My Neighbour Will Fix Your Boring Welcome Email
Meet my neighbour, Joe.
(At least I call him “Joe” in my head. I’ve been greeting him for 12 years on my daily walks, and I’m too embarrassed now to admit that I don’t know his name.)
About 65, Joe lives in a house on the corner with his elderly mother. Very friendly, Joe’s got a booming voice and a mustache that would put Tom Selleck to shame.
And Joe is obsessed with his lawn.
Every winter, the snowplough digs up a long strip running on his boulevard, ripping out the grass and leaving a raw patch of mud all the way to the corner.
And every spring, Joe re-does the lawn.
“I’ve trying a new fertilizer this spring,” he announced last week, carefully sprinking his newest concoction on specially tilled soil.
So today, let’s ask Joe about your Boring Welcome Email.
(Because if Joe can re-grow his lawn, maybe he can re-generate your crappy old emails.)
Hey Joe: How’s our welcome email?
Joe thinks for a minute.
“Well,” (in his big, booming voice that scares the birds). “It’s…okay.”
And?
“It’s a little dull.” (Joe’s too polite.)
That welcome email? It’s painfully predictable. And worst of all? It’s forgettable.
Which is wild, because a welcome email is your first impression. And instead of smiling and yelling, “Come on in!”…too many businesses are hiding behind tame whispers.
“Hi. Thanks for subscribing. Here's a 10% discount code and our trip FAQ. Bye.”
Yawn. 😴 (Joe’s already napping in his hammock.)
If your welcome email doesn’t make someone want to pack a bag, throw their phone in airplane mode, and click “BOOK NOW”—then let’s fix that.
The Real Problem: Your Welcome Email Sounds Like Everyone Else’s
The biggest mistake? Playing it safe.
Instead of sounding like the bold, joyful, adventurous brand you are—you sound like a tourism board brochure written by a robot. No offense to robots, but…
Here’s what most travel welcome emails include:
A generic thank you
A list of services or locations
A discount code
A link to your blog
A weirdly formal tone (Do you really say things like “explore the wonders of our curated offerings” in real life?)
Nowhere in there is the spark that makes your brand lovable. Nowhere is the personality that separates you from every other travel brand in their inbox.
Why This Happens: The Curse of Being “Professional”
We get it. You want to look legit. You want to build trust. So you default to sounding polished, clean, and helpful.
But in trying so hard to sound professional, you accidentally sound impersonal.
And in the travel industry—where emotion drives decisions—that’s a problem. You’re not selling logic. You’re selling experiences, memories, dream vacations, personal transformations. Nobody books a trip because they read a bullet-point list of hotel amenities.
They book because they feel something.
Fix Your Welcome Email like Joe Grows His Lawn
: Make Your Welcome Email Feel Like a Passport Stamp
Here’s the good news: this is easy to fix. You don’t need to write like Hemingway or design a Vogue-worthy email.
You just need to make it feel like your brand—bold, specific, human, and fun.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Keep showing Up
Neighbours are just always there. Be consistent.
Sure, offer value—but don’t open with a coupon like it’s a fast food menu. Start with a story, a quirky confession, a surprising fact about you or your destination.
Example:
"We once had a honeymoon couple show up a day late because they partied too hard at the airport lounge. That’s the kind of people we attract. If you're chill, curious, and maybe just a little chaotic, you're in the right place."
You’ve got them smiling already. Now they’ll read your offer.
2. Be Fully Yourself
There’s no doubt that my neighbour Joe has his own unique style. In winter, it’s a massive parka and thick toque (that’s Canada’s version of a knitted cap). In summer, it’s Hawaiian shirts every day.
So, in your emails: what’s your style?
Ditch the dullsville corporate jargon. What’s your real vibe?
Are you the bougie wine-on-a-balcony trip planner? The barefoot jungle adventure whisperer? The kid-free resort champion?
Be bold. Be clear. Be you.
3. Give the Grass a Reason to Grow
Fertilizer, grass, seeds.Fertilizer. Grass seed. Burlap sacks. Special soil. And dangling aluminum pie plates to scare away the pigeons.
So…think about your audience.
Why should they keep opening your emails?
You need to till the soil, add Will you send behind-the-scenes travel tips? Locals-only secrets? Deep discounts with personality-packed writing?
Let them know. People want to know what they signed up for—and what kind of inbox party they just joined.
Example:
"We’ll send you short, spicy travel inspiration every Thursday—plus the occasional deal that makes you want to throw your suitcase in the car and fake a family emergency."
4. Scare Away the Pigeons
Pigeons are like little suspiscious obstacles…don’t let them eat the grass seeds.
Instead of a sad little “Learn More,” write a call-to-action that actually matches your brand energy.
Try:
“Take me somewhere magical”
“Show me your weirdest adventure”
“Yes, I want in”
It’s a tiny change that creates a big emotional nudge.
5. Be Neighbourly (Not “all business”)
Neighbourly, hanging a string on the back porch for the next door neighbour’s cat to bat around
Don’t end your email with “Sincerely, The XYZ Team.” Snooze.
Give it a human name. A joke. A fun sign-off. A weird emoji. Show them there’s a real traveler behind the keyboard.
Example:
Happy travels, you wild wanderer ✈️
– Marla from the Anti-Boring Travel Co.
(I live for beach snacks and zero inboxes)
Bonus Tip: “I’m Here All Week.”
Joe’s real stamp as a neighbour?
He’s outside every day.
In winter, he’s shovelling snow with a massive wool scarf covering his face, and waving down the block (and telling me that a “light coat of PAM cooking spray” on my shovel helps the snow slide right off. Who knew?)
So, in the spirit of Joe, show up all week.
Instead of ONE “welcome email”, try a “welcome sequence”.
Use 3–5 emails to:
Share your origin story
Explain what makes your business special
Build trust before you pitch
Highlight real stories from real travellers
My friend, this is relationship building at it’s finest…in sun, rain, sleet, or snow.
Final Thought from Joe: Show Up Like a Friendly Neighbour.
Joe is a great neighbour…but it’s not because his lawn is so lush and green.
And in the same way, your fans DON’T call you because of a fancy website, elaborate itinerary, or great photos.
Your clients book with you because they like you.
They trust you.
They want to go somewhere with you.
So be like Joe, and make people feel welcome…every day of the week.