A welcome sequence is a series of automated emails that greet a subscriber or customer after their first contact with a brand. It's one of the most powerful tools in email marketing. When set up correctly, a welcome sequence warms up the audience, introduces the product, builds trust, reduces support requests, and drives sales.

In this article, we'll cover:

  • why welcome sequences matter and in which industries,
  • how many emails to build them from,
  • how to write each email,
  • how to analyze performance.

What a welcome sequence is

A welcome sequence is an automated series of emails sent after registration, subscription, or a first order. It usually includes:

  • a welcome email,
  • an email with useful materials,
  • an email with a promotion or offer,
  • an email showcasing the product or service,
  • an email with reviews and case studies.

The goal of a welcome sequence is to create a strong first impression and prepare the customer for the next step.

Why welcome sequences matter

Welcome sequences help you:

  • increase first purchases, sign-ups, or activations,
  • explain the value of the product,
  • build trust,
  • teach people how to use the product,
  • reduce the support load,
  • warm up the audience ahead of sales.

For more on why the first contact matters, see the Letteros article on subscriber engagement.

Industries where welcome sequences matter most

  1. E-commerce → introducing your range, a welcome discount, product recommendations.
  2. Online courses and schools → introducing the dashboard, schedule, useful materials.
  3. Services and SaaS → explaining features, demonstrating value, onboarding.
  4. Media and content → a roundup of top content, setting up interests.
  5. B2B → introducing an account manager, case studies, research.
  6. Nonprofits and charities → the organization's story, where donations go, success stories.

Scenarios and number of emails

There's no universal template — the sequence depends on the goal.

E-commerce (4 emails)

  1. Thanks for signing up + a discount.
  2. A roundup of popular products.
  3. Reviews and social proof.
  4. A reminder about the promotion or a personalized offer.

Online courses (5 emails)

  1. A welcome + instructions.
  2. The schedule and curriculum.
  3. Useful articles and videos.
  4. Student success stories.
  5. A call to complete the intro lesson.

SaaS (5–6 emails)

  1. Welcome + a feature overview.
  2. Account setup.
  3. Tips and tricks.
  4. Use cases and examples.
  5. A demo invitation.
  6. A special offer.

Media (3–4 emails)

  1. Subscription confirmation.
  2. The week's top content.
  3. Setting up interests.
  4. A call to invite friends.

How to write each email

Email 1: Welcome

  • Thank them for signing up.
  • Confirm the value (why they subscribed).
  • Tell them what's coming next.

Example:"Thanks for subscribing to Letteros! Over the next few days, we'll show you how to use email marketing to grow sales and retain customers."

Email 2: Useful information

  • Tell them about the product.
  • Give 1–2 quick tips.
  • Keep their interest alive.

Example:"Here are 3 ways Letteros helps you build the perfect email in 15 minutes."

Email 3: Social proof

  • Case studies, reviews, success stories.
  • Links to press mentions, awards.
  • Emphasize that the product has been proven by others.

Email 4: Engagement

  • A call to try the product.
  • A specific task: complete a lesson, build an email, set up a catalog.

Email 5: Promo or special offer

  • A bonus or promotion for completing the first steps.
  • A personalized offer.
  • A time limit.

Key elements of every email

  • A personal greeting.
  • A clear CTA (call to action).
  • Short, specific copy.
  • A lightweight, responsive design.
  • UTM tags for tracking.

For more on building emails, see the Letteros article on CTAs in email campaigns.

Why measure the performance of welcome sequences

Without data, you can't know whether the sequence is working. Analysis lets you:

  • find weak spots (where you're losing audience),
  • understand what to improve (subject line, CTA, timing),
  • prove the value of automation to the business.

For more, see the Letteros article on why analyzing email campaigns matters.

Key metrics

  1. Open rate → Shows how well your subject lines and sender name grab attention.
  2. Click rate (CTR) → The share of clicks on links inside the email.
  3. Click-to-open rate (CTOR) → The ratio of clicks to opened emails — shows how engaging the content is.
  4. Conversion rate → The number of completed target actions: sign-up, purchase, app install.
  5. Unsubscribes → The share of users who unsubscribed during the sequence.
  6. Spam complaints → A signal that the sequence is irritating or doesn't match expectations.

How to collect data

  1. Use UTM tags Add UTM tags to every link:?utm_source=email&utm_medium=welcome&utm_campaign=onboarding
  2. Connect site analytics → Yandex Metrica: goals, segments, ecommerce.→ Google Analytics: events, conversions, ecommerce.
  3. Analyze data in your email platform Unisender, Mindbox, and Retail Rocket all offer per-email reports.
  4. Compare against CRM data Export leads from your CRM and see who came through the welcome sequence.

How to analyze performance

  1. Look at the sequence as a whole Don't fixate on a single email. What matters is how many people made it to the end.
  2. Track progress at every step
  • Opens → clicks → conversions.
  • How many people dropped off after the first email? After the second?
  1. Compare segments
  • New subscribers vs. returning ones.
  • Subscribers from different sources (site, social media, ads).
  1. Assess ROI
  • How much revenue did the welcome sequence generate?
  • How much did it cost to build?

Common mistakes

❌ No single goal for the welcome sequence.❌ No UTM tags.❌ No control over the timing between emails.❌ Ignoring complaints and unsubscribes.❌ No automated tests (A/B testing subject lines, CTAs, content).

How to improve welcome sequences based on analysis

  1. Optimize subject lines If open rate is below 30%, test new wording.
  2. Improve the content If CTOR is below 10%, add more value, shorten the text, change the CTA.
  3. Revisit the timing If unsubscribes are climbing, check how often you're sending.
  4. Add segmentation Don't send one sequence to your entire list. For example: B2C vs. B2B, new vs. returning.
  5. Implement automation Set up trigger scenarios: opened it — get email 1, didn't open it — get a reminder.

What tools to use

  • Letteros → preparing templates.
  • Mindbox or Retail Rocket → launching campaigns, analytics.
  • Yandex Metrica, Google Analytics → tracking conversions.

Conclusion

The effectiveness of welcome sequences isn't just about nice-looking reports — it's about concrete improvements. Analyze every email, and track final conversions, not just clicks. Regularly improving your welcome sequences turns them from basic automation into a powerful sales tool.

For more on why analysis matters, see the Letteros article on email metrics.