13 Welcome Message Examples for Onboarding, Engagement & Sales

Any brick-and-mortar store will greet you with a customer service representative as soon as you walk in — something any online website should aim to replicate.

The good news? You can do exactly that with welcome messages.

You can use a website welcome message to make a strong first impression with new visitors and to promote your products and services. They remind consumers that they're not alone — they know someone’s there to help them and answer any questions they have while they're browsing your site.

Once a visitor becomes a customer, you can use a welcome message for website visitors who return to your site and make them feel like you are taking care of them again the next time they land on your website.

In this guide, we will break down:

• What is a Welcome Message?
• Why Businesses Should Optimize Website and Email Welcome Messages
• 13 Best Welcome Message Examples
• Welcome Message Best Practices

Let's get started.

What is a Welcome Message?#

A welcome message is when you communicate with a website visitor, returning customer, or new employee.

Welcome messages can be used for a variety of reasons. If someone lands on your website for the first time, you can use a welcome message to explain what your product is and how it works. You can also use a website welcome message to build relationships with returning customers to your website or even onboard new employees.

There are many different ways you can use welcome messages, such as:

• Onboarding new customers
• Welcoming new email subscribers
• Using chatbots to share product information
• Email welcome message for customers

And there are many, many more use cases, which we will discuss in a little bit. But now you know what welcome messages are, let's talk more about why it's a good idea for your business to use them.

Why Businesses Should Optimize Website and Email Welcome Messages#

Welcome emails do more than just leave a good impression — they help your business, too.

Studies have found that welcome emails have an average open rate of nearly 31%, and people who receive a welcome email will be 33% more engaged with a brand than if they never received one at all. Apart from keeping people engaged, welcome emails can:

• Help you onboard new staff and customers, using step-by-step guides and instructions
• Start a conversation about your product, showcase its benefits, and answer questions in real-time

The great thing about welcome messages is that there are so many different ways you can use them — from welcoming back returning customers to giving in-depth product explanations.

Here are 13 examples of how to do more with your business welcome messages.

13 Best Welcome Message Examples#

A welcome message can be an email. It can be a live chat message. It can even be a video.

These 13 welcome message examples will take a look at the best of the bunch.

1. Repeat visitor welcome message#

The first welcome message we're going to look at is a message you can send to a visitor who is returning to your website.

Based on user data (and using the right tools), your website can track whether a visitor has been on your website before and then trigger a welcome message to greet them again. Here's what one of those welcome messages looks like using JivoChat:

Here, you can see that the live chat widget has been triggered based on the person landing on the page and their past behavior. This is helpful for when people return and you want to offer them something to entice them into buying a product or service.

In this case, the returning visitor is given an incentivized offer, where they can sign up for two free weeks of a plan using a special promo code:

Depending on what you want to offer returning visitors, you can also customize the chat trigger to simply welcome them back to your site or strike up a conversation. You could write a welcome message that says something like:

We’re glad to have you with us again! What’s got you coming back?

Key takeaway#

Automating welcome messages to appear when a visitor returns to your site is a great way to make them feel important. It also gives you a unique opportunity to provide them with an incentivized offer to boost sales.

2. Product page welcome message#

Remember how we started this article with the premise that your online website should mimic the experience a customer receives in a brick-and-mortar store? Product page welcome messages do exactly that. They give new visitors to your site a quick introduction to your brand and what your product does. Take a look at this example from Infinity:

As soon as a person lands on their website, they discover a short and sweet rundown of what Infinity is, and then they can watch a video to learn more about the product if they want to. It's a great example of how to use a welcome message to inform a visitor about a product and make them feel comfortable on a website without being overbearing — if they want to learn more, all they have to do is play the video!

Key takeaway#

Product page welcome messages are a great way to put your website visitor in control of their journey on your website. By providing them with information about your product and giving them the option to learn more, you can be helpful without being overbearing.

3. Pricing page welcome messages#

When a visitor lands on your pricing page, it can represent a pivotal moment in their buying journey — are they now interested enough in your product that they are looking to buy?

