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2026-01-01
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<p>Email marketing yields a 122% ROI on average. Within that, welcome email automations earn 4x the click rate and 23x the conversion rate of regular marketing emails.</p>
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<p>Welcome emails are one of the most effective strategies for building strong customer relationships and driving immediate revenue.</p>
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<p>In today’s volatile economic climate, investing in email marketing-and specifically a welcome email flow-is a smart move.</p>
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<p>A welcome email series is your first impression with new subscribers, and it sets the tone for someone’s customer journey with your brand.</p>
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<p><strong><em>Table of contents</em></strong>:</p>
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<p>Most important, welcome emails drive higher engagement than average flows and campaigns. According to<a>Klaviyo’s 2025 email benchmarks report</a>, they boast an average open rate of 51%, while top-performing welcome emails earn click rates of 15% and placed order rates of nearly 10%.</p>
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<ul><li><a>What is a welcome email flow?</a></li>
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<p>Welcome emails are also one of your first opportunities to personalize your brand experience-which, according to<a>Klaviyo’s 2025 future of consumer marketing report</a>, 74% of consumers have now come to expect.</p>
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<li><a>The 4 main types of welcome email</a></li>
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<p>In today’s volatile economic climate, investing in email marketing-and specifically a welcome email series-is a smart move.</p>
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<li><a>6 elements of a successful welcome email</a></li>
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<h2>What is a welcome email series?</h2>
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<li><a>How to build a welcome email flow</a></li>
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<p>A welcome email series is a sequence of automated emails sent to new subscribers after they<a>sign up to join your list</a>. Welcome emails introduce people to your brand after they’ve signaled interest, making them a great opportunity to establish credibility, build trust, introduce products, and gather more information on subscribers.</p>
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<li><a>How to automate your welcome emails</a></li>
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<p>Alexa Maltzer, vice president of client strategy at<a>Power Digital Marketing</a>, advises brands not to underestimate the conversion power of an effective welcome email series. “Don’t be afraid to be aggressive,” she says.</p>
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<li><a>How to enhance your welcome email flow with data</a></li>
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<p>“We’ve found that most people make a purchase within 10 days of subscribing to a mailing list,” Maltzer explains. “Make sure you have emails sending throughout that 10-day window when people are most likely to purchase.”</p>
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<li><a>Welcome email FAQs</a></li>
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<p>During your welcome series period, focus on sending emails that:</p>
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</ul><h2>What is a welcome email flow?</h2>
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<p>A welcome email flow or series is a sequence of automated emails sent to new subscribers after they sign up to join your list. Welcome emails introduce people to your brand after they’ve signalled interest and are a great opportunity to establish credibility and build trust, introduce products, and gather more information on subscribers.</p>
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<p>Alexa Engelhart, vice president of client strategy at<a>Power Digital Marketing</a>, advises brands not to underestimate the conversion power of an effective welcome email flow. “Don’t be afraid to be aggressive,” she says.</p>
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<p>“We’ve found that most people make a purchase within 10 days of subscribing to a mailing list,” Engelhart explains. “Make sure you have emails sending throughout that 10-day window when people are most likely to purchase.”</p>
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<p>During your welcome flow period, focus on sending emails that:</p>
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<ul><li>Establish subject matter credibility and authority.</li>
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<ul><li>Establish subject matter credibility and authority.</li>
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<li>Introduce products.</li>
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<li>Introduce products.</li>
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<li>Gather subscriber preferences.</li>
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<li>Gather subscriber preferences.</li>
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<li>Encourage conversion with special offers, coupons, and discount codes.</li>
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<li>Encourage conversion with special offers, coupons, and discount codes.</li>
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</ul><h2>The 4 main types of welcome email</h2>
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</ul><h3>Why create a welcome email series?</h3>
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<p>There’s no universal “right answer” to the type of welcome email series you should send. There’s only the right answer for your audience, which you’ll<a>figure out through A/B testing</a>and<a>talking to your customers</a>.</p>
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<p>A strong welcome series should make it easier for your brand to:</p>
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<p>But if you need some inspiration, here are the 4 most common types of welcome emails:</p>
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<ul><li>Set clear expectations about the frequency and value of subsequent emails-which establishes trust.</li>
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<h3>1. The educational welcome email</h3>
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<li>Gather valuable feedback and customer data to help your brand further personalize content and offers for each subscriber.</li>
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<p>A welcome email is an opportunity to educate a captive audience about your products and their value. While many brands use their welcome series as a chance to tell their brand story, proceed with caution. Subscribers are thinking, “What’s in it for me?” Before talking about yourself, you need to answer this question.</p>
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<li>Educate new subscribers in your category about products that may require more research before buying.</li>
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<p>Lindsey Arellano, director of email and SMS at<a>Curio</a>, thinks of it like this: “Brands could provide valuable content like exclusive tips or access to a helpful resource. Providing value can help establish the brand as an authority in their field and make subscribers more likely to engage with future emails.”</p>
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<li>See immediate revenue after someone has expressed fresh excitement about your brand.</li>
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<p>Health and nutrition brand<a>Primal Kitchen</a>does a great job straddling the line between brand story and customer value in this ecommerce welcome flow example. Their mission statement-“change the way the world eats”-is supported by what provides value to their customers: “real ingredients with integrity.”</p>
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</ul><h3>What is the purpose of a welcome email series?</h3>
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<h3>2. The offer welcome email</h3>
