Welcome! I am so Glad You are Here.

How do you want your new clients to feel when they get their first email from you and your studio?

Invited. Comfortable. Desired. Cherished. At Home.

These are the "feels" that your new clients should feel when they get a personalized email from you, warmly welcoming them to your studio home. Isn't that how you want them to feel when they come to visit you? Isn't that how YOU want to feel when you trade your time and dollars for a new experience?

Here are some of my favorite, easy to implement suggestions to get the most out of your welcome email to new clients. But first, why should you care?

Did you know that 320% more revenue is attributed to welcome emails as compared to regular promotional emails? That is huge! 

320% more of any amount of money is a nice boost, yes?

Your welcome email is one of the first (if not THE first) opportunities you have to connect with new clients and begin to nurture the Know-Like-Trust factor that is so important to cultivate an ongoing relationship with them. 

What is a welcome email? A welcome email is the first email that a new subscriber receives after they join your email list, or in the case of a boutique fitness business, when they purchase an introductory offer or drop-in class to give your studio a try for the first time. Because it’s the first email you send, it’s your best chance to engage with your potential members and share your unique brand and voice with them.

When a new client gives you their contact information and some of their hard-earned money, it’s like a handshake. They have extended a hand and said “nice to meet you, I’m so-and-so. I’ve heard a lot about you, and am willing to give your studio a try.” 

Your welcome email is you reaching out to close the handshake. You likely don't want to water down their excitement with a welcome email that says only:

"Thanks for registering, so and so. Here is your login information."

Does that kind of response make you feel invited, comfortable, desired, cherished and at home? Not so much.

The welcome email is your first personal, one-to-one impression in the customer onboarding process. So what should it include?

  • The client's first name, to make it personal

  • Acknowledgement and thanks for their the purchase, or whatever action they took to get on your list

  • Login information (or how to get it) for their account so that they can register for their first and subsequent classes

  • "Need to knows" about your studio such as where to park, how early to arrive, what to bring and what to wear

  • A friendly summary of what to expect, and a teaser about what is next (how they will feel, etc.)

  • A call-to-action (CTA) for the next step you want them to take, with links if possible

These things may seem easy to you, but your new clients may have no idea what they are getting into and may even feel uneasy about trying yoga/pilates/barre for the first time. Easing their nerves with this information before they arrive will go a long way towards helping them to feel at ease, plus it will save you and your desk staff some time when they arrive.

Your welcome email is the most likely to be read of any email you are going to send to them, so don't hold back. Give them all they need to know to get started, and let them know that they are welcome and that you are glad they have chosen to check out your community.

The welcome email is your first and best shot to draw them into your circle and get them to Know-Like-Trust you.

If your welcome email reads like the back of a shampoo bottle, not to worry, it is easy and quick to fix.

Spend a few minutes today to review your welcome email and make sure that it is warm and personal. Double-check that all of the information is correct (COVID updates, perhaps?) and that all the links in your CTA work if you have one. Dead links are a super bummer to your new client who is excited to buy something from you, or join your group, or simply ask a question.

If you use automations, set up your welcome email to go out the first time a new client comes to class, or better yet, as soon as they create a profile in your booking software. The sooner they better! Share with them all the juicy stuff they need to know about how to enjoy a class with you.

All those silly first-timer questions that make you roll your eyes? Answer them in your welcome email.

Reach out to me if you would you like another set of eyes on your welcome email, or any of your other email marketing. I would be honored to help.

Kristin Abel, VP Finance