Saying hello after someone signs up is a great way to welcome them into your world. It helps them feel invited and included, and gives them insight they might not find on your website. But with so many strategies for a great welcome series, how do you know you're ticking all the boxes?

Here are the five must-have elements to build in:

It's nice to greet customers, but while you have them, appeal to them a little more. Your first email is your chance to show why they should choose you over a competitor. Don't overdo it, but in 3 to 5 sentences, communicate your key values:

Not everyone arrives ready to buy, some don't even know what they want, having just landed from a Facebook ad. This is your time to shine and show them what to buy. A collection of popular picks tells them what's hot and what they can't live without:

If the customer already has intent, it doubles as an upsell, lifting your average order value.

Your product may look great in pictures, but that doesn't always convince people to buy. Real reviews from customers who've tried and tested your products stimulate purchases, especially from the hesitant. The trick is to cluster different kinds together:

Together, these cover the main worries a new customer has, alleviating fear and tension all at once.

First-timers aren't always willing to try something new, so sometimes you need to nudge them over the line. If your model allows it, a discount in your welcome series can transform how many sales you convert. It doesn't need to be huge:

Email is a fantastic sales tool, our favourite for a reason. But even we admit it's not the only one. Use your welcome series to point people to your socials. It gives them more day-to-day insight into your brand, and gives you more chances to convert:

A welcome series isn't one email doing everything. It's five jobs, done in the right order.