A Step-By-Step Guide for turning subscribers into super fans
Someone has subscribed to your email list - congratulations! Now what?
Maybe you’ve already crafted a brilliant welcome email, one that makes your reader feel special and valued (which they are).
That’s the first step!
Consider this: Your subscribers are most engaged when they first sign up.
This is a golden opportunity. The experience a subscriber has with your emails in the first couple of weeks will set the tone for the rest of your relationship.
You want to pop the streamers and release the metaphorical doves for your subscribers. You need to capture their interest, wow them and gain their trust. By signing up, they are essentially telling you that they WANT to hear from you.
Which is why you need a welcome email sequence.
What is a welcome email sequence?
An email sequence is a collection of prewritten emails, sent in a specific order, usually triggered by a specific action (such as signing up for one of your freebies or subscribing to your email list).
They can be used to:
Welcome new subscribers to your list
Develop a connection with you
Direct readers to your most relevant resources
Set you up as an authority
Deliver value to gain trust
Prime your readers for sales further down the line
Don’t worry, it sounds more complicated than it really is - and once set up, will save you heaps of time in the long-run.
Here is my step-by-step guide for getting started with your welcome sequence:
Email #1: Make a good first impression
This email is sent immediately on sign-up and is designed to introduce your reader to you and your art. This is where you set the tone for your business and establish who you are.
Here are some elements to include in your welcome email:
Celebrate them opting into your list and say THANK YOU!
Tell them about you and your art
What can they expect from you? Are you emailing them every week and what are you going to send them?
Tell them to whitelist your emails so they don’t go straight into junk
Point them to your best content
Ask them to follow you on a social media channel
Deliver the opt-in freebie you promised them for signing up (if you did)
Make them curious to read the next email by making a promise of what you’re going to share - and make it a goodie!
Email #2: Getting to know you
This email is all about adding value and showing how awesome it is to be on your email list. It’s all about building upon the first connection and marking yourself as an authority as an artist or maker.
You’re aiming to continue the momentum that’s already there so send this email 1 day after email #1.
What you write about very much depends on what your end-goal is, but some things you might want to include:
Personal stories (let them in on a secret perhaps or share a funny story?)
Reminder of the freebie you offered for opting in and the benefits of using it - maybe link to a how-to video
The call to action from the last email, e.g. entice them to join you over on your social media channels
Pin to Save For Later!
Email #3: Deliver value specific to them
You’re doing the groundwork for your long-term relationship with your subscriber in this email so show how much you understand their needs by acknowledging why they might have signed up for your freebie or email list.
You don’t want to bombard your new friend, so send this email 2 days after Email #2.
You might want to include:
One key tip from your freebie (including the download link again)
A big lesson you’ve learned, building on your brand story from the last few emails - which will be super useful for them
A strategic question - this could be focused on the topic of your freebie, for example, “what’s your biggest struggle with xyz?” This will seriously help you help them later down the line AND increase their engagement - win, win.
Email #4: Set expectations
By now, your subscriber is loving it when your emails land in their inbox.
They know more about you
They know you understand their needs
They’ve been given value
They trust you to stay in touch with useful info
Your final email of this sequence should be sent 3 days after Email #3.
In this email you are going to set expectations of the type of content and benefits they will receive in exchange for being on your list.
Essentially, what’s coming next?
You might want to:
Round up the resources you’ve talked about so far to help with topic of freebie
Keep them engaged by asking them to reply and share favorite takeaway from freebie
Gently nudge them towards your products or services so they can get more value
That’s all there is to it! Creating your welcome sequence doesn’t have to be complicated. And since we are creatives, be sure to include inspiring images in your emails as well. Break up the email parts with spaces, heading and images to keep it easy to read.
Think of it as the first date - you wouldn’t leave your new guy waiting around afterwards would you? No, you would say thank you and make them look forward to a second date by being your fabulous, entertaining self.
Have a blessed day!