Checking out how much your product costs is an indication that, yes, they are interested in buying your product. This is why pricing page welcome messages are such an important tool, as they can help answer any questions a customer may have about your pricing structure and even offer discounted plans to sweeten the deal.

Here's another example of Infinity using welcome messages effectively, this time on their pricing page:

The welcome message recognizes that the visitor could be interested in buying one of the company's plans. So, the chatbot asks them if they are interested in an offer: a chance to discuss lifetime pricing at a discounted rate.

Key takeaway#

Placing welcome messages on your pricing page gives your business a chance to talk to visitors that are further along in their buying journey. During this period, welcome messages provide the perfect opportunity to give visitors more information, answer any last-minute questions, and offer discounted products or lifetime deals if they choose to sign up.

4. Welcome email messages that encourage customer referrals#

70% of companies that use referral programs manage to either meet or exceed their revenue goals. That may have something to do with the fact that referred customers are worth more to a business. One study found that referral customers create 16% more lifetime value for your business.

That's why welcome messages that encourage customer referrals are such a great tool for businesses to use. One of the most successful referral programs in history was created by Dropbox:

The way it worked was simple: Each user that referred the product to a new customer was rewarded with 500MB of free Dropbox storage to use. This simple offer launched Dropbox from about 100,00 users to over 4 million in just over a year.

Key takeaway#

Referral welcome messages are an ideal way to fuel growth without giving monetary rewards. By offering rewards like product upgrades, you can attract new, higher-paying customers using the power of a simple referral.

5. Welcome email messages that segment your customer base#

Not all customers are the same, so sending out welcome messages using segmentation is important.

A study by MailChimp found segmenting your customer database generates 14% more email openings and 15% more clicks. Using segmentation, you can trigger communication to be sent to certain people in your customer base. You can set a welcome message for customers to be sent out based on how a customer signed up, what internal email links they click, or how much revenue their company makes.

We love this welcome email message from Sleeknote:

To help make their segmentation efforts as successful as possible, Sleeknote went straight to the source and asked their customer base what interested them most. Once a customer replied with the category that fit them best, they were then segmented in Sleeknote's database based on their answer.

Now, with these segmented audiences, Sleeknote can send different content to different segments at the same time.

Key takeaway#

Segmenting your customer base means you can send welcome messages and content that is relevant to their interests. For such a little change, Sleeknote noticed huge results when they started segmenting their emails, increasing open rates by over 1,200%.

6. In-app welcome messages for customer onboarding#

Welcome messages aren't just valuable for emails — they can help onboard new customers, too.

Using in-app messages is a perfect way to welcome new customers and introduce them to your tool without manually getting a customer success representative involved. If you set them up correctly, in-app welcome messages can be automated to show your new customer the ropes.

GoToWebinar uses in-app welcome messages to help introduce new customers to its product. For example, customers are shown how to use the tool's transcript feature using pop-up messages:

It's a great example of how to use an automated welcome message to walk a new customer through the best product features.

Key takeaway#

In-app welcome messages do something other welcome messages do not: make your customer feel comfortable with your new product and educate them while they're using it in real-time.

7. Chatbot welcome message for ecommerce support#

These days, your customers expect you to be responsive 24/7. With chatbot welcome messages, you can meet that expectation.

Chatbot welcome messages give your website the ability to communicate with visitors day and night, even when you’re not online. Thanks to automated responses, chatbots can keep your visitors up-to-date on information about products and even answer queries about deliveries and returns.

Here's an example from the JivoChat chatbot tool:

When your customer service team is online, they can give ecommerce support in real-time. If a visitor needs support outside of your business hours, the chatbot can take over using automated, pre-filled responses to common questions that are asked every day.

Key takeaway#

Chatbots give your ecommerce store a way to be available to customers 24/7 without paying for a 24/7 customer service team. Learn more about how they work here.

8. Welcome email message for customer onboarding#

Once a visitor buys a product, it's a good idea to get them acquainted with it and show them how to use it.

Welcome email messages do just that. Not only do they give your new customer a quick breakdown of the best bits of your product, but they can also show them what they need to do next to get started.

