Drive sales on autopilot with ecommerce-focused features
See Features20 best welcome email examples & tips for 2024
A welcome email is the first opportunity for a brand to interact with its customers or subscribers. Since first impressions are hugely important in any walk of life, creating an engaging welcome email can help set the stage for a long and fruitful relationship.
The people receiving this email are already interested in your business and what it has to offer, so they’ll be more likely to open and read it than other marketing messages. This makes it the ideal opportunity to showcase your brand, along with its story, values, and products.
After reading this article, you’ll know more about welcome emails and why they’re important. You’ll also have a chance to review 20 welcome email examples to help you get some inspiration and perspective when drafting yours.
In this article, we’ll look at:
- What is a welcome email?
- Why are welcome emails important?
- Welcome email examples
- Best welcome email templates
- Subject lines for welcome emails
- Best times to send welcome emails
- How many emails to use in a welcome series
- Welcome email examples: key takeaways
What is a welcome email?
A welcome email is the initial message automatically sent to subscribers as soon as they opt into your email list. You can use it to express gratitude for subscribing, introduce your business, and provide a foundation for future interactions.
Sending welcome emails allows you to provide more information about your company’s products and services. This increases your new subscribers’ interest in your brand and boosts conversion. It also helps you build trust with your potential customers and ensures they receive a welcoming experience as they start interacting with your brand.
This quick Omnisend tutorial called “Welcome Email Automation Set Up Tutorial | Email Marketing for Beginners” can give you the basic knowledge you need to automate your welcome emails:
Omnisend makes it easy to send welcome emails by automating the process and providing customizable templates. Owing to its usability, it has a rating of 4.8 on Shopify and 4.6 on G2.
Sign up for a free account to get started. Learn more about Omnisend
“What stands out about Omnisend is its user-friendly design and powerful automation features… The pre-built workflows for key customer touchpoints like cart abandonment and welcome emails are particularly valuable, automating tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming.”
Andre L., G2 Review
Why are welcome emails important?
Welcome emails stand out for multiple reasons:
- Customers expect them: 74% of email subscribers expect to receive a welcome email just after subscribing to a new newsletter
- High open rates: Welcome emails have an average open rate of 36.9% in 2023 — that’s 47% more than the open rate for all marketing emails, which was 25.1%
- Create credibility: Many customers don’t trust newly discovered brands, and a well-crafted welcome email can help warm up new members faster and push them further through the sales funnel
- Higher conversion rates: The average conversion rate (51.94%) is higher than the vast majority of other automated emails sent by ecommerce businesses
- More customer touchpoints: Many brands invite new subscribers to follow them on social media or to respond with their questions
Explore our expert-led email marketing courses and tutorials and get the knowledge you need to grow and manage your list.
Welcome email examples
- Omnisend — Actionable email guiding readers through the next setup steps
- Pipcorn — Short, friendly email with a discount
- Baking Steel — Product description and recipes
- reMarkable — Brief story of the brand
- Airbnb — Simple instructions to get started
- Away — Shares the brand story and values
- Modkat — Friendly email that shares the brand mission
- To’ak Chocolate — Longer email with the brand’s story and team photo
- Wandering Bear Coffee — Product-focused with a prominent discount and shop CTAs
- Allbirds — Clear brand values
- Le Creuset — Focus on the originality of products
- Db Black — A community-driven email
- Madsen Cycles — Family story
- Snif — Brand differentiation
- Duolingo — Best practices for using the app
- PRESS — Full website overview
- Oakley — Membership incentives
- The Nursery Store — Limited-time discount
- ARMEDANGELS — Focus on community and sustainability
- Dash — Product showcase and major discount
Drive sales on autopilot with pre-built welcome emails
Save time with templates and use automation to send welcome emails to each new subscriber.
1. Omnisend — Actionable email guiding readers through the next setup steps
Type: Get started
Subject line: Welcome to Omnisend! 🎉 Getting started is easy
Omnisend’s email opens with the recipient’s first name and an acknowledgment of what they’re looking for — “grow your revenue with emails people love to get.” The welcome email then gets straight into showing what the next steps are and, crucially, why those steps are so important. There’s also a very clear, branded CTA.
