Do you ever feel like you’re writing for faceless pixels?
Working online can feel lonely and anonymous.
You work your socks off to write entertaining blog posts chock-full of your best advice.
But who is reading your content? What do they think of it? And what else are they looking for?
Finding out those answers may feel like an impossible task. But getting closer to your readers may be easier than you think.
An email sequence or autoresponder series can help you:
- Get more email subscribers because you can promote your email sequence as an opt-in bonus—a “free course”
- Learn who your subscribers are because you can ask them questions as soon as they sign up—you can start conversations
- Establish a relationship because readers don’t have to wait until you publish your next blog post
- Grow your authority because everyone receives your most useful tips—they don’t have to dig through your blog archives to find them
- Allow readers to get to know you by sharing a personal story
- Get more sales because you can promote your products at the end of a sequence of related tips
Sound promising, right?
Unlike blog updates, email sequences are not sent out at a specific time to the whole list but one by one depending on when people sign up.
They’re also called follow-up or autoresponder emails. My snackable writing course is an example of an email sequence.
Popular email providers like AWeber, Mailchimp, GetResponse, and ConvertKit allow you to schedule email sequences.
Shall I explain how to create an email sequence and feel more connected to your readers?
1. Give readers a cookie
What makes subscribers open your emails?
The principle is easy: Reward readers for opening your email; give them a cookie every time.
A cookie?
Yes, a virtual cookie: a tip they can implement straightaway, a dash of inspiration, a feeling of connection or belonging, reassurance they’re on the right track. These are all forms of reward—they make your reader’s life a little better.
As Sonia Simone suggests, treat your readers like dogs and reward them for good behavior.
2. Give one cookie at a time
Who doesn’t feel overwhelmed these days?
Life seems to go ever faster, throwing more distractions on our path. More podcasts to listen to. More blogs to read. More social media platforms. More forums. A longer to-do list.
Don’t make life even more complicated for your readers. Follow a simple rule:
Before you write your email, decide what you expect your reader to do. How will each email make his life better?
This simple formula is handy for defining the purpose of each email:
so you can [achieve so-and-so]
For instance:
- Learn how to cut sentence bloat, so you can keep your readers spellbound
- Learn how to get rid of distractions, so you can become a more productive writer
- Learn how to use powerful words, so your content becomes more persuasive (and you can sell more)
Readers only start appreciating your authority when they implement your tips to improve their lives. And to get them to implement your tips you need to persuade them why they should do it and explain how to do it.
And that’s when they start craving more.
3. Ditch the sucky welcome email
Your welcome email is like your first date.
A reader has said they’re interested in having a drink with you. What impression do you want to make?
Are you boring them with a bland welcome? Or are you using this opportunity to take your relationship a step further? How about asking what people expect to learn from you? Or what they’re struggling with?
In her welcome email, Ann Handley asks people why they’ve signed up and what they expect to learn. She gets a 60% response rate (as Aaron Orendorff reports here). How’s that for engaging your readers?
When building a relationship with your readers, every gesture you make counts.
4. Add a personal story
Which email do you prefer to open: An email from your best friend or from a company you know?
As small business owners and solo-flyers, we have a distinct advantage compared to bigger companies: rather than be a faceless company, we can establish a strong personal connection with our readers.
In my snackable email series, for instance, I share a vacation picture, a glimpse into my life, before explaining a writing tip:
(To understand how my cycling is related to writing, you have to join my snackable course 😉 )
5. Offer a box of chocolate
Everyone knows you need to make money, too.
So don’t feel nervous about suggesting people hire you or buy one of your products—this works best if your offer is connected to the tips you’ve shared.
Danny Margulies, for instance, shares 5 Upwork Hacks before pitching his Upworker course. Ben Settle pitches products in each of his daily emails. I mention my guide on writing About pages in snack #15 of my free email series and suggest you buy my Kindle books after 21 snacks.
Which balance between tips and sales pitches feels right to you?
Remember: Once people have seen the value of your free cookies, they’re more likely to buy a box of chocolates from you.
Here’s how to create your email sequence
Step 1: Define your topic
Think about your audience’s struggles. What problem can you solve for them?
Then consider the first hurdle they face in their struggles. How can you help them jump over this hurdle?