When new customers create an account in Asana, here's the welcome email that lands in their inbox:

The tool's top features are summarized to show the customer what they have to look forward to, and the call-to-action button to "get started" ensures that they have a chance to onboard as soon as they sign up.

Key takeaway#

Customers like to get acquainted with new products at their own pace, and welcome email messages that help with their onboarding do just that. Along with reinforcing a product's best features, the email also tells the customer what to do next and helps them get started.

9. Welcome messages that drive online store visits#

After a website visitor subscribes to your email list, it's only natural you'll want to show off your products. That's what welcome messages can do: drive new subscribers to your store. Here's how watch brand MVMT does that with its welcome message:

A lot of the message is based on the visuals (it is a watch brand, after all!). But the wording in this message works well, too. First, the tagline tells customers that MVMT's products won't break the bank. Then, the call-to-action buttons give subscribers a pathway to take a look at MVMT's products based on gender. Finally, it creates a sense of community by welcoming new subscribers to the movement!

Key takeaway#

Welcome messages are a great way to drive people to sales pages on your website. Whether you are operating an ecommerce store or selling courses, welcome messages can reinforce your offering while inviting subscribers to take a closer look through call-to-action buttons.

10. Welcome messages with a limited-time offer#

Adding a limited-time offer to a welcome message is a great way to drive sales as soon as a new subscriber lands on your email list.

Not only are limited-time offers engaging, but they can also give new customers a chance to get a taste-test of your product without having to pay full price. Here's how fashion giant Ralph Lauren welcomes new customers:

What we love about this welcome message is its wording. Customers feel like they've been invited into something special ("You're now on the list"), and the offer is shown as a "token of appreciation." It's clear that Ralph Lauren wants every new customer to know that they're special by rewarding them with a discount.

Key takeaway#

Offering new subscribers and customers a limited-time offer creates an urgency that can play in your favor. It can nudge people into a purchase, and with the right messaging, you can make them feel welcomed by your brand.

11. Welcome email messages for new subscribers#

Sometimes, the most effective welcome messages are all about making new customers feel comfortable.

Instead of upselling or onboarding a customer, why not use your first outreach to say hello and introduce your brand? The email can set expectations for what the new customer can expect from you in terms of communication and offers. It also gives customers a pathway to explore your site more if they wish.

Here how ASOS welcomes new subscribers:

The greeting and image are segmented based on the subscriber's gender (in this case, it's targeted towards a female customer). Then the new customer is given some information on what their relationship with ASOS will look like. They can expect fashion updates and even some special offers to land in their inbox.

Key takeaway#

Welcoming new subscribers with an email that doesn't try to push anything is a great way to build a relationship with them when they first interact with your company. They will remember this interaction with you, so make a good first impression.

12. Cart abandonment emails#

Technically, cart abandonment emails are not welcome messages but depending on whether the customer has shopped with you before, it could be your first interaction with them.

We're adding this example to the list because cart abandonment emails are a great way to remind visitors that your products caught their eye. By reminding them what they've left behind in their cart, you may be able to regain their interest and prompt them to jump back on your site and finish their transaction.

The best cart abandonment emails show what products were left behind and try to entice the customer back to the store, like this one from thredUP:

Not only is the design flawless (we especially love the abandonment issues pun!), but the call-to-action is fun: It's meant to be. The store has even added a discount code to the top of the email to sweeten the deal.

Key takeaway#

Cart abandonment emails are your last chance to salvage a sale from someone who has bounced from your site. Don't be afraid to try out some quirky copy or add in a discount code to lure the customer back to your store.

13. Welcome messages that create a personal connection#

Finally, welcome messages are the perfect tool to use to create a personal connection with new subscribers and customers.

Not every email or message you send to your customers needs to be selling something or offering discounts. Instead, think of these messages as a way to talk to your customer base directly and make them feel part of your community by humanizing your brand.

Here's an example from Beardbrand that welcomes people into its community using an embedded video:

The video explains what the company is about and encourages people to get involved in its online community. As the brand has an online beard blog and forum (that only customers can access), this welcome message is a great way to build a personal connection to every new customer as soon as they buy something from the site.