Features
- Personalization with the subscriber’s first name
- White space to focus attention on the text
- Effective use of imagery to show the completed step and what’s next
- Clear CTA
- Explanation of why the next steps are so important, reducing friction
2. Pipcorn — Short, friendly email with a discount
Type: Promotional
Subject line: Welcome to Pipcorn
Snack brand Pipcorn uses its welcome email to do a few things. First, the headline welcomes new subscribers to “the Pipcorn Fam,” which is a nice personal touch. There’s then a 15% discount code, which is repeated at the end of the email above a CTA button. Finally, the email mentions that it’s a family business and what subscribers can expect from the emails.
Features
- Bright visuals
- High-quality product images
- Discount code
- Brief insight into the business
- “Shop now” CTA
Pipcorn is one of the top Shopify stores, making up to $5 million a year. See more top Shopify stores and why they’re succeeding.
3. Baking Steel — Product description and recipes
Type: Promotional
Subject line: 🍕 🎉 Welcome to the Baking Steel Family!
Baking Steel’s welcome email introduces new subscribers to the brand. There’s a brief mention of the mission — “to bring your dream pizza to life right inside your home kitchen” — followed by the benefit of using Baking Steel’s products. For those looking for some inspiration, there’s a CTA to follow a recipe, as well as a CTA to make a purchase from the shop.
Features
- Plenty of images
- Details of the brand
- Explanation of why people should use the product
- Recipe to help people use the product immediately
- CTA to visit the shop
Each welcome series by Baking Steel earns between $10 and $15. Here’s what the brand is doing right: Baking Steel’s email marketing strategy.
4. reMarkable — Brief story of the brand
Type: Thank you
Subject line: Thank you for signing up
This next welcome email example from reMarkable primarily thanks subscribers for signing up, but it goes beyond that, too. It explains the brand’s story from its beginnings in 2017 and its adoption by people who want to improve the way they work.
The email then shares the benefits of the latest product and directs readers to its FAQ, to follow the brand on Instagram, or to visit the blog to read more. There are no discount codes here, which helps to create a premium feel.
Features
- Strong imagery and color
- Promotes the product in a subtle manner
- The email is clear despite having a lot of information
- Raises awareness of its social profiles
- Directs additional traffic to the blog
5. Airbnb — Simple steps to onboard subscribers
Type: Get started
Subject line: Get started on Airbnb
Airbnb’s email provides information on the steps required to start using the platform. The plain background draws attention to the text and makes it easy to read without getting distracted.
Breaking down the email body into three short sections is a great way to communicate multiple points to the subscriber without overwhelming them.
Features
- Simple design and graphics
- Highlights benefits of using the service
- Succinct email copy
- Simple steps to onboard new customers
- Easy-to-understand CTAs
6. Away – Combining brand story with promotion
Type: Promotional
Subject line: We’re Away. Let’s meet up.
Away’s welcome email is a beautiful example of how to introduce both the brand and the product.
The email opens with a glimpse into the brand’s beliefs, then succinctly explains what makes the product unique before ending with a 100-day free trial.
Features
- Simple and elegant design
- Combines brand story with product promotion
- Concise overview of why the product is great
- Offers a free trial
- Clear CTAs
7. Modkat — Offer a special deal
Type: Promotional
Subject line: MEOW From Modkat – 10% Off
Modkat’s email is straightforward, welcoming the new subscriber, briefly introducing the mission of the brand, and offering a deal with a clear CTA button. Alongside the discount, there’s mention of a money-back guarantee if the buyer doesn’t love the product after a month.
Modkat’s email also includes four pictures of cats — because it knows the reader loves cats! — and has a quick request to follow the brand on Instagram.
Features
- Mentions the brand mission
- Has relevant images
- Offers a discount code
- Encourages following the brand on social media
- Makes purchasing easier with a money-back guarantee
8. To’ak Chocolate — Longer email with the brand’s story
Type: Brand intro
Subject line: It all started in a rainforest… 🌿
Compared to many other welcome emails, To’ak breaks convention in two immediate ways: the email is quite long and, aside from an opening team photo, is entirely text.
To’ak Chocolate is a luxury product, and the brand is important — customers buy into the mission. As a luxury product, To’ak doesn’t offer discounts, so the welcome email focuses on why the work is so important before finishing with a simple CTA to explore the products.
