The Business of Broadband

Prevent buyer's remorse with an effective Welcome Email message.

Anytime we buy something new, there’s always a moment after we hand over the cash or sign the agreement when we think to ourselves “Did I just make a good decision? Or am I going to be sorry about this purchase?”.

It’s called buyer’s remorse and we all experience it now and then. Your new customers also feel it when they’ve just signed up for your service.

So what can broadband service providers do to minimize buyer’s remorse and keep customers satisfied right from the start? It’s simple, really: Just make them feel welcome and reinforce the idea that they made the right choice in signing up for your service by sending a welcome email message.

What’s in a Welcome Email?
The trick in writing a good welcome email message is to be brief enough that your new customers will take the time to read it, but also be detailed enough that they will keep it for future reference. Following is the format that ZCorum recommends its Affiliates use to welcome new customers:

• 1st paragraph: Thank the customer for choosing your service and give them a reason to believe that they will be happy with your service.
• 2nd paragraph: Explain how they can access the services they’ve purchased from you, such as a logging into a control panel to manage their passwords, setting up an email account, or changing spam protection settings. Be sure to include contact information and business hours for your customer service and technical support departments.
• 3rd paragraph: Briefly describe the other services you offer that your customer might find valuable. If you offer promotions or discounts for bundling certain services, mention that as well.
• 4th paragraph: If you offer a referral program, use the last paragraph of your email to offer your new customer a reward for recommending your service to their friends and family.

What happens after the Welcome Email?
Once you’ve given your new customer a proper welcome, be sure that you communicate with them regularly. You may want to send a monthly or quarterly newsletter, announcements about events and activities in your community, or technical tips to help them maintain their computers and get the most out of the Internet connection you provide.

The key to squelching buyer’s remorse is to reinforce the purchase decision with positive feedback. Sending an effective welcome email, and then keeping the lines of communication open, will go a long way towards keeping your new customers satisfied and turning them into a long-term customer.

What do you say in your Welcome Email messages? Leave your ideas and experiences in the comments section below.