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<p>The ultimate purpose of a welcome email series is to drive engagement and even conversions from the moment someone joins your list. By proactively encouraging subscribers to take specific actions-such as making a purchase,<a>signing up for SMS updates</a>, or engaging with social media channels-you can turn a passive subscriber into an active, engaged customer.</p>
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<p>The first rule of welcome email flows is to send any offer you promised in exchange for a sign-up. This is how you build a foundation of trust with subscribers from the start.</p>
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<p>When you combine trust-building content with clear, actionable steps, your welcome email series becomes an essential tool for fostering long-term customer loyalty while driving immediate business outcomes.</p>
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<p>If you don’t want to lead with a discount, that’s OK-your cost economics may not allow for it. But Christopher Maroney-Petitt, owner of<a>Ecom Growers</a>, recommends some experimentation with offers for “non-converters” further along in your welcome series, after you’ve already sent educational, tutorial-type emails.</p>
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<h2>6 universal components of a great welcome email series</h2>
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<p>“The best tactic I’ve implemented,” he says, “is an upgraded offer somewhere down in the welcome series flow. You do this if someone hasn’t converted already. That upgraded offer can be a better discount, free gift, giveaway entry, etc. If your other emails do a good job on educating, this upgrade will convert.”</p>
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<p>A lot goes into a great welcome email series.<a>Kevin Orbach</a>, CEO of a marketing agency with the same name, sums it up best: “Create a desired action. Nobody wants to get the introduction experience again. It’s critical to think about the customer journey as an event in a series. Include an activity, an engagement opportunity-something, anything, for the customer to continue to interact with.”</p>
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<p>If you want a point of reference for this type of welcome message, look no further than sneaker retailer<a>Atoms</a>.</p>
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<p>Here, we break down the components that create this interaction, from your subject line to an enticing offer you can send to new subscribers:</p>
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<p>This email, sent to subscribers who haven’t converted yet, is minimal, conversational, and something that feels like it’s coming from a friend rather than a brand. Send this type of email<em>after</em>you’ve educated subscribers with product-focused content.</p>
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<h3>3. The product-focussed welcome email</h3>
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<p>Similar to an educational email, a product-focussed email is a great way to make sure your audience knows about your brand value from the start. Your welcome series is your chance to make a good first impression, so focus on your bestsellers or use the opportunity to introduce new products.</p>
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<p>For example,<a>Brightland’s</a>welcome email is divided into sections that discuss the ingredients that make each product stand out:</p>
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<h3>4. The information-gathering welcome email</h3>
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<p>This type of welcome email is often overlooked, but it’s important for sending more relevant emails in the long run. To give yourself the best opportunity for building long-lasting relationships with your subscribers, find out what they like and how often they want to hear from you.</p>
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<p>Fishing brand<a>Mystery Tackle Box</a>gathers this information right away with their sign-up form, but you can also use a double opt-in email to accomplish the same thing (more on this later).</p>
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<p>Here, Mystery Tackle Box promises to send subscribers “the email [they] want and nothing more,” asking whether they’re interested in the newsletter, promotions, or product updates. They also provide a lot of frequency options, so subscribers can control how often they receive emails.</p>
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<h2>6 elements of a successful welcome email</h2>
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<p>A lot goes into a great welcome email flow.<a>Kevin Orbach</a>, CEO of a marketing agency with the same name, sums it up best: “Create a desired action. Nobody wants to get the introduction experience again. It’s critical to think about the customer journey as an event in a series. Include an activity, an engagement opportunity-something, anything, for the customer to continue to interact with.”</p>
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<p>Here, we break down the components that create this interaction, from your subject line to an enticing offer you can send to new users:</p>
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<h3>1. An intriguing subject line</h3>
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<h3>1. An intriguing subject line</h3>
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<p><a>According to OptinMonster</a>, 47% of email recipients decide to open an email based on its subject line. So it’s something you need to get right-and it’s both an art and a science.</p>
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<p>To understand what makes a<a>great email subject line</a>, Klaviyo’s business intelligence team scoured through some of the top-performing email subject line examples from our customers. Here’s a rundown of the tactics we found work the best:</p>
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<p>To understand what makes a<a>great subject line</a>, Klaviyo’s business intelligence team studied more than 630K email marketing campaigns in 2022. Here’s a rundown of what we found works the best:</p>
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<ul><li><strong>Personalize your subject lines.</strong>Using a first name won’t do much for open rates. An offer tailored to acquisition channel, however, just might.</li>
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<ol><li><strong>Use the recipient’s first name in the subject line.</strong>Email campaigns with the recipient’s name in the subject line have an 8.92% average open rate, compared to a 8.64% open rate for subject lines without a name.</li>
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<li><strong>Keep it clear and brief.</strong>Standard subject line length across all business sizes is about 7 words long (including emojis).</li>
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<li><strong>Keep it clear and brief.</strong>Standard subject line length across all business sizes is about 7 words long (including emojis), or 36 characters.</li>
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<li><strong>Evoke curiosity.</strong>Experiment with teaser-style subject lines that encourage people to open your email just to find out what’s inside.</li>
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<li><strong>Evoke curiosity.</strong>Experiment with teaser-style subject lines that encourage people to open your email just to find out what’s inside.</li>
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<li><strong>Use emojis sparingly.</strong>Subject lines with emojis perform slightly<em>worse</em>than those without them. Emojis in subject lines are also popular, so you may not be standing out as much as you think.</li>
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<li><strong>Use emojis sparingly.</strong>Emojis in subject lines are popular, so you may not be standing out as much as you think. Use emojis to amplify the message, not replace words.</li>
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<li><strong>Use preview text.</strong>Preview text is additional text that appears under your subject line. It’s important for providing more context, so don’t waste the real estate-put some thought into how your preview text expands on your subject line.</li>