Make sure your tips are easy to implement. You want to make readers feel better immediately—each email has to provide a quick win, a cookie.
Step 2: Schedule your emails
How much insight do you need to share before people can implement your tip?
Play with frequency and length:
- If your tips require longer emails, then send them less frequently, perhaps twice a week.
- If shorter emails are fine, consider sending them daily or every other day.
If your tip is short, the choice is easy: put the full text in your email. But if your text is longer than say 300 words? No strict rule exists. Some people prefer reading long emails, while others prefer reading the text on a site. Both options have advantages and disadvantages as Karyn Greenstreet explains in this post.
How to build a long-term connection and sell more
Everyone’s inbox is overflowing.
Nobody wants to receive more email.
So, feel honored people have joined your list; it’s a vote of confidence.
But be careful. That confidence is easily lost.
In each of your emails, prove your value to your email subscribers.
Share your home-baked cookies. Be generous. And allow readers to get to know you, like you, and trust you.
That’s when you earn the opportunity to offer your products and services, and grow your business.
PS Thank you to Brian Friedman of Winter Garden Yoga for inspiring this post.
Recommended reading on writing emails:
How to write sales emails without feeling icky
How to craft blog newsletter
How to write persuasive business emails
Thank you, Henneke. This was more like a chocolate cake than a cookie. I feel inspired by this and will probably start my newsletter soon. But, I should set up a date for it. I’ll think about it.
Anyway, great post, lots of valuable information and lots and lots of motivation.
You are a gem.
Thank you, Flor. It sounds like you enjoyed that slice of chocolate cake. 🙂
I hope you’ll feel inspired enough to start your newsletter soon. Happy writing!
Phenomenal secrets…..thank you for this great content.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jerome. Happy writing!
Great tips I love reading these and have just purchased your ebooks ?
Thank you, thank you! I hope you’ll enjoy the books 🙂
Awesome content, Henneke. I am new to your site (this is the first article I have read of yours), and I like it.
I like the idea of “giving them a cookie,” I will have to try switching up the structure of my emails.
Quick question (I like to ask everyone this when it comes to email marketing):
How many emails do you recommend marketers should send to their list per week?
It really varies. There’s no one frequency that works. Some write daily emails (my snackable course also starts as a daily email series), others write only once a month. It depends on how much you have to share, how in-depth your content is, how much time your readers have, and also whether your content is time-sensitive. There’s no one right frequency that fits all.
Awesome. Thanks for the reply, gives me a better perspective overall.
Hey Henneke,
An absolutely tremendous post.
“Give one cookie at a time” is one of the best things I’ve heard. You have to give one cookie at a time. Too much will be overwhelming and the message will be lost.
Email was something I didn’t put a lot of effort into earlier on, but I’ve been drastically revamping it. And the parts about offering a box of chocolate and a personal story is true … and key to build up a personalized relationship.
Really great stuff and timely since I’m modifying this process right this moment.
– Andrew
It also took me quite a while before I developed my email series. For the first year, I just had a welcome message and a downloadable ebook. I’ve found that interaction has increased a lot since I started my email series (and at the moment, I don’t even have an email asking a question!)
Thank you for stopping by again, Andrew. I hope you enjoyed your chocolate chip cookie 😉
What a masterpiece Henneke,
This is actually the kind of post that needs bookmaking and that’s what I just did.
The truth is that most people gets it wrong when it comes to email marketing and one of the various mistakes I often see marketers making is thinking their subscribers will be pissed off if they email them promotional offers and I will tell you something…….. that’s the biggest lie of the century.
Except you don’t give them enough value, they’ll always like to reward you for being so awesome and helpful.
Like you rightly said, the welcome email is the most important emails a subscriber will get from you because it’ll eventually define how the subscriber will perceive you on the long run hence, the need to make it as awesome as possible.
I’m going to opt into your list right away so I can also be enjoying those cookies of yours 🙂 how much I’ve missed.
But I guess its always better to be late than not appear at all.
A very helpful post Henneke.
Thanks a bunch for sharing and do keep the flag flying.