Features
- Brand-focused
- High-quality team photo
- No photos in the body or any colors, just text on a white background
- Emphasizes the mission of the brand
- Ends with a simple, subtle CTA
“Our automated welcome series allows us to share our brand story with anyone who subscribes, which helps us communicate the uniqueness of our brand. We tell the story from the founder’s perspective, the farmer’s perspective, and from other voices… Email automation makes it possible, for a small team like ours, to show customers that we care about building a connection.” James Le Compte, CEO at To’ak Chocolate To’ak’s welcome email has a 47% open rate and 18% conversion rate. Read the full case study here. |
9. Wandering Bear Coffee – Product-focused with a prominent discount
Type: Promotional
Subject line: Welcome to the Wandering Bear Fam
The first thing new subscribers notice when they open Wandering Bear Coffee’s welcome email is a 10% discount on their first order. This gets them excited to make that purchase.
Using a bright yellow design, the CTA grabs the attention of the recipient and directs them to shop. Furthermore, the positive customer review and five–star rating serves as a testament to the quality of the brand’s coffee products, which will also encourage recipients to try them out.
Features
- Bold, contrasting themed colors
- A discount code
- A customer review
- Friendly and relatable language
- A short and inviting description of the product
10. Allbirds — Clear brand values
Type: Brand intro
Subject line: Welcome to the Flock
Allbirds’ welcome email is all about the brand values. We learn about its manufacturing process producing less waste and pollution, the shoes being made with sustainability in mind, and still managing to have a design customers love.
The emphasis on nature continues as the email mentions Mother Nature, and readers see that Allbirds is where “sustainability meets style.”
Features
- Strong emphasis on brand values and mission
- CTA to browse the shop
- Simple pastel colors
- An invitation to follow Allbirds on Instagram
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Allbirds is one of the most successful stores running on Shopify Plus. Explore The 25 top Shopify Plus stores to learn from in 2024.
11. Le Creuset – Focus on the originality of products
Type: Thank You
Subject line: Welcome to Your Colorful Kitchen
This welcome email example from Le Creuset starts by expressing gratitude to the subscriber for signing up. It then goes one step further to state what the subscriber should expect, including exclusive updates, promotional offers, and other benefits.
Le Creuset also uses this welcome email to convert the new subscriber into a customer using a CTA that leads to the online store.
Features
- Displays product images
- Gives room to connect further on social media
- Concise CTAs
- Displays product categories for easy navigation
- Simple and clear design
12. Db Black – A community-driven email
Type: Promotional
Subject line: Smile, you’re now part of Db Black
In this email, Db Black gives a warm welcome to the new subscriber and briefly introduces the people comprising its community — travelers. It also offers a welcome code that gives users a 10% discount if they start shopping.
Db Black’s welcome email clearly highlights the offerings of the brand to new subscribers and states what they can do to enjoy more rewards.
Features
- High-quality images
- Different CTAs for different actions
- Invites the new subscriber to start shopping
- Short but easy-to-understand copy
- Prominently placed CTAs
13. Madsen Cycles – Family story
Type: Brand intro
Subject line: Welcome to the MADSEN tribe! 👋
Madsen Cycles’ welcome email is a lengthy message that goes into a detailed introduction of each member of the Madsen family, even including their ages and names.
This is one of the best examples of welcome emails that showcases how you can use a storytelling approach to elaborate on how your brand was born. It also features a good image-to-text ratio that keeps the recipient engaged.
Features
- Detailed brand introduction and history
- Lots of images
- Easy to read despite being lengthy
- Clear CTAs
- Links to blog, FAQ page, and contact information
14. Snif – Brand differentiation
Type: Brand intro
Subject line: The best in modern scents. Period.
This is one of the welcome series email examples that doesn’t start by welcoming new subscribers. It takes a different approach — presenting a value proposition first. It highlights the convenience of getting doorstep delivery, followed by a CTA that takes users to the shop.
Here, the users get to read a detailed description of the different qualities that set Snif’s perfumes apart from the competition. The email structure and CTAs make it easy for them to scan through the message and sign up for the free trial, even if they’re not ready to make a purchase yet.
Features
- Multiple CTAs
- Mention of free shipping and returns
- Just enough product images
- Offers free mini samples
- Places emphasis on the quality of products
In a four-week experiment, Omnisend worked with Organic Aromas, an aromatherapy brand, to help build a contact list for the business. The result? A boost in newsletter signups by 150%.
Read more about it here.