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<li><strong>Use preview text.</strong>Preview text is additional text that appears under your subject line. It’s important for providing more context, so don’t waste the real estate-put some thought into how your preview text expands on your subject line.</li>
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</ol><h3>2. On-brand email copy</h3>
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</ul><h3>2. On-brand email copy</h3>
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<p>Your email copy is only as compelling as the perks you’re offering the subscriber, whether that means an actual discount or product benefits. If you can answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” for the reader, your email is well on its way to generating ROI.</p>
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<p>Your welcome email copy is only as compelling as the perks you’re offering the subscriber, whether that means an actual discount or product benefits. If you can answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” for the reader, your email is well on its way to generating ROI.</p>
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<p>“Great copy” for a welcome flow means:</p>
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<p>“Great copy” for a welcome series means:</p>
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<ul><li>Describing the value of your products in a compelling way</li>
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<ul><li>Describing the value of your products in a compelling way</li>
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<li>Offering something to the recipient in exchange for subscribing</li>
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<li>Offering something to the recipient in exchange for subscribing</li>
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<li>Using social proof to build credibility and trust</li>
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<li>Using social proof to build credibility and trust</li>
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</ul><p>For example, cookware brand<a>Our Place</a>builds a compelling referral engine into their welcome series.</p>
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</ul><p>Cookware brand<a>Our Place</a>, for example, builds a compelling referral engine into their welcome series. When subscribers tell a friend about the brand, they get $20 off their next purchase-and their recommendation note to that friend acts as social proof in the email the friend receives. This referral-offer system is what makes the copy so enticing in the first place.</p>
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<p>When subscribers tell a friend about the brand, they get $20 off their next purchase-and their recommendation note to that friend acts as social proof in the email the friend receives. This referral-offer system is what makes the copy so enticing in the first place.</p>
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<p>Source: Our Place</p>
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<p>If you want to talk about your brand in your email copy, Morgan Mulloy, associate director of<a>retention marketing</a>at<a>Avex Designs</a>, advises balance.</p>
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<p>Source:<a>Really Good Emails</a></p>
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<p>If you want to talk about your brand in your email copy, Morgan Mulloy, strategic account director at<a>Avex Designs</a>, advises balance.</p>
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<p>“You want to highlight your brand and the ethos behind it,” she says, “but you don’t want to provide a lengthy biography that most won’t engage with. Bite-size information that will speak to your brand will be extremely effective.”</p>
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<p>“You want to highlight your brand and the ethos behind it,” she says, “but you don’t want to provide a lengthy biography that most won’t engage with. Bite-size information that will speak to your brand will be extremely effective.”</p>
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<h3>3. Snazzy welcome email design and video assets</h3>
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<h3>3. Snazzy welcome email design and video assets</h3>
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<p>Your<a>email design</a>depends on your goals. If your goal is to showcase your products and give readers a lot of choice, you need an image-heavy design with beautiful product shots to compel people to click. Your email may look something like this:</p>
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<p>Your welcome<a>email design</a>should depend on your goals. If your goal is to showcase your products and give readers a lot of choice, you need an image-heavy design with beautiful product shots to compel people to click. Your email may look something like this one from natural wellness brand<a>Saje</a>:</p>
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<p>One thing to consider: adding video elements to your emails. According to<a>Think with Google</a>, more than half of shoppers say online videos help them decide which brand or product to buy.</p>
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<p>Source:<a>Really Good Emails</a></p>
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<p><a>Made In Cookware</a>, for example, uses cooking videos-everyone’s favourite-to demonstrate the value of their products in their welcome series. When subscribers click into the video, they learn how to pan roast lamb from a high-end chef-but they also learn how to do it specifically with a Made In sauté pan. It’s a subtle product demo that doesn’t feel like one.</p>
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<p>One design element to consider:<a>adding video elements to your emails</a>.<a>Made In Cookware</a>, for example, uses cooking videos-everyone’s favorite-to demonstrate the value of their products in their welcome series. When subscribers click into the video, they learn how to pan roast lamb from a high-end chef-but they also learn how to do it specifically with a Made In sauté pan. It’s a subtle product demo that doesn’t feel like one.</p>
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<p>Source:<a>Really Good Emails</a></p>
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<h3>4. Convincing CTAs</h3>
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<h3>4. Convincing CTAs</h3>
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<p>Some of the best welcome email examples are the ones that inspire action. The action doesn’t need to focus on a purchase, although it can-and, at some point in your welcome series, it should. But a<a>call to action (CTA) in an email</a>can also prompt people to:</p>
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<p>Some of the best welcome email examples are the ones that inspire action. The action doesn’t need to focus on a purchase, although it can-and, at some point in your welcome series, it should. But a call to action (CTA) in an email can also prompt people to:</p>
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<ul><li>Take a quiz.</li>
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<ul><li>Take a quiz.</li>
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<li>Explore your products.</li>
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<li>Explore your products.</li>
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<li>Initiate a download.</li>
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<li>Initiate a download.</li>
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<li>Participate in a survey.</li>
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<li>Participate in a survey.</li>
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</ul><p>And remember: Don’t be afraid to place the CTA front and centre. Check out how<a>Charlotte Stone Shoes</a>places its CTA button in the header of their welcome email, with copy that’s impossible to ignore: “Shop.”</p>
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</ul><p>And remember: don’t be afraid to place the CTA front and center. Check out how fragrance brand<a>Phlur</a>places its CTA button in the header of their welcome email, with copy that’s impossible to ignore: “Shop Now.”</p>
