When was the last time you thought about the Welcome email your Association sends to new members? Do you know if the information is still relevant? Do you send a quick casual message and move on? Or have you crafted a powerful, personal message welcoming your new members into your Association family?
I recently read an article from MemberZone titled “The Power of the Email”, which outlined important steps to keep in mind when building your welcome email. This article made me revisit my Association’s email communications with a fresh perspective, and gave me key points to consider to refresh this valuable communication opportunity. My key takeaways from this article are:
- Develop a short but punchy subject line
- Make your email mobile friendly
- Remind them of the member benefits they can access right away
The subject line is the lifeblood of your email. Surprised? If the subject line doesn’t catch their attention and make them want to open your email, then what’s inside the email is not important. Just think of the hundreds of emails a day that flood your inbox. What makes you decide to open an email and ignore another?
Having mobile friendly emails is vital. Today people access email on their cell phones and tablets far more frequently than via a computer. But being mobile friendly doesn’t just mean making sure they can read your message on a smaller screen. It means considering that your subject line will be cut off after 30 characters. It means make sure you are only linking to content they will be able to view. It means making your message short enough for convey your key points in 20 seconds or less.
Remind them of the member benefits they can access NOW. They just joined, so now what? Tell them how to access the important benefits that made them apply for membership. Are they trying to obtain certification? Do they want to add your logo to their marketing materials? Are they looking for business leads? Whatever it is that your members want, be sure to show them the path to those benefits right away.
These key takeaways don’t detract from the importance of thanking the new member for joining, being consistent with your branding, and making it personal. These elements all work in tandem to make the member want to open your email and lay the foundation for their future engagement with the Association.
What message does your Welcome Email send to your new members?
