A good welcome email arrives right after someone signs up, thanks them, says what they will get and how often, and gives one next step, such as a first-order code or a booking link. Pick your business type below, add your name and offer, and copy a ready subject line and body.
| Part | Why |
|---|---|
| Subject that names you | People signed up minutes ago; your name is what they recognise |
| What to expect and how often | Sets the deal, so later emails are not a surprise |
| One next step | A single link gets clicked more easily than five |
| Postal address | Required by CAN-SPAM if the email promotes anything |
| Unsubscribe link | Needed in marketing mail; Gmail asks for a visible link in the body |
Updated
The welcome email is the one message almost every new subscriber is expecting, so it is worth ten minutes of care. These templates are short on purpose: a small business does not need a five-part story, it needs a clear hello and a reason to come back.
Business type:
Business name: Rosa's Bakery
Welcome offer or next step: 10% off your first order with code HELLO10
Hi there,
Thanks for signing up to hear from Rosa's Bakery. As promised, here is your welcome offer: 10% off your first order with code HELLO10.
You will get an email from us about twice a month with new arrivals and the odd sale, nothing more.
See you soon,
The Rosa's Bakery teamShop new arrivals
Rosa's Bakery · [your postal address] · Unsubscribe
| When | Goal | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | Right after signup or confirmation | Thank them, deliver the promise |
| Story | Two or three days later | Who you are and why you started |
| Best of | About a week in | Your most useful page or product |
A single-column version you can paste into an email tool's HTML editor. It uses a table for layout because many mail apps handle tables more reliably than modern CSS.
Swap the text, link and address. Inline styles are used because many mail apps drop style blocks.
<table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background:#f4f4f4">
<tr><td align="center" style="padding:16px">
<table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="max-width:520px;background:#ffffff;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#222">
<tr><td style="padding:24px">
<h1 style="margin:0 0 12px;font-size:22px">Welcome to Rosa's Bakery</h1>
<p style="margin:0 0 12px">Thanks for signing up. Here is 10% off your first order: <b>HELLO10</b>.</p>
<p style="margin:0 0 20px">We email about twice a month, nothing more.</p>
<a href="https://example.com/shop" style="background:#4F98FB;color:#ffffff;padding:10px 18px;border-radius:6px;text-decoration:none">Shop new arrivals</a>
</td></tr>
<tr><td style="padding:16px 24px;font-size:12px;color:#777">Rosa's Bakery, 1 Example Street, Springfield · <a href="https://example.com/unsubscribe" style="color:#777">Unsubscribe</a></td></tr>
</table>
</td></tr>
</table>Lead with your business name or with the thing you promised. Welcome to Rosa's Bakery and Your 10% code is inside both tell the reader exactly why the email exists.
Skip all-caps, fake RE: prefixes and anything the FTC would call a deceptive subject line. The subject has to match what is inside.
Once the first welcome works, add one or two follow-ups: a story about how you started, then your most useful page. Space them a few days apart and stop the series if someone buys.
Our guide to automating email sequences walks through setting that up in common email tools.
Straight after signup, triggered automatically by your email service. If you use double opt-in, send it right after the person clicks the confirmation link.
If it promotes anything, such as a discount, treat it as marketing: the FTC's CAN-SPAM guide asks for an opt-out and your physical postal address, and Gmail asks bulk senders for a visible unsubscribe link.
Short enough to read on a phone without scrolling much. Three short paragraphs and one button is plenty for most small businesses.
Only if your signup form promised one or your margins allow it. A useful link, like your booking page or best-selling product, works as a next step too.
In the UK, the ICO's soft opt-in lets you email existing customers about similar products if you offered an opt-out when you took their details and in every message. In the US, CAN-SPAM does not require prior consent but does require an opt-out.
Related: How to automate email sequences, Double opt-in, Email subject line tester, Order confirmation email template, How to create an email newsletter.
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