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<p>Source:<a>Really Good Emails</a></p>
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<h3>5. A clear value proposition</h3>
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<h3>5. A clear value proposition</h3>
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<p>Your value proposition is the primary benefit your new customers enjoy when they’ve purchased one of your products. It’s the short and snappy answer to, “What’s in it for me?”</p>
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<p>Your value proposition is the primary benefit your new customers enjoy when they’ve purchased one of your products. It’s the short and snappy answer to, “What’s in it for me?”</p>
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<p>When someone subscribes to your list, they’ve participated in an exchange with your brand. They’ve done their part in handing over their email address, and now it’s time for you to do yours.</p>
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<p>When someone subscribes to your list, they’ve participated in an exchange with your brand. They’ve done their part in handing over their email address, and now it’s time for you to do yours.</p>
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<p><a>Oru Kayak</a>fulfils their end of the bargain in their welcome email. The header copy, “Explore like never before,” is supported by a peaceful product image of their “beautiful origami kayaks designed for anything and anywhere.” The clear CTA, “Float On,” ties it all together to create a clear<em>image</em>of their value proposition.</p>
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<p><a>Oru Kayak</a>fulfills their end of the bargain in their welcome email. The header copy, “Explore like never before,” is supported by a peaceful product image of their “beautiful origami kayaks designed for anything and anywhere.” The clear CTA, “Float On,” ties it all together to create a clear<em>image</em>of their value proposition.</p>
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<p>Source:<a>Really Good Emails</a></p>
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<h3>6. Special offers</h3>
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<h3>6. Special offers</h3>
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<p>Special offers in welcome emails convert well. But that doesn’t mean you’re bound to the discount.</p>
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<p>Special offers in welcome emails convert well. But that doesn’t mean you’re bound to the discount.</p>
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<p>Ben Zettler, founder of<a>Ben Zettler Digital</a>, advises testing your offer first. “The ‘tried and true’ XYZ% off doesn’t have to be the way just because everyone else is doing it. Have you tried testing a gift with purchase? Or dollars off vs. a percentage off?”</p>
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<p>Ben Zettler, founder of<a>Ben Zettler Digital</a>, advises testing your offer first. “The ‘tried and true’ XYZ% off doesn’t have to be the way just because everyone else is doing it. Have you tried testing a gift with purchase? Or dollars off vs. a percentage off?”</p>
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<p>Zettler also recommends experimenting with the structure and flow of your welcome series offer in these 3 ways:</p>
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<p>Zettler also recommends experimenting with the structure and flow of your welcome series offer in these 3 ways:</p>
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<ol><li>Use<a>single-use discount codes generated in Klaviyo</a>that are personalised to each recipient. Conversion rates are higher when an offer is specific to one person.</li>
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<ol><li>Use<a>single-use discount codes generated in Klaviyo</a>that are personalized to each recipient. Conversion rates are higher when an offer is specific to one person.</li>
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<li>Set a deadline for your incentive. Zettler recommends sending 3 messages that convey urgency over the course of 7 days.</li>
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<li>Set a deadline for your incentive. Zettler recommends sending 3 messages that convey urgency over the course of 7 days.</li>
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<li>Offer a discount upgrade or extension for one day only for people who haven’t converted by the end of the week. Zettler recommends a “letter from the founder” as a way to make the last-ditch effort feel special.</li>
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<li>Offer a discount upgrade or extension for one day only for people who haven’t converted by the end of the week. Zettler recommends a “letter from the founder” as a way to make the last-ditch effort feel special.</li>
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</ol><h2><strong>How to build a welcome email flow</strong></h2>
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</ol><h2>What are the 4 types of welcome emails?</h2>
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<p>Now that you know the content components of a solid welcome email flow, here’s what you should know about volume, timing, and structure:</p>
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<p>There’s no universal “right answer” to the type of welcome email series you should send. There’s only the right answer for your audience, which you’ll<a>figure out through A/B testing</a>and talking to your customers.</p>
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<h3>Optimise your email volume</h3>
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<p>But if you need some inspiration, here are the 4 most common types of welcome emails:</p>
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<p>There’s no one-size-fits-all for the amount of welcome emails in your series. But Ryan O’Connor, director of growth at<a>SmartBug Media</a>, likes to operate with this rule of thumb: “Send enough welcome emails to cover your average purchase cycle. If it takes customers, on average, 20 days from discovery to purchase-like for higher-priced products-a welcome series should reflect that to avoid losing sales.”</p>
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<h3>1. The educational welcome email</h3>
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<p>Remember, your welcome flow should fulfil two goals: educate people about your brand and nudge them toward a purchase. If your products require more education and sell for a higher price, send more emails as part of your welcome flow than a brand whose products are straightforward and inexpensive.</p>
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<p>A welcome email is an opportunity to educate a captive audience about your products and their value. While many brands use their welcome series as a chance to tell their brand story, proceed with caution. Subscribers are thinking, “What’s in it for me?” Before talking about yourself, you need to answer this question.</p>
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<h3>Time your welcome email series just right</h3>
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<p>Lindsey Arellano, director of email and SMS at<a>Curio</a>, thinks of it like this: “Brands could provide valuable content like exclusive tips or access to a helpful resource. Providing value can help establish the brand as an authority in their field and make subscribers more likely to engage with future emails.”</p>
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<p>Your first email should go out immediately after someone signs up for your list. After that, we recommend at least a day between emails so that you’re not slamming people’s inboxes.</p>
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<p>Health and nutrition brand<a>Primal Kitchen</a>does a great job straddling the line between brand story and customer value in this welcome series email. Their mission statement-“change the way the world eats”-is supported by what provides value to their customers: “real ingredients with integrity.”</p>
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<p>But timing isn’t just about timing-it’s also about segmentation. When your email list starts to include thousands of people, things can get a little messy. To keep unsubscribe rates low and engagement rates up, you’ll need to “protect” people in your welcome flow from receiving all the other emails you send, too.</p>
