Hello? Is It Me You’re Looking For? Your First Email to Start Conversations, Not Conversions
Relationships aren’t built in one message but they can be broken by one.
Imagine bumping into a childhood friend you haven’t seen in years. You’re expecting a warm smile, a “how have you been?” but instead, they hit you with a pitch for their new startup. That instant energy shift? That’s what your users feel when your first email launches into features, upgrades, and sales before saying a proper hello.
Now picture being invited to someone’s house. One host greets you at the door, hangs up your coat, and offers you a drink. The other hands you the Wi-Fi password and vanishes. Which one makes you want to stay? Great onboarding emails are like great hosts, they make people feel welcomed.
Or imagine signing up to a co-working space, excited to meet people and get some work done but the first thing you receive is a laminated handbook on kitchen etiquette, a fire drill map, and a request to complete six onboarding forms. The atmosphere? Less "welcome to the community," more "corporate induction." You came for connection not bureaucracy. That’s what a clunky SaaS welcome email feels like. It should start a conversation, not an onboarding procedure.
Most SaaS companies overcomplicate (or completely ruin) their welcome email, the very first message a user receives after signing up for your software.
Let’s set the scene: someone just discovered your product, liked what they saw, and decided to give it a try. They’ve filled out the signup form, hit submit, and now they’re expecting a warm introduction or, at the very least, a sign that there’s a real person (or team) behind the product.
But instead, what do they often get?
A product pitch before a greeting
A wall of links and instructions before any context
Or worse, silence, no email at all
That welcome email is your moment of highest attention and intent. The user is emotionally invested. They’ve taken a step toward you, and now they’re waiting to see if you’ll reciprocate.
If your company can’t speak clearly and kindly at that point, when will it?
Think of it like someone stepping into your physical store. Do you greet them with a smile and say, “Let me know if I can help,” or do you throw a catalogue at them and disappear? That cold, robotic energy is exactly what too many onboarding emails deliver.
What the Data Tells Us
74% of users expect a welcome email immediately after signing up. If they don’t get one, trust starts to erode.
Welcome emails average 4x higher open rates than regular newsletters or promotional content.
Onboarding emails generate 320% more revenue per email than traditional marketing blasts.
Users who receive clear, useful onboarding emails are 45% more likely to convert to paying customers
Emails that contain one clear CTA outperform multi-link ones by +27% CTR, and messages signed off by a named person (rather than a brand) improve reply rates by 19%.
Software users are 2.5x more likely to take a core onboarding action if the first email arrives within 10 minutes of signup.
That gap shows. You’ve already earned their attention, don’t waste it. Use the first email to build trust, reduce confusion, and start a real conversation.
The Anatomy of a Great First Email
This is your “hey, we’re glad you’re here” moment. Not your “book a demo now or perish” moment.
Before we break down what goes into a great first email, let’s answer the obvious: why email at all?
Sure, in-app messages and product tours are useful. Calls can be personal. But email still wins for one big reason, it meets people where they are. It gives them space. It doesn’t assume they’re ready to dive in, but it invites them in, on their own terms. Plus, an email sits in their inbox as a reminder. It’s something they can come back to when they’re ready. Unlike in-app popups that vanish or calls they’ll likely ignore, a well-timed, well-written email creates a quiet moment of connection.
And what’s the goal of this first email?
Start a conversation, not a conversion.
Build trust.
Remove friction.
Get them to take one small step forward, not a leap.
What to include:
A Warm Personal Greeting
“Hey [First Name], just saw you signed up – amazing to have you here. I’m Patrick, Founder of Relationship of Sales.”
Be real. Be human. Show there’s someone on the other end who cares.Introduce Your Why
“I started this Substack to help Startup Founders like you go from information overload to repeatable sales systems without the overwhelm.”
Skip the jargon. Say why you started it and who it’s for.One Clear First Step
“If you want to get started right away, here’s the best first step: [Start your first project]”
Don’t list five things. Just guide them to one helpful action.Reassurance & Support
“If you get stuck or just want to chat, reply to this email, I read every message myself.”
Let them know you’re around and listening. Keep it personal.Optional: Ask a Question
“Curious – what made you sign up today?”
You’ll get replies. You’ll get context. And you’ll learn what they actually care about.
Subject: Welcome aboard 👋
Hey Alex,
Just saw you signed up – amazing to have you here. I’m Patrick, Founder of Relationship of Sales.
I started this Substack to help anyone looking to improve their sales process, whether you're a founder, sales leader, or just someone wanting to build a repeatable system without the overwhelm
If you want to get started right away, here’s my most popular article: [Do You Need to Be Likeable to Succeed? The Truth About Charisma in Sales]
If you get stuck or just want to chat, reply to this email, I read every message myself.
Curious – what made you sign up today?
Patrick
Real-World Flow: Groove’s Onboarding Emails That Build Trust (Not Just Funnels)
GrooveHQ Founder Alex Turnbull decided to re-evaluate their onboarding process to improve conversion. Instead of flashy graphics, sales-heavy copy, or complex product explanations, Alex took a more personal, conversational approach. He decided to send simple, plain-text emails directly from him, focused purely on helping the user, not selling to them.
Here’s exactly what he did:
After a user opted in, they immediately received a personal welcome from Alex himself, setting a friendly tone and reassuring users that a real human was behind the product. Over the next few emails, instead of pitching features, Groove provided actionable, valuable tips to help users get the most out of their platform. Only after building trust over a series of genuine, helpful interactions did they introduce a product pitch.
The flow looked like this:
The result? Users who experienced this style of email sequence were 45% more likely to become paying customers. Why? Because GrooveHQ wasn’t just treating them as leads, they treated them like people. By investing in the relationship first, Groove built genuine connections that translated into trust, engagement, and ultimately, significant growth.
How Sendspark Uses Video for Personalised Onboarding
Sendspark has taken personalisation to another level by embedding customised video introductions in their onboarding emails. When new users sign up, they receive a personalised welcome video, directly mentioning their name introducing the Sendspark platform, and clearly guiding them on how to get started. This instantly humanises the experience, breaking down digital barriers and making new users feel seen and valued from the very start.
Check out Sendspark's personalised onboarding video in action here:
Watch Sendspark's onboarding video and this was my reaction to their first onboarding email:
Worried about automation and AI lip syncing not looking correct? Sendspark fixed that also:
Sendspark AI Lipsync
The outcome of this personalised video strategy? Sendspark reports significantly higher engagement rates and stronger initial user interactions, proving that a little personal touch can dramatically enhance the onboarding experience and set the stage for meaningful customer relationships.
Relationships aren’t built in one message, but they can be broken by one.
If you wouldn’t ask someone to marry you after a first date, don’t ask your users to “book a 1:1 onboarding call” the moment they sign up.
Instead, say hello. Start with a warm welcome and offer help without the pressure. Be helpful. Guide them at their own pace, providing value without rushing them.
And if they reply? That’s when the real relationship begins. Now, you can truly understand their needs, build trust, and offer the right support.
Focus on creating a connection first, relationships grow from there.
I love that you shared your example email. I liked the way it read. Lovely article.
I am starting to network in order to build my fractional COO business. This article, while written for the SaaS on-boarding audience resonated with me. As I begin building the execution to my growth strategy I will use many of your tips. The first being conversion to email right away. It occurred to me while reading that I don't have emails or phone numbers for many people with whom I have been counting, only LinkedIn contacts. My first action is to find emails from calendar notices, save them, and begin preparing a rolladex. Thank you!