The pitfalls of a Welcome email

7 replies
I've been trying my hand at some JV giveaway events this week to grow my list. The first sign-up I got unsubscribed from me within minutes and it got me thinking about the Welcome email. (The message that gets triggered to be sent as soon as the subscription is confirmed.)

I have double opt-in set up - so this person could have easily grabbed the book and never confirmed and he would have walked away with his freebie. But he chose to confirm - but then in minutes un-subscribed.

Conclusion - my welcome email sucks.

I think a lot of people consider it to simply be a routine mechanism to confirm that it all worked, and you're now set-up. But it's an essential step to set the tone of what they can expect from you - and you need to sell it to them. So far you only really sold them the freebie (which they haven't even had a chance to form an opinion on yet) not the value of being on your list.

This also highlighted to me the danger with single opt-in (i.e. they are subscribed as soon as entering their email - no confirmation link necessary) as there is no filter for free-loaders, so you will get more unsubscribes from the welcome email. This will make for depressing & distorted analytics.

Obviously some people simply want to take the freebie and run - and you need to expect that, and not be sad when they leave, because they'd be no use sticking around on your list anyway.

But one final thought I had was this - do you really need an instant Welcome Email at all in some cases? By sending something instantly, you catch them just when they are thinking of doing the old 'download & dash' and hand the unsubscribe option to them on a plate. They might not even read your email, because they already have in their head a pre-made opinion to unsubscribe.

Why not delay your first message a short while (not too long mind) so they are in a different frame of mind - that way they might actually digest what you say in your first mail, and see the value in staying.

It might have also given them enough time to actually take a look at your freebie and realise how great your stuff is...
#email #pitfalls
  • Profile picture of the author Cataclysm1987
    I'm curious to know something though...

    How is it that your subscriber got your bonus before getting your welcome e-mail? Did you link to it in the confirmation page or something?

    That's actually pretty clever. I feel like an idiot for not thinking of that. Usually I give it to them in the welcome e-mail.
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    • Profile picture of the author SlicedGenius
      Originally Posted by Cataclysm1987 View Post

      How is it that your subscriber got your bonus before getting your welcome e-mail? Did you link to it in the confirmation page or something?
      Hi, yes it was a link on the confirmation page. The welcome email had a link too just so they have it somewhere in case they lost it or something went wrong. But I felt they shouldn't have to wait for that email (in this case) or confirm opt-in even.
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    • Profile picture of the author AlenGeorgeson
      Originally Posted by Cataclysm1987 View Post

      I'm curious to know something though...

      How is it that your subscriber got your bonus before getting your welcome e-mail? Did you link to it in the confirmation page or something?

      That's actually pretty clever. I feel like an idiot for not thinking of that. Usually I give it to them in the welcome e-mail.
      Actually that's a lot better OBVIOUSLY. Then the customer will at least see your welcome email and you can convince him that it's worth to stay on your list. You can even give him another bonus or whatever. In other words, you can start building a relationship and your brand from the get-go. This is KEY! If they can get the freeby without subscribing, they will do it. And if they don't have to confirm, they won't do it. JV giveaways are not that great IMO, people just want their free stuff. They're not really interested in being on another list. That might be the reason why people are unsubscribing.

      Hope that helps

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  • Profile picture of the author David Keith
    I just decided to do some IM related stuff last month for the first time ever in 16 years.

    My thankyou page and welcome email in this niche is specifically designed to make a certain group of people un-subscribe. List building is not as much of a numbers game as it is an attention game.

    There are certain groups of people who I know I am just not going to be able to work with. Maybe I could sell them some stuff and make a few bucks if I want to "sell out", but that ain't me. I don't need the money nearly that bad.

    You have to attract a certain group of people who you will resonate well with. You can't try to please everyone. When you do that, you blend in with the crowd and fade into the background.

    Don't get overly worried about those people.

    But of course, a second look at your welcome email is a good idea.
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    • Profile picture of the author taffie
      It's all these little pieces that matter and separates the success from failures. It's time consuming and one can be tempted to just carelessly write some follow-up message but boy you are not doing yourself a favour.

      The thing with your issue here though is, we are not particularly sure whether the lead unsubscribed because of your welcome email are we? We maybe just asuming, which is ahy testing is always recommended when doing this buisness.

      Maybe this person just wanted the freebie and just decided to be nosey and check things out further, and we got people who do this.

      Having said that, of course carefully crafting your welcome message is essential, you want to clearly state what subscribers are going to get.

      The capture page, the offer and the messages got to be relevant or they won't bite.

      When it comes to confirmation, I think for as long as it's paid advertising, I would turn confirmation off. Maybe double optin for free advertising.
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  • Profile picture of the author TopBackBuilder
    It's probably not your welcome email, it's probably just the person. Most people will unlikely unsubscribe out of laziness or curiosity.
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  • Profile picture of the author WriterWahm
    Don't take it personal. Some people don't want to be on your list but they do want your freebie so they will subscribe, get the freebie and immediately unsubscribe. It happens. I recently joined my first ever giveaway and got a hand-full of subscribers. Keep at it, you will get those who want to be on your list.
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