You might wonder why it’s so important to develop a welcome email campaign, but a welcome campaign is one of the most important parts of starting to build a relationship with your new subscribers. 

Having a strong welcome series ensures that you develop a good relationship with your readers. It allows them to get to know you and your cause, and sets them up to keep in touch with you over a long period of time. 

If you only send emails when you need money, most readers won’t feel inclined or obligated to deliver. But, if you continuously prove to your new contacts that your work is having a real, positive impact on the world, then they will be more compelled to support your mission in the long run. 

When developing a welcome email campaign, it’s important to consider a few things: 

3 Things to Consider for Your Donor Welcome Series

Timing

‍Welcome campaigns are sent over an extended period of time, to continuously build trust with your readers. As with any relationship, trust takes time, so be sure to pace your emails instead of sending too many at once. Use your email platform to automate your process and send an email right after that initial point of contact. That way, when someone makes a donation or signs up for your email list, they’ll automatically receive the first email of the series. 

Initial point of contact

‍One welcome series does not fit all. Depending on what your initial point of contact was, prepare a different welcome series to cater to the relationship a person has to your organization. Send a thank-you email to first time donors so that they know that their contribution is appreciated. If you get a new subscriber because they signed one of your petitions, create a welcome series that highlights the cause that they care about. 

‍Tone

‍Your welcome email series is your first impression, and as in most aspects in life, it’s hard to bounce back from a bad first impression. That’s why it’s incredibly important, especially in the first email of the series, to make sure that your message is relevant, interesting, and friendly. Avoid being snarky or sarcastic-- though some companies use that kind of humor in their campaigns. Readers will feel more engaged in your mission if you emphasize that you’re happy that they’re joining you.