Episode 138

Why Your Welcome Sequence Is Doing More Than You Think

Here’s a misconception Lisa Duck and Susan Larimer wanted to clear up on the final episode of this email marketing mini-series: email marketing isn’t about recreating a company newsletter, and it isn’t just a sales blast waiting to happen. It’s something bigger — a list you actually own, and a way to reach your people no matter what happens on social media.

Think about it. What happens if you wake up tomorrow and your Facebook group is gone? No warning, no way in. If that’s your only connection to your customers, you’re in trouble. Your email list is the one channel that’s actually yours — nobody can take it away, ban it, or shut it down.

Less Reliant on Social, More Peace of Mind

Leaning into email marketing doesn’t mean abandoning social media — it means not being dependent on it. There’s a real freedom in knowing your business doesn’t live or die by an algorithm or a platform’s mood that day. Email works quietly in the background, doing its job whether or not you posted today.

Why Nobody’s Replying to Your Emails

If you’re not getting replies, the fix is usually simple: are you actually asking for one? A “click here to shop” button doesn’t invite conversation. A genuine question does — something like “what are you working on right now?” And when someone does reply, always reply back. That one small exchange builds more trust than almost anything else you can put in an email.

Sales Take Time — And That’s Normal

Nobody buys after one email, and that doesn’t mean your system is broken. A low-cost purchase (roughly $10–$50) typically takes three to six emails before someone buys. A mid-range item ($50–$300) can take eight to fifty. Think about how often you get an email from a retailer you actually shop with — you’re not buying every time, but you’re not unsubscribing either. That’s exactly how this works.

The Journey, From First Email to Loyal Customer

Here’s the general path most people take through your list:

1. They join through an offer. A lead magnet, a first purchase — something valuable enough that they’re willing to hand over their email address.
2. The welcome sequence kicks in. This should trigger within about 24 hours of that first “thank you” or delivery email, while their curiosity about you is still fresh. Skipping this step is where most people lose momentum.
3. They land in your regular list. Whatever cadence you’ve chosen — weekly, biweekly, monthly — they’re now part of your ongoing rhythm.
4. You extend gentle invitations. Not every email needs a “buy now” button. “Learn more here” or “explore this” is enough to invite interest without pressure — and lets your sales page do the actual selling.

Don’t Skip Customer Care

A dedicated customer care sequence is what keeps people coming back long after that first sale. A simple five-step version might look like: a thank-you when they order, a check-in two weeks later, a “running low on anything?” nudge a couple of months out, and — if six months pass with no purchase — a small, no-pressure offer. Something like, “I’d hate to see this go to waste, could you use it?” It’s not pushy. It’s just a friend passing along something useful.

Unsubscribes Aren’t Failure

If you’re doing email marketing right, some people will unsubscribe — and that’s a sign it’s working, not a sign it’s broken. What you actually want to watch for is spam complaints, which usually show up when every email is a sales pitch. That’s what tanks your deliverability and lands you in spam for the people who genuinely want to hear from you.

One quick fix: most platforms scan the first paragraph or so of your email to help decide where it lands. If that opening line reads like a sales pitch, it’s more likely to get filtered. Keep your opening personal, and if you’re not sure whether something sounds salesy, run it past a tool like Claude or ChatGPT and ask it to check.

The Simplest Advice of All

Stay consistent, at whatever pace actually fits your life — not someone else’s. Let the system run. Watch your open rates and click rates, notice what’s working, and build on it. It won’t be perfect right away, and that’s fine. It gets better the more you pay attention.

Ready to Build Your Own System?

If this mini-series has you ready to actually put a full system in place, Email Marketing Made Simple walks you through it from start to finish, and right now it’s available at introductory pricing — with every future update included at no extra cost once you’re in.

Ready to go deeper? Catch the full conversation on this week’s episode of The Other 99% Podcast, where Lisa Duck and Susan Larimer wrap up the email marketing mini-series with even more real examples.

📌 Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links in this post may be affiliate links. I only recommend tools and resources I personally use and trust.