BTW: Thanks for finding time out of your busy schedule to respond to my messages on Twitter, you’re really a darling 🙂
Thanks for sharing your tips Henneke. I’m getting close to writing an email series for a project that I’m working on right now, so your advice is just in time. I like the idea of asking your subscribers why they signed up and what they expect to learn right up front in the welcome email. It would be great to be getting feedback from subscribers at the beginning so that they know that they can reply and connect to a real person.
I’m glad this blog post comes at the right time for you, Ben. And I agree with you – it’s great when, as a reader, you get the feeling that emails come from a real person and that they’re happy to interact.
Thank you for stopping by again!
Thanks Henneke,
this is like a short course on email copy in itself. That’s something I am doing my best to learn this year.
If you want to improve email copy, you may want to check out my post on writing persuasive emails, too: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-write-persuasive-emails/ (that’s more about writing a single email).
Happy writing!
Okay.
I just have to say it.
Yours are the only emails that I actually look forward to receiving! I’m the content developer for a digital marketing agency and I love to begin my mornings with a post from you. Sometimes I’ll inadvertently check my email more frequently than you send them and wonder to myself, “Where’s Henneke?”
Thanks for another great read! Looking forward to the next 🙂
What a lovely comment!
You put a smile on my face. Thank you, Shannon 🙂
The next one will be on its way soon 😉
Thanks Henneke
Hi Henneke,
Addiction to cookies takes some time (it’s not because you eat dozens the first day that ‘ll get hooked, but rather if you build a daily habit). So, is there a time-span you recommend ? Should I spread my email sequence over 4 weeks, 8 weeks or 12 weeks ?
Also, do you do change the frequency over time ? I was thinking of doing a first sequence with 1 email/week for one month, then one every two weeks for another month, then maybe one per months for 6 months.
I’m not sure what the preferred time-span is. I guess it also depends on whether you publish blog posts regularly.
The way I’ve set up my autoresponder series is:
* Daily emails in the first week
* Emails every other day after that
* At the end of the 22 emails, people automatically start receiving my weekly blog updates
Keep in mind that my tips are less than 200 words for each email (plus a couple of downloadable guides). If your emails are more substantial, then starting at once a week sounds good.
I’m pretty sure I heard somewhere that Pat Flynn has an email series spanning a full year. I’m not sure how I could write that!
Omg! I love this post! Just what I need as I start brainstorming for my email content. I’m not a big fan of social media so I intend to make email my primary marketing channel for my wedding business. Thank you!
Great! Happy brainstorming 🙂
Email is my primary marketing channel, too.
Honestly, though I am not a regular blogger, I do not miss out much on your posts. Guess I don’t like to miss out for those cookies.
I also love that personal touch, a lot of us are just plain lonely or are enduring aging pangs.
That photo with the cycle for one thing, brings you closer and reminds me of the years of pleasure doing just that…years ago, way back.
Nothing beats that personal quick snack of yours.
Keep it coming. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Nicolas.
I guess we all like home-baked cookies 🙂
Hi Henneke:
I love your snackable email course and I’ve been thinking and researching and playing around with a sequence or series myself. You make it sound so simple and you ALWAYS make it seem as easy peasy too…but I’m not so sure…
Thanks for all the good info with your posts, enchanting Henneke! Truly, Sue-Ann
p.s. I’ve linked to you AGAIN (lol) in a post out today on kikolani.com:))
Keep in mind that you don’t need such a series as long as my snackable course. Even a few emails is a great start. You can always add other emails at a later stage. My snackable course was created over many weeks, too.
You’re rocking your guest posting! I’ll check out your latest one shortly. Thank you for your support, Sue-Ann. I appreciate it.
I hope you enjoyed one of Henrietta’s chocolate chip cookies 😉
Being a cookie monster (both literally and figuratively), my tendency is to eat the whole bag but then I’m stuffed to the gills, unable to take any action at all. ? Your posts and your ‘Snackable’ course are brilliant because they give me one delectable cookie and leave me wanting more.
In Sesame Street, cookie monster used to be my favorite character! 🙂
Believe it or not, and as entertaining as he is, I get more out of you, Henneke, than I do Ben Settle. Just don’t tell him, okay?
Nope, I won’t tell him. I unsubscribed from his emails ages ago. Don’t tell him that either, okay?
