Let’s be brutally honest, how many times do you sign up to someone’s mailing list and the first email you get looks something like this…
“Hi [name] , Its awesome to have you on my list…Now go buy this product because I really like it!”
Tongue in cheek I know, but sadly this seems to be how so many people start a relationship with their brand new subscribers.
A pitch!
And what better way to LOSE that subscriber for life.
Today we’re going to look at the first email you should be sending your mailing lists and break it down in parts. You’ll see why the ‘Indoctrination Email’ is not only the most important email you will send, it could change your email marketing for ever!
What is an Indoctrination Email?
Simply put, it’s an email designed to get your brand new subscriber familiar with who you are and what you will be offering them when they stay subscribed to your list.
So it’s important to make a great first impression!
You want your new subscriber to feel valued and welcomed to the list. You do that obviously by thanking them for joining.
Here’s a sample of you might want to put into your first email…
“Hey [name] ,
It’s awesome to have you on board and thank you so much for joining our community! Please take a few minutes to read this email, it’ll help you get familiar with our company and what you can expect to receive in your inbox over the next few days and weeks!”
Next I’ll add a bit of humor to make people know, I’m not a robot. I’m a real human being writing this email and I understand why ‘another email’ might not be exactly what they are dying to get…
“More emails? I can see you rolling your eyes already…But stick with me for a minute, I promise you that you will get some great tips and tricks form these emails and I will only send you information that will be of value to you!
Trust me! I understand the frustration with excessive emails, so I’ll keep them brief and to the point. You won’t need more than a few minutes to read them when they arrive :)”
Did you see what I did there?
I not only added slight humor, but also helped reassure them that they made the right decision to not only join the list, but stay subscribed. Also, I wanted to make sure they knew I valued them! This is critical.
Next, I want to briefly go over a few action steps I would like my new subscriber to do. This is so important for a few reasons…
First, it gets my subscribers into the habit of actually clicking links when they get my emails. I would like them to take action on everything I send, so this first one helps get them familiar with actually clicking the links I may send in the future
Second, we want to PULL people into the lines of communication and while email is a fantastic way to send messages, isn’t the best to have two way communication in.
So I’d do something like this…
“Before we get started, I truly believe that because you joined my list, you are serious about success. So I would LOVE to get in contact with you. However that can be tricky if you don’t have my emails whitelisted.
Step 1 – Be sure to white list (link to your white list instruction page) all emails from (mylist@mylistexample.com) This will guarantee that you get all communications from me and I don’t end up in the email filter abyss…
Step 2 – Like I said, I would LOVE to connect with you. Here are my personal Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts. Please do follow me on each and let me know when you do so. I’ll be sure to follow you back and add you as a friend!
Step 3 – And finally, be sure to look out for (TITLE OF MY NEXT EMAIL) that will be arriving in your inbox tomorrow. I’ve got some fantastic things that I can’t wait to share with you then…
And of course, be sure to poke around my personal blog and check out my more popular blog topics. This will give you a great start on everything we will be going over in this email series!
And then finally, I’ll send the indoctrination email with another message of gratitude and excitement for the future potential relationship my subscriber and I will share…
“Thank you once again for joining my list, I’m so grateful that you have allowed me into your inbox! I can’t wait to connect with you on social media and please remember, if you have any questions at all, I’m only a quick email away…
(insert your personal email here)
Yours in success,
Jon Olson”
Here is an example of the welcome letter Justin wrote for RocketResponder:
So putting this all together….
The purpose of this email is to get people to know you!
Find out what you offer and what they expect from being on your email list. The critical point is to PULL people back to you. Get them to take action on this first email by getting them to white list your emails and connect with you on social media.
This builds the relationship from day one!
And when you start the relationship off on the right foot, the future will be so much brighter.