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<p>Source: Primal Kitchen</p>
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<p>Eric Miller, director of lifecycle marketing of<a>Tinuiti</a>, puts it this way: “For email subscribers who are currently in the welcome series, suppress them from calendar sends. They aren’t ready for your full cadence. They’re still evaluating you and you haven’t earned their trust yet.”</p>
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<h3>2. The offer welcome email</h3>
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<h3>Use double opt-in</h3>
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<p>The first rule of welcome email flows is to send any offer you promised in exchange for a sign-up. This is how you build a foundation of trust with subscribers from the start.</p>
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<p>When you launch your welcome series, email deliverability should be top of mind. All that work you’re putting in is for naught if your emails don’t make it to inboxes, after all.</p>
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<p>If you don’t want to lead with a discount, that’s okay-your cost economics may not allow for it. But Christopher Maroney-Petitt, co-founder of<a>Ecom Growers</a>, recommends some experimentation with offers for “non-converters” further along in your welcome series, after you’ve already sent educational, tutorial-type emails.</p>
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<p>Email deliverability is the rate at which your emails make it past spam filters and into people’s inboxes. Inbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and iOS use algorithms to gauge the viability of an email based on factors like:</p>
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<p>“The best tactic I’ve implemented,” he says, “is an upgraded offer somewhere down in the welcome series flow. You do this if someone hasn’t converted already. That upgraded offer can be a better discount, free gift, giveaway entry, etc. If your other emails do a good job on educating, this upgrade will convert.”</p>
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<ul><li>Sender domain reputation</li>
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<p>If you want a point of reference for this type of welcome message, look no further than sneaker retailer<a>Atoms</a>. This email, sent to subscribers who haven’t converted yet, is minimalist, conversational, and something that feels like it’s coming from a friend rather than a brand. Send this type of email<em>after</em>you’ve educated subscribers with product-focused content.</p>
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<li>Recipient engagement</li>
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<p>Source:<a>X</a></p>
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<li>Email body content</li>
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<h3>3. The product-focused welcome email</h3>
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</ul><p>Double opt-in goes a long way toward ensuring healthy deliverability rates. When someone subscribes to your list, use double opt-in by sending them an email that asks them to confirm their subscription-before you actually add them to your list.</p>
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<p>Similar to an educational email, a product-focused email is a great way to make sure your audience knows about your brand value from the start. Your welcome series is your chance to make a good first impression, so focus on your bestsellers or use the opportunity to introduce new products.</p>
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<p><strong>Bonus:</strong>Your double opt-in email is a great way to collect more Customer-First Data™, too.</p>
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<p>Here, see how olive oil brand<a>Brightland</a>divides their welcome email into sections that discuss the ingredients that make each product stand out:</p>
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<h3>Include support contact details and unsubscribe links</h3>
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<p>Source: Brightland</p>
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<p>In the EU, GDPR governs commercial email and gives people the right to opt out and unsubscribe from your email communications at any time. This is why all your emails need an obvious unsubscribe link-and it needs to be easy to unsubscribe.</p>
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<h3>4. The information-gathering welcome email</h3>
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<p>This type of welcome email is often overlooked, but it’s important for creating a more personalized brand experience in the long run. To give yourself the best opportunity for building long-lasting relationships with your subscribers, find out what they like and how often they want to hear from you.</p>
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<p>Fishing brand<a>Mystery Tackle Box</a>gathers this information right away with their<a>email sign-up form</a>, but you can also use a double opt-in email to accomplish the same thing.</p>
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<p>Here, Mystery Tackle Box promises to send subscribers “the email [they] want and nothing more,” asking whether they’re interested in the newsletter, promotions, or product updates. They also provide a lot of frequency options, so subscribers can control how often they receive emails.</p>
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<p>Source: Mystery Tackle Box</p>
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<h2>7 welcome email best practices to make a great first impression</h2>
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<p>Now that you know the content components of a solid welcome email series, it’s also important to understand the best practices to make your welcome email sequence truly effective:</p>
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<h3>1. Introduce your brand values</h3>
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<p>Use your first email to establish your brand values. Consumers are placing greater importance on brand values when deciding where to shop-according to our future of consumer marketing report, 42% say brand values matter more in 2025 than they did a year ago.</p>
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<p>Values such as a commitment to social and political issues, charitable contributions, carbon-neutral or zero emissions, and support for local businesses all ranked high among survey participants.</p>
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<p>This sentiment is even stronger among younger generations: 49% of millennials and 53% of Gen Z prioritize brand values more in 2025. High spenders, defined as those who spend $100 or more on retail and ecommerce purchases, also reflect this trend: over half believe brand values matter more than before.</p>
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<h3>2. Include support contact details and unsubscribe links</h3>
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<p>In the US, the<a>CAN-SPAM Act</a>governs commercial email and gives people the right to opt out and unsubscribe from your email communications at any time. This is why all your emails need an obvious unsubscribe link-and it needs to be easy to unsubscribe.</p>
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<p>Go the extra mile and include contact information for customer support, too. If you make it easy for a recipient to talk to a human being at your company, it could mean the difference between a sale and an unsubscribe.</p>
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<p>Go the extra mile and include contact information for customer support, too. If you make it easy for a recipient to talk to a human being at your company, it could mean the difference between a sale and an unsubscribe.</p>
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<h3>3. Gather more zero- and first-party data</h3>
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<p>Zero-party data is information your customers give you voluntarily, like their email address or what type of pet they have. First-party data, meanwhile, is information your brand gleans directly through customer interactions with your owned channels.</p>
