'Welcome! Now Pass This E-Mail Along'

More than seven in 10 online retailers send out welcome e-mails to customers who sign up for their e-mail programs, up from 66% who did so in 2006, according to the The Email Experience Council.

The organization said that welcome e-mails were a good opportunity for viral marketing as well. Yet only 7% of welcome e-mails contained send-to-a-friend links or language, and only 2% contained refer-a-friend links.

“Getting the welcome message to a new subscriber in a timely manner is imperative today,” said Kara Trivunovic, director of strategic services at Premiere Global Services, in the council's report.

“If it is not delivered within 10 minutes of the subscription conversion, the opportunity is likely lost," Ms. Trivunovic said. "Strike while the iron is hot and the brand is top of mind.”

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