Key takeaway#

Businesses compete fiercely online, so building trust in your brand and cultivating a personal connection with your customers is key in keeping them happy. The best way to do that is by starting to build that connection from the moment a person interacts with your brand — and not a moment later.

Welcome Message Best Practices#

Our examples above detail what makes them work, but there are some best practices you should incorporate with every welcome message you send out. Here are the best practices we recommend you follow.

1. Use contextual triggers#

Contextual triggers allow your welcome messages to fit the intent of your visitors' needs. For example, if a visitor is on your pricing page, it's safe to say that they are looking for more information on how much your product costs. And if they are a returning visitor who is yet to purchase, they are likely looking for reassurance that your product is the right fit for them.

Image: Configuring proactive chat triggers inside JivoChat.

Adding simple contextual triggers to welcome messages allows you to personalize each one to your visitor's intent. Offer free trials to visitors hovering on your product page or, for repeat visitors, link content explaining how product features work.

2. Send from a real person#

The worst thing you can do when sending a welcome message is to make it seem like it comes from a machine instead of a human. Even if a visitor is interacting with your website at 4 a.m., your brand must be relatable and humanized.

If you send out a welcome email or chat message, and it's clearly from a robot (or even worse, a "donotreply" email address), it's going to be an uphill battle to build a personal connection with that customer.

Instead, make sure all communication is sent from a real person's email account and that all chat messages have a human name attached to them.

3. Personalize the subject line#

Your customer's inboxes are busy places, and you need to make your welcome messages stand out. Personalizing the subject line of your welcome emails is the easiest way to do this.

Adding the name of the customer or their business is a simple yet effective way to boost open rates and show them that you've been paying attention.

Personalized emails can increase your bottom line, too. They can generate transaction rates that are six times higher than messages without any personalization at all.

4. Set clear expectations#

Sending a welcome message gives your new customers a good idea of what they can expect from your company — whether it's regular communications or subscriber-only deals.

If you don't set expectations, customers won't know what to expect from your emails and won't feel any urgency to open them. Better yet, your welcome message should give your new customers a chance to decide what their communications with you should look like.

Take a leaf out of Michaels' book:

Each time a visitor subscribes to the company's email list, they can customize their preferences and choose what emails they want to receive based on their interests.

5. Create a sense of urgency#

Welcome messages are an ideal way to turn a subscriber into a buyer.

If someone signs up for your email list or a free trial, your ultimate goal is to turn them into a paying customer. Add a sense of urgency to your welcome messages by including limited-time offers or call-to-action buttons to get customers to act.

Learn what words to use that create urgency or appeal to the "FOMO" (fear of missing out). You can even A/B test different subject lines to determine which words work the best.

6. Encourage referrals#

Online referrals are one of the best word-of-mouth marketing available to companies, so make the most of them.

Let your customers know that if they recommend your company to their friends or family, you'll reward them with a product upgrade or a discount on their next purchase. Invite your customers to leave a review on your Google My Business listing (and don’t forget to respond to all reviews — both negative and positive ones).

7. Let users set preferences#

Giving your customers the power to choose how they communicate with your company is one of the best ways to build trust with your brand.

Letting them choose what types of emails and offers they receive, as well as the frequency of messages, will help them feel a personal connection with your company. It's also a great way to get an insight into their preferences, so you can segment your communications to better appeal to their interests.

8. Simplify with video#

If you can't get your welcome message across with words, put it in a video.

Video is now the most commonly used format in content marketing, and 80% of video marketers say the medium has led to a direct increase in sales. Videos give your customers a simple way to interact with your brand without reading through a lot of text. Video also breaks down the online barrier between you and your customer and allows you to talk to them one-on-one.

Start Using Welcome Messages Today#

Welcome messages are a vital tool for onboarding new customers and saying hello to new subscribers.

There are so many situations in which welcome messages can be used. You can build personal connections with new email subscribers, use welcome messages to help with customer onboarding, or even boost sales using limited-time offers. Depending on your tech stack, you can also use welcome messages in mediums from email to in-app messages and even videos.

So, what are you waiting for? Create a free account with JivoChat, and start using welcome messages to boost customer engagement today!