It’s my first day at my first “real” job — in an office, with a salary. I’m 24 and swirling with a mix of excitement and terror.

My new boss meets me in the lobby. Introduces me to a few people. Escorts me to my desk.

Except for a stapler, the desk is totally empty. Not even a computer — they’ll be ordering one soon.

The boss has a meeting. He leaves.

And there I am.

By myself.

Lost.

Oof. Talk about FFTs…

***

That experience is an extreme example of joining something new without enough guidance.

But we’ve all been there: Whether it’s a new job, a new school, a new spiritual community, a new gym… Being new is hard.

We don’t know the norms yet.

We’re not sure what to expect. Or what’s expected of us.

We have some idea of what brought us there… but we don’t have enough information yet to tell if we’ll get what we came for.

It sure would be nice to have someone show us around. Help us get comfortable. Welcome us in a thoughtful way.

This need for welcoming guidance also applies to email lists.

Don’t be like my old boss and miss the opportunity to onboard someone effectively. 🤦

Getting a prospective customer on your email list is one of the best ways to build a relationship with them. It’s an opportunity to create affinity and trust over time.

✨ If you have an email list, take some time to create a Welcome Sequence. ✨

You can set this series of 3-6 emails to fire automatically during the week or two after someone joins your list.

Tell them what you do. Tell them what problems you solve. Give them valuable information. Share a story of a past customers’ success. Don’t overthink it. Just show them around.

And if you have something you want them to do to participate more deeply in your business, after a while you can let them know that too.

So… How are you welcoming your future customers?

PS – I help businesses write effective, authentic welcome sequences. Ready to invest in one? Let’s talk.

This post was original sent as an email to the Magic Words of the Week newsletter list. Every week, I share reflections on a word, quote, or phrase I think will help you thrive in your life’s work.