15. Duolingo – Best practices for using the app
Type: Get started
Subject line: Welcome to Duolingo! Here are 2 important tips.
Duolingo’s welcome email message opens with a brief introduction, followed by some helpful tips to ensure the new subscriber starts their lessons right.
It provides users with the option to access the language learning platform on the web, which is more convenient for those who prefer learning on their computers.
Features
- Personalized greeting
- Plain background, bringing attention to the text
- Succinct and easy to read
- Multiple CTAs
- Provides helpful account information
Want to learn how to build an email list from scratch? Check out this helpful guide here.
16. PRESS – Full website overview
Type: Promotional
Subject line: Pressed for time?
PRESS decided to take advantage of welcome emails’ high opening rates and used it as an opportunity to showcase what it can offer its customers. It also gives them a special 10% discount code on their next order.
The welcome email starts off by showing the discount code, followed by the suggestion that you can transform your world by adopting natural plant-based nutrition. It then showcases meal plans and juice cleanses while also repeating the call to action for readers to use the discount code.
Features
- Multiple CTAs
- Lots of images
- Displays product images and categories
- A discount code
- Long but filled with useful and relevant information
17. Oakley – Membership incentives
Type: Promotional
Subject line: Welcome To The Team, MVP
Oakley’s welcome email takes full advantage of the brand’s reputation as a top sunglasses manufacturer for sports enthusiasts. It starts off by welcoming the reader to the Oakley team, which can make the reader feel like they’re part of a community.
It also incentivizes the reader to buy another product soon by offering them a $10 discount for any purchase within a month. Becoming a member unlocks an extra $10 discount, plus other showcased exclusive benefits like special members-only offers, access to popular sporting events, and half off on replacement sunglasses.
Features
- High-quality sports-related image
- A discount code
- Simple design
- Sports-specific terms like “team” and “MVP”
18. The Nursery Store – Limited-time discount
Type: Promotional
Subject line: Don’t miss out
The Nursery Store’s welcome email has a single goal. It offers those who have already made a purchase the chance of a significant 60% discount on another purchase, but only for a limited time.
The Nursery Store knows that parents of newborns and babies often have to buy new things for their children, and even if they recently made a purchase, odds are they’ll need more stuff soon. It’s offering a 60% discount while also creating urgency by limiting its validity to only a few days.
Features
- A single clear CTA
- Suggestive high-quality image
- A discount link
- Simple and easy-to-follow design
19. ARMEDANGELS – Focus on community and sustainability
Type: Welcome
Subject line: Welcome to the inner circle!
ARMEDANGELS first welcomes its new customers by introducing them to an intimate and tight-knit community. It then showcases the brand’s commitment to providing good working conditions for its employees and using sustainable materials without compromising on product quality. It also offers a 10% discount on their next order.
This approach can make the reader feel special, as they’re now part of a community with strong ethics and values.
Features
- Lots of images
- A discount code
- Easy to follow
- Focuses on enhancing the brand’s image
20. Dash — Product showcase and major discount
Type: Promotional
Subject line: A wonderfully wonky welcome
Dash’s welcome email aims to reiterate the quality of its products while motivating the reader to buy more of them. It starts off by telling the reader that they can save 40% on their next offer. It then continues with a recap of their product’s characteristics alongside a suggestive and colorful image. The email also includes a short text presenting the brand and a user review.
This is a good example of a relatively short welcome email that manages to showcase the brand and its product while also providing a convincing call to action for the reader to buy more.
Features
- A colorful background
- Suggestive image
- A discount code
- Brand and product presentations
- A user review
Best welcome email templates
As the previous welcome email examples show, you have a lot of options when it comes to building your own. But if you’re not sure how to start, don’t worry — the following templates will have you up and running in no time. Each one is from Omnisend and is completely customizable. If you don’t have an Omnisend account yet, you can sign up for free here.
The “Weekly Newsletter” template
This template is simple and clean in design. It has a prominent place for your brand logo, followed by your latest news, while the image and text box are ideal for sharing your most popular blog posts.
Welcome email template with a discount
This template is ideal for a product-focused email. There’s not only a large discount block but also a menu area for readers to easily find specific products.
Text-only welcome email template
This template is similar to To’ak Chocolate’s email, as it’s entirely text except for the header area. This makes it ideal to communicate your mission, brand story, or other important information without the distraction of images and bright colors.