Glad you’re still enjoying my cookies, Dave 🙂
I clicked through your email — as always! — and as soon as I saw the third subhead thought, “Oh, man. I shoulda bugged Henneke about my latest Unbounce post.”
And then (BOOM) … there I was.
Thanks so much.
Of course, I LOVE the running metaphor of being tasty: not just in this post but through so many others. The application in the second point — one email = one cookie = one CTA — is so foundational. But I never thought about using that kind of description.
Super helpful!
Totally with you on the importance of one mail = one cookie = one cta Aaron. Even for doing outreach emails, I find this makes or breaks a campaign.
Great article Henneke!
Thank you, Jason. Happy baking, uhm, writing!
No need to bug me, Aaron. I got you covered already 🙂
I hope you enjoyed your chocolate chip cookie 😉
Yay! It’s Tuesday again! Seems like a month wait, every time! 😉
I really have no trouble getting new followers. On facebook. They come over to my site all the time to read what I share. They never comment or share my site. They just read and read and read. And read.
I am totally happy to share, actually, since I write about having a fulfilling life and keeping it together! I know I am helping them because the facebook comments are terrific. I should feel so content that they are getting help through what I write.
But I would love if they commented on my site, too. And signed up for the site posts. And shared my content. I keep reaching out and I know they keep drinking it up, but …
Do you think it is a thing of my reaching out to broken people who do not realize how important their comments are? Who maybe just fail to “get” the blog world? (I tried for several months asking for comments by saying, “Don’t be shy! I’d love to hear what you think, too!”)
I have offered my most popular series more than once, trying different iterations. I finally gave that up since no one was benefiting from it, if they would not sign up for it, so the helpful content was locked inside a bait can, so to speak.
I know my ideal client loves being at my site. And reading!
Just. Does. Not. Respond.
I have not seen any proof that asking for comments works. When Copyblogger removed comments from their blog, they asked for comments on LinkedIn (and Google Plus for a while), but the engagement was pretty low, and they’re a mega-popular blog!
What might help is getting a couple of friends together and comment on each other’s blog posts. Once people see some comments, they’re perhaps more likely to comment, too.
A lot of people don’t comment. I’ve noticed, for instance, that most people who buy my copywriting or business blogging course have never commented on my blog. So, an absence of comments doesn’t mean you don’t have fans.
I do think some people are more comfortable emailing than blogging – especially if you ask a specific question. But then you need to get people on your list first.
Gracious !
*sigh*
This is what I’ve been looking for Henneke.
How to Write mesmerizing Email Sequence.
I love the 4th point: Add a personal story
Maybe because I love stories and am captured each time I hear someone telling one.
In blogging and writing it’s the same.
One of the Best ways to connect with readers and build loyal following is to tell good stories. Stories that fascinates and pull readers to hight of empathy.
Thanks for this post.
As usual, I will share this right away.
That’s one of my favorite tips, too. I was nervous about going personal with my email series, but one of my friends cheered me on. I’m glad she did 🙂
I love the simplicity of this (per usual). Thanks, Henneke. You’ve given me food for thought. And it’s a cookie. 😉
And not just any cookie … a chocolate chip cookie baked by Henrietta 😉
Henneke,
Enjoyed your post. I like the idea of using email sequences to connect with readers. You’ve given some good tips and advice I can use to improve my own email sequences. I’ve also gotten some ideas on how I can show the value of this service to my clients who operate small businesses. Thanks for sharing.
Blake
That sounds great, Blake.
I like that once an email sequence is set up, it keeps doing it’s work. Unlike blogging where you have to make an effort every time again 😉
I hope you enjoyed a cookie! 😉
“In her welcome email, Ann Handley asks people why they’ve signed up and what they expect to learn. She gets a 60% response rate…”
Thanks Henneke, that is my cookie from you for today. It’s so easy to do, I will do it first thing tomorrow morning. I would love to get a response from 6 out of every 10 subscribers!
I thought I heard someone munching a chocolate chip cookie 🙂
I used to have a similar question in my email sequence. I don’t think I got as high a response as 6 out of 10, but I did get quite a lot of emails – so many that I was starting to feel overwhelmed (I take ages replying to even a simple email), so I removed the question – perhaps not so enchanting … I think I’ll re-introduce it again. At least temporarily! It always felt like it was bringing me closer to readers.