Tell me if this sounds familiar: you fall in love with someone’s personality on Instagram. You see how much they’re giving, giving, giving. You’re vibing, maybe had a conversation or three in the DMs.

Then one day, you see them promoting a FREE resource, and you’re beyond excited! You know them. You like them. You trust them. It’s a no brainer to sign up for their free resource, right?

So you sign up for it. You LOVE it so much… But then you get another email from them and it’s just a sales email. You write it off, you know they’re a business, it totally makes sense.

But then you get a third email, and they’re STILL just trying to get you buy something from them. Then a fourth email.. And a fifth email ALL trying to sell you something.

You’re torn because you love their presence on social, but you’re left with a strong ‘ick’ feeling because that personal connection you had, now just feels like a bait and switch to try and sell you on something.

NOT actually help and support you the way you thought they would.

No One Wants To Feel Like A Dollar Sign

We’ve all experienced emails like this that feel like a blatant marketing gimmick from start to finish. You click “subscribe” hoping to continue to find something useful, only to get hit with a long introduction about why the sender is amazing and should buy from them.

That’s the #1 mistake people make with their welcome sequences: focusing too much on selling. Your subscribers didn’t join your list because they’re ready to buy your product or service (unless they signed up for a discount code, that is!).

They signed up because they like what you had to offer. Whether it’s a helpful guide on clean products to swap into their daily routine, or 20 high-protein dinner ideas.

At the end of the day, they’re wondering one thing: “What’s in this for me?”

When your emails answer that question quickly, clearly, AND consistently, you’ll continue to build that relationship you started on socials.

A welcome sequence isn’t just about “introducing yourself.” It’s about helping new subscribers feel understood and giving them a reason to actually want to stick around and read your emails religiously. 

It should set the stage for the relationship you’ll build moving forward. When done right, every email feels like it was written for them, not just an automated broadcast that makes them feel like a dollar sign.

How To Tell If Your Welcome Sequence Needs A Revamp

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you shouldn’t sell in your welcome sequence at all. That defeats the overall marketing purpose. However, there’s a time and a place.

And right off the bat? And hard selling in EACH email? Isn’t the best tactic for most business that want to lean into ethical, human-first marketing.

Take a quick moment to refresh your memory on what the content in your welcome sequence is. Are you pushing for a sale constantly? Or are you leading with value and a geniune desire to help them out and passively mentioning ways you can help them further, if they’re interested?

If the emails at the start of your automation are hard selling emails (or your simply seeing a LOT of unsubscribes after the first email), it’s definitely time to revamp the copy and strategy of your welcome sequence.

Why Selling Too Soon Feels Like a Bait and Switch

A good rule of thumb for welcome sequences is to have one main “selling” email AFTER you’ve already “warmed them up”.

“Selling” and “warmed them up” are both in quotation marks because while these are the technical marketing terms (and it IS what we’re doing) I want you to think of it in a more natural, human way.

Let me explain:

If you walk into a mall looking for a new pair of shoes for a wedding this weekend, and you ask a salesperson for help finding the perfect style to match your dress, are you going to feel sold to? No.

You needed her help and she made the process easier, saved you time, and helped you find exactly what you were looking for. That’s not selling, that’s supporting.

Now, if instead, she kept pushing a matching purse, even after you said you were happy with the one you had at home, that’s a different story. That’s not about helping you. It’s about increasing the sale, whether it benefits you or not.

Same goes for warming up your audience before making an offer. It’s not about convincing them to buy something they don’t need. It’s about making sure they have the information, context, and trust they need so that when they are ready, your offer makes complete sense.

Fixing a Welcome Sequence That Over-Sells

If your welcome sequence feels too focused on selling, it’s an easy fix. The goal is to balance the content so subscribers feel supported first, then introduce your offer when it makes sense.

Try these adjustments:

1. Reorder Your Emails: If the first few messages are all about selling, push the sales-focused email further down the sequence. Use the first emails to share value and remind them of why they joined in the first place.
   
   
2. Adjust Your Messaging: Instead of jumping straight into why they should buy, position your offer as a natural next step that actually helps them solve a problem if/ when they’re ready.
   
   
3. Give Each Email a Purpose: Your welcome sequence should feel like it’s leading somewhere, not just pitching from the start. Make sure each email provides something valuable. Whether that’s a helpful tip, an inspiring story, or a quick win they can take action on.
   

Small shifts like these help your emails feel more intentional, which keeps subscribers engaged instead of making them want to opt out.

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Thanks so much for reading and speaking of: let’s talk about how I can help you write emails that your community actually reads.

I’m Aireanna, and I’m here to help you turn subscribers into loyal customers. If you’re vibing with what I’m sharing, here’s how we can keep in touch:

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Have a question or just want to chat? Drop me a DM on IG @aireannaelanah or email me at hello@aireannaelanah.com. I’d love to connect!