free shipping
12. Exclusive access
Everyone wants to feel special and feel like they’re part of something unique. You can give subscribers that validation in your welcome email by making them feel like they’ve joined an exclusive club.
Whether or not your subscriber list or your rewards club actually is exclusive or limited, you can use messaging and imagery that makes subscribers feel like elite insiders.
Take Bumble and Bumble’s welcome email for example:
Subject line: "You Made The List"
The “you made the list” headline immediately makes subscribers feel wanted and included. Bumble and Bumble continue in that vein by showcasing the perks of being part of the club, like exclusive offers and backstage access. Subscribers feel more like a part of the community and more invested as a result.
Why it works:
- Positions mailing list as elite and desirable so subscribers want to stay on the list
- Uses imagery from the backstage of a fashion show to enhance the idea that the subscriber is now an insider
- Guides subscribers toward the next step of shopping or visiting a salon with an online discount code and an easy way to find the nearest salon
15. Limited time deal
So much of marketing can be described as capitalizing on opportunities when they arise, and your welcome email is an excellent opportunity.
The subscriber is already engaged enough to sign up so you know they’re interested in your brand, making this the perfect time to offer a discount to encourage them to shop. But you can take advantage of this opportunity even more by creating a sense of urgency for that discount.
A limited-time discount makes customers want to shop and save right away because, if it slips their minds later, they might miss out on the savings altogether.
Check out how West Elm uses this strategy in their welcome email:
West Elm truly motivates readers to jump over to their site and get shopping: they offer a coupon right at the top and a noticeable alert that the discount is only valid for one week. They also make it easy to take advantage of the deal by including a simple, clickable menu reflecting the offerings of their site (furniture, bedding, etc.). By using gorgeous photography and keeping the email simple and full of links, readers almost can’t help but wander right over to its website.
Why it works:
- The combination of a discount code and a very obvious time limit on that code prompts subscribers to shop now
- Beautiful and inviting photography is visually appealing and makes subscribers envision how the brand’s products could give their homes a similar look
- The email design is simple and straightforward, with enough detail to catch subscribers’ eyes but not so much to lose sight of the message and CTA
Welcome email best practices
The examples above are all effective welcome emails but they each use their own strategies and designs to make subscribers feel included, encourage sales and conversions, and nurture long-term subscriber relationships.
Any of these designs can inspire your welcome email development, but your design isn’t the only factor in your emails’ success. Use these tips and takeaways to make your welcome emails even more effective:
Put thought into your subject line:
Your subject line should be appealing and eye-catching but it should also make the intention of the email clear. Try customizing subject lines like these:
- Welcome to ! Here’s a little treat.
- You’re in! Welcome to the club.
- Thanks for subscribing! Here’s 10% off to show our appreciation.
Simple is best:
You want your welcome email to go out as soon as possible after a customer subscribes - ideally, you should set up automation that triggers the welcome email immediately when a new customer subscribes. This will capitalize on the subscriber’s engagement with and interest in your brand at that moment.
Consider a series:
You could start with an immediate email that confirms the customer’s subscription and gives them a discount code to shop. A day or two later, you could follow it with a more thorough introduction to your brand or the features of your site, and another follow-up email could encourage further interaction by highlighting your social media pages and other ways to engage with your brand.
Personalization is king:
For example, you might have one design for the core of your welcome email but you can add personalized product recommendations or content recommendations at the bottom based on what the subscriber has viewed on your site.
This both prompts the subscriber to shop and also makes the email feel more relevant to them.
These tips and best practices can help you take your welcome email from a simple subscription confirmation to an excellent tool for strengthening your customer base.
Create welcome emails easily with a template
Now that you have all the secrets to creating an effective welcome email, let’s get to work! When you use the right tools, it’s simpler than you think. With the Beefree email editor, welcome email design is made easy.
Our HTML email editor allows you to either create your own welcome email from scratch (with no HTML knowledge needed) or to start with one of our skillfully crafted templates.
Find one of our welcome email templates that works for you.
Editor’s Note: This post was updated on December 2024 to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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