Bringing on new affiliates is crucial for growing an affiliate program. But retaining those affiliates long-term through great onboarding is equally important. Welcome emails are a key touchpoint in affiliate onboarding.
Well-crafted welcome email templates nurture new affiliates, provide valuable resources, and start driving activations faster. This guide will cover tips for designing affiliate welcome emails along with examples you can model.
Benefits of Welcome Emails
Here are some of the key reasons you need a solid welcome email sequence:
- Sets expectations - Outlines what new affiliates can expect from your partnership.
- Educates affiliates - Teach them about your brand, products, program details.
- Drives activations - Gives clear direction on first steps to start promoting and earning.
- Builds relationships - Shows you’re invested in their success and satisfied affiliates.
- Reduces churn - Affiliates who have a good onboarding are less likely to stop promoting.
- Scales onboarding - Sends consistent, positive first impression at scale.
Tips for Designing Affiliate Welcome Emails
When crafting your affiliate welcome emails, keep these tips in mind:
- Start immediately - Send the first welcome email immediately after approval.
- Keep it short - Welcome emails should be concise and scannable for new affiliates.
- Personalize - Use merge tags to include the affiliate's name in emails.
- Focus on value - Provide exclusive tools, offers, or info affiliates want.
- Clear direction - Explicitly tell them how to start promoting and direct to resources.
- Friendly tone - Come across as helpful, not formal or robotic.
- Mobile optimization - Ensure welcome emails are easy to read and engage on mobile.
Affiliate Welcome Email Templates & Examples
Here are some welcome email template examples and best practices you can model:
Welcome Email #1: Program Overview
Send this immediate introduction email to new affiliates:
- Warm welcome message with affiliate's name
- Brief background on your brand, products, customers
- Overview of commission rates and program details
- Overview of marketing resources available
- Set expectations for communication, feedback, support
Welcome Email #2: Promotion Guide
Provide a guide on how new affiliates can start driving activations:
- Recap promotional resources available - links, creatives, promo codes, etc.
- Explain top converting offers and products to focus on
- Share best practices for reaching and converting your audience
- Include case studies/examples of successful affiliates
- CTA to access affiliate portal and start promoting
Welcome Email #3: Exclusive Offer
Deliver special value through an exclusive incentive only for new affiliates:
- Frame as a limited-time new affiliate offer
- Provide promo code or special deal only for them
- Give clear direction on how to share offer and start earning
- Set expiration date to incentivize immediate action
- Thank them again for joining, reiterate support
Welcome Email #4: Social Introductions
Humanize your program by introducing key team members:
- Photos and bios of program manager, affiliate manager, other team
- Define who handles what parts of the program
- Note best ways to contact each person
- Offer to schedule a kickoff call
- Reinforce you're there to help them succeed
Welcome Email #5: Ongoing Value
Close welcome sequence by setting long-term expectations:
- Recap key resources and next steps to start strong
- Preview types of promotional content you'll provide regularly
- Explain your commitment to their success through support
- Invite feedback and ideas for the affiliate program
- Express excitement for working together long-term
How to Use Just Think AI for Affiliate Welcome Emails
Just Think AI is an AI assistant designed to help with affiliate marketing tasks like crafting welcome emails. Here are some key ways it can help:
- Get pre-made templates - Just Think AI offers templates for affiliate onboarding emails you can customize.
- Personalize at scale - Easily personalize welcome emails by having the AI fill in each affiliate's name, offers, etc.
- Generate ideas - Get AI suggestions for valuable offers and resources to include.
- Optimize content - Improve existing welcome email content by having Just Think AI refine and enhance it.
- Ensure consistency - Maintain consistent messaging even as your team grows.
- Save time - The AI handles the heavy lifting of writing so you can scale affiliate onboarding.
- Review and revise - Tweak and refine autogenerated emails to perfection.
Just Think AI Prompts for Affiliate Welcome Emails
Here are some sample prompts for using Just Think AI to create effective affiliate welcome emails:
- "Write an introduction email to welcome new affiliates to our {company} program. Give program overview, expectations, and resources."
- "Create a promo guide email for new affiliates showing examples of top offers and products to promote at {company}."
- "Generate an exclusive new affiliate offer email with special coupon code they can use for their audience."
- "Craft a welcome email introducing new affiliates to our account management team at {company}."
- "Design a closing welcome email recapping resources and setting long-term expectations for new affiliates at {company}."
- "Improve the subject lines and body content of these 3 existing affiliate welcome emails to be more engaging."
The key is providing the specifics of your program and goals so Just Think AI can generate optimized emails tailored to your needs.
FAQs
How many emails should you include in an affiliate welcome sequence?
3-5 emails over their first 1-2 weeks is ideal. This gives you enough touchpoints to cover key info without overwhelming new affiliates. Send emails in a dripped sequence 2-3 days apart rather than all at once.
What's the difference between a welcome email and onboarding email?
Welcome emails introduce new affiliates and share an overview of expectations. Onboarding emails provide the tactical details on how to execute the program - links, promos, assets, analytics, etc. Both are important for activation.
Should you include an incentive offer in affiliate welcome emails?
Yes, providing an exclusive coupon code, deal, or contest for new affiliates helps them drive activations right away. Make sure it has an expiration date so they're incentivized to start promoting quickly.
What metrics should you track for welcome emails?
Open rate, CTR, and new affiliate activation rate after the sequence sends are key indicators of how effective it is at driving new affiliate promotions. Survey affiliates as well on if it set proper expectations.
How often should you refresh your affiliate welcome emails?
Review welcome email content quarterly and refresh as needed to keep info up-to-date, highlight new promos, and incorporate affiliate feedback. A semi-annual full overhaul keeps them optimized.
With affiliate marketing, the onboarding experience sets the tone for long-term partnerships and promotions. Well-designed welcome emails provide valuable resources, drive immediate activations, and get new affiliates ramped up quickly and effectively. Tools like Just Think AI streamline creating tailored, high-converting welcome sequences at scale.