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<p>You can collect zero- and first-party data through sign-up forms, website tracking, order data, email analytics, and customer service platforms-but your welcome series is also ground zero for gathering more of this valuable data from subscribers who are excited about your brand.</p>
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<p>You may want your welcome series to include links to interactive elements like quizzes or surveys that ask people about their lifestyle preferences and shopping habits. Or, if you notice someone is interacting with your welcome email series a lot, that may be a signal it’s time to ask for their phone number.</p>
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<p>Zero- and first-party data is hands down one of the best ways to create a personalized customer journey for your subscribers. Use your welcome series as a launchpad for personalized product recommendations and offers that have a much higher chance of conversion.</p>
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<h3>4. Use dynamic content blocks to feature the most relevant products</h3>
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<p>Your welcome email series is a great opportunity to introduce new subscribers to your best-selling products. Featuring customer favorites or trending items can help guide purchase decisions and inspire action. If you can show that other people love certain products, you can reduce the perceived risk of buying.</p>
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<p>Consider using<a>dynamic content blocks</a>that pull information from your online store to showcase top-rated products, best-sellers in relevant categories, or items based on the subscriber’s browsing behavior. When you pair these product highlights with social proof (more on this next), you’re boosting interest and trust.</p>
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<h3>5. Highlight social proof</h3>
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<p>Speaking of social proof, it’s one of the most effective ways to build credibility and encourage conversions. Authentic feedback-especially from customers who share similar interests or pain points-can help subscribers situate themselves as customers.</p>
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<p>To show new subscribers that other people love your brand, reinforce brand value, and reduce hesitation around making a purchase, consider including the following in your welcome emails:</p>
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<ul><li><a>Customer reviews</a></li>
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<li>Testimonials</li>
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<li>Star ratings</li>
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<li>User-generated content</li>
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</ul><h3>6. Offer a special welcome discount code</h3>
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<p>A well-timed incentive can be the nudge needed to turn a subscriber into a paying customer. According to our future of consumer marketing report, economic conditions have led more than one-third (37%) of consumers to seek out discounts and promotions from ecommerce and retail brands.</p>
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<p>Consider offering a limited-time promo code or exclusive first-purchase discount to create a sense of urgency. Be strategic in your messaging-rather than framing it as just a discount, position it as a special thank-you for joining your brand’s community. Combine the offer with product recommendations or a call-to-action to shop now to further drive conversions.</p>
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<h3>7. Time your welcome email series just right</h3>
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<p>Your first email should go out immediately after someone signs up for your list. After that, we recommend at least a day between emails so that you’re not slamming people’s inboxes.</p>
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<p>But timing isn’t just about timing-it’s also about segmentation. When your email list starts to include thousands of people, things can get a little messy. To keep unsubscribe rates low and engagement rates up, you’ll need to “protect” people in your welcome series from receiving all the other emails you send, too.</p>
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<p>Eric Miller, director of CRM and email at<a>Tinuiti</a>, puts it this way: “For email subscribers who are currently in the welcome series, suppress them from calendar sends. They aren’t ready for your full cadence. They’re still evaluating you and you haven’t earned their trust yet.”</p>
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<h2>How to automate your welcome emails</h2>
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<h2>How to automate your welcome emails</h2>
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<p>Sending a well-timed email series to thousands of recipients isn’t easy. But you don’t need to do it manually.</p>
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<p><a>Sending a well-timed email</a>series to thousands of recipients isn’t easy. But you don’t need to do it manually.</p>
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<p><a>Email marketing automation</a>is what allows brands to send personalised emails at scale, which essentially means you can make money from your email marketing strategy in your sleep.</p>
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<p><a>Email marketing automation</a>is what allows brands to send personalized emails at scale, which essentially means you can make money from your email marketing strategy in your sleep.</p>
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<p>With automation, you just need to set up your welcome email series once. Then, your email automation platform takes care of sending the emails to customers when they sign up. Here’s how to make this work for your welcome series:</p>
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<p>With automation, you just need to set up your welcome email series once. Then, your<a>email automation</a>platform takes care of sending the emails to customers when they sign up. Here’s how to make this work for your welcome series:</p>
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<h3>Use Klaviyo email flows</h3>
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<h3>Use Klaviyo email flows</h3>
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<p>When you’re building your welcome series, you won’t need to start from scratch. Klaviyo provides a<a>pre-built welcome series flow</a>that you can build on.</p>
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<p>When you’re building your welcome series, you won’t need to start from scratch. Klaviyo provides a<a>pre-built welcome series flow</a>that you can build on.</p>
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<p>Setting up a welcome email series in Klaviyo involves 3 simple steps:</p>
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<p>Setting up a welcome email series in Klaviyo involves 3 simple steps:</p>
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<ol><li>Connect your email list.</li>
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<ol><li>Connect your email list.</li>
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<li>Define your triggers.</li>
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<li>Define your triggers.</li>
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<li>Customise email content and style.</li>
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<li>Customize your email content and style.</li>
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</ol><p>If you don’t want to use the pre-built welcome email flow, you can also design a welcome email flow from scratch. Klaviyo offers<a>multiple welcome email templates</a>for you to choose from.</p>
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</ol><p>If you don’t want to use the pre-built welcome email flow, you can also design a welcome email flow from scratch. Klaviyo offers<a>multiple welcome email templates</a>for you to choose from.</p>
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<h3>A/B test welcome emails to find the perfect one</h3>
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<h3>Go multi-channel</h3>
