Aeralis
Free Template

Welcome Email Template

TL;DR

A welcome email is the highest-open-rate email you'll ever send — average open rates are 50-86% (Omnisend, Klaviyo). It deserves real attention. The best welcome emails do exactly one thing: tell the new user/customer/employee what to do next. Skip the 'welcome to the family' opener, skip the company history, skip the discount unless you're e-commerce. State the goal of the email, give one clear action, and stop. Resist the urge to cram in every value prop you've ever written.

When to use this template

Send a welcome email when someone signs up for your product, becomes a customer, joins your company, or subscribes to your list. Send it immediately (within seconds for SaaS, within minutes for B2B). The single most important variable is timing — a welcome email sent 24 hours after signup gets half the engagement of one sent in 30 seconds.

Welcome email templates

Scenario 1

SaaS product welcome — first activation step

Subject

Welcome to [Product] — your first step

Body

Hi [First name],

Welcome to [Product]. The fastest way to see whether this is going to be useful for you: [one specific first action — e.g., 'create your first project,' 'connect your first data source,' 'send your first message'].

It takes about [N minutes]. [Optional one-line value proof: 'Most teams see [outcome] within the first day of doing this.']

[Big button: 'Take the first step']

If you get stuck, reply to this email — it goes to a real person.

[Your name]
Founder, [Company]

Scenario 2

B2B services welcome — kickoff next steps

Subject

Welcome to [Company] — what happens this week

Body

Hi [First name],

Welcome aboard. I'm thrilled to be working with you and wanted to walk you through what to expect over the next week.

Day 1 (today): I'll send you a kickoff document with our project plan and milestone dates.
Day 3: [Specific deliverable / meeting / question we'll cover].
Day 7: First check-in call — already on your calendar for [day, time].

In the meantime, the most useful thing you can do is [one specific prep item]. Should take [N minutes].

Replies come straight to me — no auto-responders, no support queue.

Looking forward to the work,
[Your name]

Scenario 3

New hire welcome email

Subject

Welcome to [Company]! Here's your first week

Body

Hi [First name],

We are so excited to have you on the team. Your first day is [date] — here's what to expect:

Day 1, morning: Meet me at the front desk at 9:30. I'll walk you through orientation, your laptop setup, and introductions to the team.
Day 1, afternoon: Team lunch — we've blocked 12:30-1:30 to take you out.
Day 2-3: [Specific onboarding modules / pairings].
End of week 1: 1:1 with me to debrief and answer questions.

The only prep we need from you: bring a photo ID for badging. Everything else we'll handle.

If anything feels unclear or you need anything before Monday, this email comes straight to me.

Welcome to [Company],
[Manager name]

Tips for writing a better welcome email

  • 1Send it immediately. A welcome email delayed by more than a few minutes loses half its open-rate advantage.
  • 2Pick one action. The temptation is to list five things; the reality is users do zero things from a list of five. Pick the single most important first step.
  • 3Make it look human. From a real person, signed by a real person, with a real reply path. Generic 'no-reply' welcome emails get worse engagement than personal-looking ones from a no-name founder.
  • 4Skip the discount if you're SaaS or services. Discounts in welcome emails are an e-commerce convention; they make products feel cheaper, not better.
  • 5Set expectations explicitly. 'Here's what to expect this week' beats 'we're excited to have you' — the second one is filler, the first is useful.

Stop copy-pasting templates

Aeralis writes welcome emails — and every other type — directly in your Gmail inbox. It learns your writing style from your sent emails, so drafts sound like you wrote them, not like a template.

Add to Gmail — it's freeTry the free AI email writer

Free tier: 15 emails/month. No credit card required.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average open rate for a welcome email?

Welcome emails average 50-86% open rates, depending on industry and audience (Omnisend 2024 data: 86% for retail, Klaviyo: 53-70% across categories). For comparison, the average promotional email gets 20-25%. The welcome email is the single highest-ROI email in your entire customer journey — treat it accordingly.

When should a welcome email be sent — immediately or after a delay?

Immediately. Within 30 seconds is ideal for SaaS signups (the user is still at their screen and ready to take action). Within 5 minutes is fine for B2B and ecommerce. After 24 hours, engagement drops by 50%+. Welcome email automation should fire on the signup event, not on a scheduled batch.

Should I include a discount in my welcome email?

For e-commerce, often yes — discounts in welcome emails increase first-purchase rates significantly (typically 20-30%). For SaaS and B2B services, usually no — discounts in your welcome email anchor your product as 'something on sale' rather than 'something worth paying for.' If your goal is activation rather than conversion, skip the discount and focus on the next action.

Related email templates

Introduction Email Template →

Use an introduction email when you're starting a new role, reaching out to a new contact for the first time, or introducing two people to each other. The goal is to establish context quickly and lower the barrier to a reply.

Thank You Email Template →

Send a thank-you email after interviews, client meetings, business introductions, helpful favors, or speaking engagements. It strengthens the relationship and keeps you top-of-mind.

Meeting Request Email Template →

Use a meeting request email when you need to get synchronous time with someone — a sales prospect, client, teammate, or external partner. The goal is to lower the friction of scheduling.

View all email templates