--- title: "Onboarding DMs - Custom Welcome Messages Per Tier" description: "Set up personalized welcome DMs per membership tier — course links, server guides, and onboarding steps sent automatically on subscribe." canonical: https://paybotapp.com/docs/onboarding-dms/ source: /docs/onboarding-dms/ --- [Home](https://paybotapp.com/) / [Docs](https://paybotapp.com/docs/) / Onboarding DMs # Onboarding DMs Send personalized welcome messages when someone subscribes. Different content for each tier — course links, server guides, onboarding steps, and more. ## Table of Contents - [What are Onboarding DMs?](#what-are-onboarding-dms) - [Setting Up Onboarding DMs](#setup) - [Block Types](#block-types) - [Managing Blocks](#managing-blocks) - [Testing Your DM](#test-dm) - [How It Works](#how-it-works) - [Example Configurations](#examples) - [FAQ](#faq) ## What are Onboarding DMs? When someone subscribes to one of your membership tiers, PayBot sends them a welcome DM. By default, this is a generic "subscription activated" message. Onboarding DMs let you **customize that message per tier** with your own content. ![PayBot onboarding DM editor showing content blocks for a tier's welcome message](https://paybotapp.com/images/docs/embed-onboarding.png) **Use cases:** - Send course access links to education tier subscribers - Share server navigation guides for new community members - Include onboarding checklists or getting-started steps - Link to external resources, Google Forms, or intake surveys - Provide different welcome content for different price points ### Default vs Custom If you don't configure onboarding DMs for a tier, subscribers get the standard welcome message with their subscription details. Your existing tiers work exactly as before — this is fully opt-in. ## Setting Up Onboarding DMs 1. Run `/setup` in your Discord server 2. Select the pricing option you want to customize 3. Choose **"Setup Onboarding DM"** from the action dropdown 4. Add content blocks (sections and text) using the interface 5. Use **"Send Test DM"** to preview the message That's it. The next time someone subscribes to that tier, they'll receive your custom welcome DM instead of the generic one. ## Block Types Onboarding DMs are built with two types of content blocks: ### Section Blocks Structured content with a **title**, **details**, and an optional **link**. These appear as titled fields in the DM embed. - **Title** — The section heading (e.g., "Course Access", "Getting Started") - **Details** — The section content (supports multiple lines) - **URL** (optional) — A clickable "Open Link" appears below the details **Best for:** Links with context, step-by-step instructions, resource lists. ### Text Blocks Free-form paragraphs without a title. These appear as body text in the DM embed. - **Content** — Any text you want (supports multiple lines and basic markdown) **Best for:** Welcome messages, personal notes, general instructions. ## Managing Blocks The onboarding DM editor works like a list you can reorder: - **Add blocks** — Choose "Add Section" or "Add Text" from the dropdown - **Edit blocks** — Select a block, then choose "Edit" to update its content - **Reorder blocks** — Select a block, then use "Move Up" or "Move Down" - **Delete blocks** — Select a block, then choose "Delete" Blocks appear in the DM in the order you arrange them. ## Testing Your DM Click **"Send Test DM"** to send yourself a preview of the onboarding DM. This sends the exact embed a subscriber would receive, so you can verify: - Content looks correct - Links work and point to the right places - Block order makes sense - Nothing is cut off or missing **Tip:** Check the test DM on mobile too — most Discord users read DMs on their phone. ## How It Works When a subscription is activated (payment confirmed via Stripe), PayBot: 1. Checks if the tier has onboarding blocks configured 2. If yes — builds a custom embed with your blocks as fields 3. If no — sends the standard generic welcome DM 4. DM is sent to the subscriber automatically This happens alongside role assignment — the subscriber gets their role *and* the custom DM at the same time. ## Example Configurations ### Online Course Community **Tier:** Premium Course Access ($49/month) - **Text block:** "Welcome to the Premium Course! Here's everything you need to get started." - **Section:** "Course Portal" — "Log in with your Discord email to access all course materials." — Link: course URL - **Section:** "Getting Started" — "1. Watch the intro video\\n2. Join #introductions\\n3. Post your first question in #questions" - **Section:** "Weekly Schedule" — "Live sessions every Tuesday at 7pm EST in the Stage channel." ### Gaming Community **Tier:** VIP Member ($5/month) - **Text block:** "You're now a VIP! Here's what you've unlocked." - **Section:** "VIP Channels" — "Check out #vip-chat, #vip-lfg, and #vip-clips — they're now visible in your channel list." - **Section:** "Server Guide" — "Full list of channels and what they're for." — Link: server guide URL ### Professional Community **Tier:** Mastermind Group ($200/month) - **Text block:** "Welcome to the Mastermind. We're glad to have you." - **Section:** "Intake Form" — "Please fill out this short form so we can pair you with the right accountability partner." — Link: Google Form URL - **Section:** "First Steps" — "1. Introduce yourself in #mastermind-intros\\n2. Book your 1-on-1 onboarding call\\n3. Review the resource library" - **Section:** "Book Onboarding Call" — "Schedule a 15-minute call with our team." — Link: Calendly URL ## FAQ ### What happens if I don't set up onboarding DMs? Nothing changes. Subscribers receive the same generic welcome DM they've always gotten. This feature is fully opt-in per tier. ### Can I have different DMs for different tiers? Yes — that's the whole point. Each tier has its own set of blocks. Your $5/month tier can say one thing, your $50/month tier can say something completely different. ### Is there a limit on blocks? Discord embeds support up to 25 fields. In practice, 3-6 blocks is the sweet spot — enough to be helpful without overwhelming new subscribers. ### Can I use markdown in the content? Yes. Discord supports basic markdown in embed fields: **bold**, *italic*, `code`, and links. Use `**bold**` for emphasis and `\n` for line breaks. ### What if the subscriber has DMs disabled? If the subscriber has DMs disabled, PayBot can't send the message. The subscription and role assignment still work normally — they just won't receive the welcome DM. This is the same behavior as before. ### Can I edit the DM after people have already subscribed? Yes. Changes only affect future subscribers. People who already received the old DM won't get a new one — but their subscription and roles are unaffected.