How do I set up an automated Welcome campaign?

What is a welcome campaign?

A welcome email is the very first email communication that you have with a subscriber and is often part of a series of emails sent post-subscription. A welcome email is your opportunity to deliver information to new subscribers about your brand and convey the benefits of your emails.

When should a welcome campaign be sent?

Think back to a time that you signed up to receive something. You wanted to receive it immediately, right? Your subscribers share that expectation. 

The most successful welcome campaigns are sent within minutes of a subscriber filling out a signup form. And, since they are expecting your email, they are more likely to open it.

How-To

1. Navigate to Campaigns. 
2. Click the "Create Campaign" button (top-right).
3. Select "Automated" for the Campaign Type then choose "Welcome" from the sub-menu:
   
   
   
   
4. Click "Save and Next". Follow the workflow steps for Design, Preview, and Test.
5. In the Activate step, set the Campaign Status to "Running" to turn the campaign on. Notes:
   • The campaign must be set to running in order for it to be sent.
   • The campaign will not be sent until the next form submission, API call, or CSV import occurs to call it.
   • You can return to the campaign anytime and turn it off by selecting "Not Running".
     
     
     
     
6. Optionally add to a report group or add Lead Score settings. 
   
   

How are automated welcome emails sent?

Welcome and confirmed opt-in campaigns can be configured to send when a form is submitted, when a CSV import occurs, or when new contacts are added via API.

1. Form submission - Assign your automated message to a form. In the form editor, navigate to the "INFO" tab (right side). Choose the type of automated message from the "Automated Sign Up Message" drop-down:
   
   
   
   
2. CSV import - In the last step of the CSV import process, open the "Import Action" menu. To send a your welcome, select "Import as regular contacts and send hello message". To send your confirmed opt-in, select "Import as unconfirmed contacts and send confirmation request":
   
   
   
   
3. API - A contact status of needs-hello can be sent with the call to add a new contact & send a welcome. Or, use needs-confirm to send a confirmed opt-in. 

Notes

1. Accounts only allow for one type of Automated Welcome campaign that goes to all subscribers unless noted otherwise in an import. For more flexibility with your welcome, you may want to try the Automated-Triggered campaign type and trigger off of a join-date segment. Visit our e-learning library to learn more about triggered campaigns & other features.
   
   
2. While this article contains information specifically for automated welcome emails, the steps to set up a campaign and send an activated campaign are very much the same for confirmation emails. See this article for confirmed opt-in setup.

Resources

Visit our best practices article for automated campaigns.