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<p>To boost engagement and conversions, combine email with<a>SMS marketing</a>. If you can get a phone number as a next step to providing an email address, you can send both a welcome email and a welcome text message-and ask how people prefer to be contacted in the future.</p>
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<p>Automated SMS welcome flows are similar to email, but you can do some slightly different things with them. Use SMS to:</p>
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<ul><li>Make it easy for subscribers to state their communication preferences.</li>
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<li>Offer exclusive mobile-only deals.</li>
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<li>Provide quick links to products or content.</li>
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<li>Encourage two-way communication for better engagement.</li>
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</ul><p>A multi-channel approach is a great way to meet customers where they are, which can ultimately increase conversion rates.</p>
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<h3>A/B test welcome emails to optimize engagement</h3>
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<p>You won’t know what’s working until you A/B test. And Klaviyo makes it easy to test your welcome email series.</p>
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<p>You won’t know what’s working until you A/B test. And Klaviyo makes it easy to test your welcome email series.</p>
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<p>A/B test various welcome email parameters with what’s called “conditional splits” in your welcome email flow.</p>
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<p>A/B test various welcome email parameters with what’s called “conditional splits” in your welcome email flow.</p>
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<p>A conditional split creates two branches in your welcome email flow, each creating a different experience based on a set of parameters. Test variables like:</p>
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<p>A conditional split creates two branches in your welcome email flow, each creating a different experience based on a set of parameters. Test variables like:</p>
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<ul><li>The target audience</li>
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<ul><li>The target audience</li>
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<li>The timing of emails</li>
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<li>The timing of emails</li>
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<li>The frequency of emails</li>
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<li>The frequency of emails</li>
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</ul><p>Here’s an example of two branches of a welcome email flow:</p>
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</ul><h3>Track your welcome email performance</h3>
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Source: Klaviyo<h2>How to enhance your welcome email flow with data</h2>
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<p>You can’t improve what you don’t measure. As you refine your welcome series through A/B testing, watch your email performance like a hawk. That means<a>keeping track of the following metrics</a>:</p>
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<p>Automation is only a standout when it’s fused with relevant, targeted personalisation. That means collecting data on your subscribers-which they hand over voluntarily-so you can send them emails that are more relevant for them.</p>
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<ul><li><strong>Click rate:</strong>the percentage of recipients who click on a link within your welcome series</li>
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<p>Here’s how:</p>
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<li><strong>Conversion rate:</strong>the percentage of recipients who take action after they click your welcome series</li>
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<h3>Personalise your welcome emails with customer data</h3>
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<li><strong>Revenue per recipient (RPR):</strong>how much money every welcome email series recipient is bringing in</li>
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<p>Data you gather directly from your subscribers and customers has two components: first-party data and zero-party data.</p>
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<li><strong>Deliverability rates:</strong>the percentage of welcome series emails that makes it to your recipients’ inboxes</li>
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<p>First-party data is based on directly observable behaviour like purchasing trends, website activity, email and SMS engagement, and customer service interactions.</p>
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<li><strong>Unsubscribe rate:</strong>the percentage of people who receive your welcome series and then unsubscribe from your list</li>
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<p>Then there’s zero-party data, which the customer inputs themselves into a form. This includes things like:</p>
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<ul><li>Birthday</li>
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<li>Product preferences</li>
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<li>Interests</li>
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<li>Demographic information</li>
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</ul><p>For example, Wilkinson Sword asks people what types of products they’re interested in when they sign up to email marketing. Then, they send a personalised welcome email to new subscribers that matches their preferences-<a>this simple segmentation in the welcome series</a>results in a 20x higher conversion rate than average.</p>
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<p>Another valuable piece of zero-party data is a phone number for<a>SMS communication</a>. If your brand earns a presence in someone’s text message inbox, your relationship with that subscriber has reached the next level.</p>
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<p>So how do you get the phone number?</p>
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<p>“For those not subscribed to SMS, offer something interesting that they can only receive by text,” suggests Lisa Oberst, director of email marketing for<a>Fuel Made</a>. “Let’s say you sell bicycle bells and the main selling point is the beautiful, long-lasting ring of the bell. You could get subscribers to sign up to SMS and receive a sound preview.”</p>
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<h3>Track your welcome email flow performance</h3>
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<p>You can’t improve what you don’t measure. As you refine your welcome series through A/B testing, watch your email performance like a hawk. That means keeping track of the following metrics:</p>
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<ul><li><strong>Click-through rate (CTR):</strong>the percentage of recipients who click on a link within your welcome flow</li>
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<li><strong>Conversion rate:</strong>the percentage of recipients who take action after they click your welcome flow</li>
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<li><strong>Revenue per recipient (RPR):</strong>how much money every welcome email recipient is bringing in</li>
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<li><strong>Deliverability rates:</strong>the percentage of welcome flow emails that makes it to your recipients’ inboxes</li>
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<li><strong>Unsubscribe rate:</strong>the percentage of people who receive your welcome flow and then unsubscribe from your list</li>
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<li><strong>List growth rate:</strong>the rate at which you’re acquiring new subscribers to your list</li>
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<li><strong>List growth rate:</strong>the rate at which you’re acquiring new subscribers to your list</li>