Simple welcome email with website link
This is a simple and effective welcome email. It showcases the brand’s logo and thanks the reader for connecting with the company. It then provides an easy-to-follow link to the website.
Welcome email with multiple benefits
This template focuses on what the reader can get by placing another order. It includes a percentage-based discount and free shipping, followed by a link to the products page.
Subject lines for welcome emails
Once you’ve designed your email, you need to make sure it has a captivating subject line. Remember, readers won’t see your design unless the subject line is good enough to catch their attention and make them want to open the email. Here are some examples of subject lines proven to work:
- Welcome to (Brand Name). Here’s what to do next.
- You’re in the club!
- Hi Karolina! Thanks for subscribing!
- Welcome to (Brand Name)! Get 20% off your first order!
- Let’s get you started right!
- Welcome to the club! ❤️
- Thanks for signing up!
- Welcome to the A-List!
- It all started (Brand Background)
- We are (Brand name). Let’s meet up!
Best times to send welcome emails
Your welcome email should be sent soon after someone completes an email capture form to join your list. So, you should send it immediately or within a few minutes. This way, you’ll have a higher chance of engaging them.
It’s important to send the email shortly after they subscribe, otherwise they may forget about you, become busy with another task, or if they signed up just before going to bed, they may even fall asleep before your email arrives.
While this is a good general rule, you can still optimize your welcome email procedure by trying out specific times of day. For instance, people are statistically most likely to engage with emails at 2 PM, 5 PM, and 8 PM during weekdays. You can try to automate your welcome emails so your audience receives them at these times and then compare your results with the ones you got when sending them the welcome email immediately after registering.
In this newsletter example below, we see that the first welcome email goes out immediately. The second in the three-part series goes out after a day’s delay, and the last one goes out after three days:
How many emails to use in a welcome series
There isn’t one magic formula for how many emails to send in a welcome series — some brands send one or two, others send a lot more. However, the best ones make their point quickly and give their subscribers the information that’s relevant and desired.
We recommend a welcome flow that has the following three emails:
- The first email: Greets them, thanks them for the signup, and quickly establishes your brand
- The second email: Presents a behind-the-scenes look at your brand, your products, or yourself
- The third email: Shows off your happy existing customers (using, for example, rave reviews from your social media) and presents a discount
But remember, these aren’t fixed rules. It’s always worth experimenting to see what works best for your brand and your audience. B-Wear’s welcome series has only two emails, but it enjoys a 66% conversion rate and revenue-per-email of $2.37.
Welcome email examples: key takeaways
The humble welcome email can immediately help to build customer loyalty, as well as increase your sales and revenue. You can send either a single email or automate a short series, and the welcome email examples above demonstrate how creative and varied they can be.
Keep these six tips in mind to help you craft the most effective welcome email:
- Introduce yourself: Tell your story. Showcase your products and offers. Give your new subscribers a reason to feel good about joining.
- Use a clear design: Whether your welcome email is to introduce your brand or make an immediate sale, stick to a clear structure. If you have a CTA, make sure it’s bright and noticeable. Email design is really important for converting subscribers into buyers.
- High-quality images only: Images can be beneficial, but only if they’re of good quality. Grainy, pixelated pictures look amateur and may harm your reputation. If you can’t produce your own, consider stock photos or text-only emails.
- Incentive matters: No matter if it’s free shipping or a small discount for first-time users, an incentive helps new subscribers become customers. If you don’t offer discounts, consider alternative ways to encourage your audience to try your product or service.
- Try a series: Although a single welcome email can be effective, a longer series of emails perform better. The extra touchpoints with recipients help to build brand recognition, which can develop trust. You can also enjoy higher conversion rates.
- Be polite: You can stay professional while also being friendly and human. Being helpful goes a long way to establishing positive emotions with your brand, and don’t forget to choose your preferred way to end an email.
Welcome emails can generate great results in a short amount of time and are a must-have tool in your marketing toolkit, but you’ll need a great marketing automation platform to get started.
If you have doubts about the best automated welcome email, CTAs, or workflow structure, check out the pre-built welcome email template options at Omnisend, which work right out of the box.
Want to learn more about email marketing? Check out Omnisend’s 2024 email marketing guide and learn how to reach out to more existing and potential customers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
No fluff, no spam, no corporate filler. Just a friendly letter, twice a month.
What’s next