How to audit your email welcome sequence

When was the last time you took a look at your email welcome series? If your answer is months ago or not since I wrote it, then this blog post is for you.

The great thing about email sequences is that they are scheduled and sent out automatically. Out of sight. Out of mind. That doesn’t mean you should just leave it to do its stuff forever. You need to check back in on your sequences to make sure they are optimised. Your welcome email sequence is the first set of emails your subscribers get from you so they need to be good. Doing a quick audit will ensure they are up to standard. 

Here are 3 things you need to check when auditing your welcome sequence.

Is everything still accurate?

In the world of online business, everything moves pretty fast. It’s possible in a matter of months, the details of your business has changed. So read through each email. Does it still reflect you? Check any links to make sure they still work. Have you learnt something since you wrote the emails that would enhance them? Do you have new testimonials you could include?

If your emails don’t reflect your website, social media and everything else you are saying, it’s going to get confusing for your subscribers. Your emails shouldn’t feel outdated. Your subscribers shouldn’t be able to tell that you wrote the sequence and then never thought about it again. Otherwise, it suggests you don’t care that much. People who have gone to the effort of signing up to your email list should be treated like VIPs.

What are the analytics like?

Email marketing tools give you information about open rates and click rates. Use that information to work out what emails are doing well and what emails aren’t doing as well. When people first subscribe to you, they are the most engaged so you don’t want to be sending out emails that just don’t hit the mark. Their excitement about you can fade quickly. 

There are various reasons why you might see a dip in the metrics of one email. It could be that you are sending emails too frequently and your subscribers are getting overwhelmed. Spread out the emails a bit more so they are only receiving a couple a week. It could be that the subject line of the email just isn’t that enticing. How can you phrase it in a way that they can’t help but click? It could also be that the email isn’t relevant to them. 

Consider how subscribers sign up to your list. If it’s through a freebie on a specific topic within your expertise, it’s a good idea to keep emails relevant to that topic. For example, just because someone is interested in email marketing doesn’t necessarily mean they are interested in sales pages. It’s fine to start off with the same welcome sequence for all your freebies but over time I would suggest adapting your sequence to best suit each freebie. 

It might take a bit of trial and error to get your welcome sequence just right. That’s okay. It’s a chance for you to learn more and more about your audience and develop a better relationship with them. 

Do you have a strategy behind your sequence?

I’m not a fan of sending emails for the sake of it. I like to write with purpose. But sometimes when we are first starting out, we just do what we think we should do. This is your chance to think about the strategy behind your welcome sequence. 

I always recommend starting with value. Give before you ask anything. I would also suggest introducing yourself within your email sequence. You don’t know how much people know about you before signing up. A little introduction gets them up to speed. 

Then I would focus on building your bond. What experiences do you have in common? Include those in your emails. You want to show you understand your subscribers on an emotional level as well as showing you are an expert in your niche. Common interests and experiences are a great way to strengthen bonds.

As you get to the end of the welcome sequence (they’re usually no more than 6-7 emails) it’s time to introduce a call to action. Think about what you offer. What would suit their interest and what isn’t a massive ask? Something like a low priced product would be a good next step for new subscribers to take. Or you could ask them to watch a webinar that gives value and then sells your offer. 

You can mention the rest of your services just so they know but it’s a bit early to expect them to make a big investment in you. Suggest a little step further in your sales funnel and then continue to nurture them through your standard emails. 

Follow these three steps and your welcome email sequence will be renewed. Remember, sequences are super helpful. It automates the nurturing process. Just check in on them now and again to make sure they are working for you, not against you. 

Emails are your chance to shine! If you’d like to learn more about how you can shine through email, join the waitlist for my email writing course. Together we’ll dig deep into building relationships through email and staying on top of all the writing so you get the most out of the time you spend on your email marketing.

Plus if you join the waitlist, you’ll get info on how to get an exclusive discount when the course launches.