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<li><strong>Return on investment (ROI):</strong>the financial return from your welcome flow compared to the money you’ve spent</li>
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<li><strong>Return on investment (ROI):</strong>the financial return from your welcome series compared to the money you’ve spent</li>
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</ul><p>With<a>Klaviyo reporting</a>, you can track these metrics at a glance on your dashboard.</p>
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</ul><p>With<a>Klaviyo reporting</a>, you can track these metrics at a glance on your dashboard.</p>
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<h3>Measure your brand against welcome email benchmarks</h3>
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<h3>Measure your brand against welcome email benchmarks</h3>
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<p>Curious about what “good performance” looks like for the typical welcome series? According to the latest<a>Klaviyo benchmarks</a>, welcome series emails earn high open rates, conversion rates, and revenue-per-recipient, which makes the automation one of the most effective series of emails you can send.</p>
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<p>Curious about what “good performance” looks like for the typical welcome series? According to the latest Klaviyo email benchmarks, welcome series emails earn<a>high open rates</a>, conversion rates, and RPR, which makes the automation one of the most effective series of emails you can send.</p>
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<p>Here’s what to expect:</p>
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<p>Here’s what to expect:</p>
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Source: Klaviyo<p>Benchmarks may vary based on industry, however, so check out your category to see what to expect from your welcome email series.</p>
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<p>Source: Klaviyo email benchmark report</p>
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<h3>How to write a good welcome email subject line?</h3>
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<p>Monitoring email marketing statistics and industry benchmarks empowers you to fine-tune your strategies, understand your audience better, and make informed decisions that lead to more successful and impactful email campaigns. Benchmarks may vary based on industry, however, so check out your category to see what to expect from your welcome email series.</p>
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<h3>How do I write a good welcome email subject line?</h3>
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<p>Write a good welcome email subject line by using the recipient’s first name, keeping it clear and brief, and evoking a sense of curiosity that encourages people to open your email just to find out what’s inside.</p>
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<p>Write a good welcome email subject line by using the recipient’s first name, keeping it clear and brief, and evoking a sense of curiosity that encourages people to open your email just to find out what’s inside.</p>
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<h3>How many emails should be included in a welcome email sequence?</h3>
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<h3>How many emails should be included in a welcome email sequence?</h3>
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<p>The number of emails in your welcome email sequence depends on the length of your average purchase cycle. If it takes potential customers, on average 20 days, from discovery to first purchase, your welcome flow should reflect that to avoid losing sales.</p>
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<p>The number of emails in your welcome email sequence depends on the length of your average purchase cycle. If it takes potential customers an average of 20 days to purchase from the moment of discovery, your welcome series should reflect that to avoid losing sales.</p>
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<h3>What is the business impact of a welcome email?</h3>
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<h3>What is the business impact of a welcome email?</h3>
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<p>The business impact of a welcome email is, on average, $2.54 per recipient. Welcome emails also earn a high average open rate of 55.61% across all industries, in addition to a conversion rate of 2.38%.</p>
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<p>The business impact of a welcome email is, on average, $2.35 in RPR. Welcome emails also earn a high average open rate of 51.26% across all industries, in addition to an average placed order rate of 1.97%.</p>
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<p>Grow your business on your terms.</p>
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<h3>What are some common mistakes to avoid in a welcome email?</h3>
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<p><a>Sign up</a></p>
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<p>A welcome email sets the stage for your brand’s relationship with new subscribers, so avoiding missteps is crucial. Here are some common mistakes to steer clear of:</p>
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<ul><li><strong>Skipping personalization:</strong>Generic greetings like “Dear customer” can make your email feel impersonal. Instead, use first names, reference how they signed up, and if you can, include product recommendations that are tailored to browsing behavior at some point in your sequence.</li>
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<li><strong>Lacking a strong CTA:</strong>Your welcome email should guide subscribers toward a next step, whether it’s shopping, following on social, or updating preferences.</li>
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<li><strong>Neglecting mobile optimization:</strong>Most people open emails on mobile devices. If your email isn’t mobile friendly, you risk losing engagement.</li>
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<li><strong>Forgetting to include an unsubscribe link:</strong>It’s legally required and builds trust. Make it easy for people to manage their subscription preferences.</li>
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</ul><h3>What are the benefits of a welcome email series?</h3>
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<p>A welcome email series benefits your brand, your customers, and your sales. Here are some of the immediate benefits:</p>
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<ul><li><strong>Stronger brand connection:</strong>A sequence allows you to introduce your brand’s story, values, and bestselling products over time.</li>
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<li><strong>Higher engagement rates:</strong>Klaviyo benchmarks show that welcome email series have some of the highest open and conversion rates compared to other automated flows.</li>
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<li><strong>Better customer segmentation:</strong>With multiple touchpoints, you can gather more first-party data and tailor future messaging based on subscriber actions.</li>
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<li><strong>Increased revenue potential:</strong>By offering personalized product recommendations and exclusive discounts, a well-timed welcome series can drive immediate conversions.</li>
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</ul><h3>Why do marketers send welcome emails in the consideration stage of the marketing funnel?</h3>
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<p>The welcome email is an important touchpoint in the consideration stage, when subscribers are evaluating your brand but haven’t yet made a purchase. A carefully crafted welcome email series can educate potential customers and remind them of the value of your brand.</p>
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<p>Marketers also use welcome emails to speed up time to purchase. A timely discount or new product feature can nudge potential customers toward making a purchase. Even if subscribers don’t convert immediately, keeping your brand top of mind through consistent engagement can lead to conversions down the line when they’re ready to buy.</p>
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