Guide

How to write a welcome email sequence (with prompts)

What to put in the first five emails a new subscriber receives, and prompts to draft each one with an AI assistant.

The welcome sequence is the most-read email you'll ever send. New subscribers are paying attention right now, so the first few emails set the tone for everything after. A simple five-email structure works for most small businesses and creators.

The five emails

1. Deliver and welcome. Give them what they signed up for and say what to expect. 2. Your story. Why you do this, in a few honest paragraphs. 3. Your best help. Your most useful piece of advice or content. 4. A common mistake. Something your audience gets wrong and how to fix it. 5. A soft offer. What you sell, who it's for, and who it isn't for.

Prompt: plan the sequence

I run [business] for [audience]. People join my list via [signup reason]. Plan a 5-email welcome sequence: for each email give the goal, a subject line, the main point and the call to action. My main offer is [offer].

Prompt: write the story email

Write email 2 of my welcome sequence. It tells why I started [business]: [3–4 real facts]. Conversational, under 250 words, no hype, ending with a question readers can reply to.

Prompt: subject lines

Write 10 subject lines for this email: [paste]. Mix curiosity, plain benefit and personal. Under 45 characters. No clickbait, no all-caps.

Prompt: the soft offer

Write email 5. Introduce [offer] at [price] to people who've read the last four emails. Explain who it's for and who it isn't for, answer the 2 most likely objections honestly, and include one clear link.

Send yourself the whole sequence before you switch it on. Read it on your phone, in order, the way a subscriber will.