Do You Still Need a Welcome Sequence? Why I Send One Start Here Email Instead

I don't put new subscribers into a welcome sequence anymore.

I used to do it the traditional way... someone signs up for my freebie, they get the delivery email, and then 3 to 5 emails spread over a couple of days introducing me and all the things, and setting up expectations.

Then I looked at my data on that sequence, and my open rates and click rates were dropping. So I ditched it and replaced the whole thing with ONE email. I call it my Start Here email.

So if you're wondering whether you still need a welcome sequence, here's how I think about it, what goes in that one email, and how to check if yours is still working for you.

Do you still need a welcome sequence in 2026?

For me, the answer was no... and the reason is pretty simple.

People are smart in 2026. They know they're in a funnel, they know what they're signing up for. So spreading my introduction out over three to five emails wasn't doing the job I thought it was doing (and my numbers on that sequence were telling me so).

What I've found matters most is the VERY first email someone gets from you, because that's where the relationship with your name REALLY starts.

If you want the earlier version of this story, I shared it in why I don't send a traditional welcome sequence anymore (and what I do instead).

"People are smart in 2026. They know they're in a funnel, they know what they're signing up for."

Why your sender name matters more than your subject line

We spend SO much time on subject lines. But I'd say the sender name is almost the most important part of an email - it's more important than the subject line, right?

Because when someone has a great experience with you right at the start, they start looking out for your name. Think about it... you sign up for something, it actually helps you, and you're like "oh my gosh, I can't believe that solved this for me". The next time that person pops into your inbox, you're looking out for her name.

And that helps your deliverability (ie: your emails actually landing in the inbox) because it all kind of plays into each other. Building that relationship is how you keep landing in the inbox, and it starts with two things: the freebie, and that first email they get.

Your welcome email starts with your freebie

The old PDF lead magnet still works for attracting people. They'll still sign up for it. But the percentage of people who ACTUALLY open the damn thing and go through it is pretty minimal. I talked about this in do you still need a freebie in 2026?

This is where I think AI is a beautiful opportunity. We get to create lead magnets that are interactive, tools and experiences that let people experience our expertise and have a quick win without reading a 10-page PDF they're never going to read (right?!) I've also shared the only lead magnet I'd create in 2026.

That means our list will grow quicker, and it'll be full of people that have actually had some kind of transformation, even if it's a small one... which builds so much more trust in the inbox before your first email even lands.

What goes in a Start Here email

My Start Here email is a bit epic and a bit long (I'm not going to pretend otherwise) but it does EVERYTHING my old sequence did, in one. In that one email I:

• deliver the thing they signed up for, straight away
• introduce myself
• set expectations for what they'll get from me
• give them some links to other value - a podcast episode, a blog post, whatever it might be
• ask them a question so they can take an action on that email

That last one is the BIG one. If they can click the freebie link, click another resource, or hit reply (which is the best outcome we could hope for), they're doing something with your email. And when they do, your chances of landing in the inbox, out of those other folders, are just SO much higher.

The question I ask in mine is in the P.S.: how'd you find me? Summit? Bundle? A podcast episode you loved? Hit reply and tell me. I always wanna know how people landed here!

About five hours later, I send one more short email, just to get a reply. Inboxes are a mess right now with spam filters and AI, so I like to check in with new people: can you hit reply and let me know your freebie landed okay? Even just a "yep, got it" is perfect. It works like magic.

How to tell if your welcome sequence is still working

If you've got a welcome sequence set up the traditional way, I'd start with your data rather than deleting anything tomorrow.

Go into your email platform and look at your open rates and your click rates on that sequence.

If you notice they're dropping (which is exactly what mine was doing), ditch it. Just have one email that does all of it in one.

And if your numbers are holding up? Keep it. Everything works... it's about finding what works for you, your business and the right people on your list.

Either way, the thing I'd hold on to is this: that first email is the start of a relationship, and there's another person on the other side of that inbox. Write it like you're actually connecting with her, and give her something to do. For what comes next, here's how I personally nurture new subscribers.

Frequently asked questions

Do I still need a welcome sequence in 2026?

For me, no. My open and click rates on my 3 to 5 email sequence were dropping, so I replaced it with one Start Here email. If your numbers are holding up, keep yours, because everything works... it's about finding what works for you, your business and the right people on your list.

What is a Start Here email?

It's the one email I send in place of a welcome sequence. It delivers the freebie straight away, introduces me, sets expectations, links to other value like a podcast episode or blog post, and asks a question so the reader can take an action.

How do I know if my welcome sequence is still working?

Look at the open rates and click rates on that sequence in your email platform. If they're dropping, which is what mine were doing, ditch it and replace it with one email that does all of it. If they're holding up, keep it.

Does the sender name matter more than the subject line?

I'd say the sender name is almost the most important part of an email, more important than the subject line. When someone has a great experience with you right at the start, they start looking out for your name, and that helps your deliverability.

Why ask a question in the first email?

If a new subscriber can click the freebie link, click another resource or hit reply (which is the best outcome we could hope for), they're doing something with your email. When they do, your chances of landing in the inbox, and out of those other folders, are just so much higher. I also send a short follow-up about five hours later, asking them to hit reply and let me know the freebie landed okay.