Effortless Email Marketing: Turn Followers into Customers Without the Headache

content marketing course creators email marketing entrepreneur generating leads how to scale your business online business systems organic strategies Nov 24, 2024
 
 

 

Join me and email marketing expert, Liz Wilcox, as we uncover the secrets to effortless email marketing. Liz shares her proven "Email Staircase" framework, practical strategies for crafting engaging newsletters, and tips for turning followers into paying customers without overthinking.

From her Survivor experience to her $9 membership packed with resources, Liz will inspire you to take imperfect action, ditch perfectionism, and build authentic connections through email. Whether you are new to email marketing or looking to up your game, this episode is packed with actionable insights!

Episode Highlights:

  • How Liz transitioned from RV travel blogger to email marketing powerhouse.
  • The "Email Staircase" framework: turning followers into friends and friends into customers.
  • Why overthinking is holding you back—and how to “just hit send.”
  • A simple 20-minute newsletter writing framework that works every time.
  • Using GIFs, visuals, and videos to build trust and engagement.
  • The importance of consistency in email marketing.
  • Key takeaways from Liz’s Survivor experience that entrepreneurs can apply to their email strategy.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links which means we earn a commission should you decide to make a purchase. We only share tools and programs we use and love.


Action Steps:

  1. Start emailing! Even if it’s been a while, don’t overthink it—just write.
  2. Try Liz’s simple framework for newsletters: Personal update → Segue → Content → Call to action.
  3. Consider joining Liz’s membership or annual pass for templates, resources, and support.

 

Effortless Email Marketing: Turn Followers into Customers Without the Headache with Liz Wilcox

TRANSCRIPT:

LYDIA: I am so excited for today's episode and thrilled to be welcoming email marketing powerhouse Liz Wilcox. If you're running an online business, you know how crucial email marketing is. But it’s not always easy to create those connections through written words.

Personally, I love connecting with people through video and through my podcast. Because you all can see me, you can hear me, and I just find it so much more natural and easy to connect with people. But when it comes to writing emails that resonate, I definitely find it challenging, and you may too. In fact, many entrepreneurs in my Ignite membership share with me that they’re struggling, right?

Like, what do I write? How do I write content quickly? And most importantly, how do I turn those leads into paying customers? That’s why I invited our very special guest for today. Now, some of you may be Survivor fans, and if you are, you’re going to recognize my guest. Liz was a contestant on Survivor this past year.

She made it to Day 25 and may not have outlasted everyone, but let me tell you, when it comes to email marketing, she is a total champ. You’re going to love her. Today, she’s going to help us build an audience that actually buys—with no alliances required—which is really exciting. So, Liz, thanks so much for joining today. I am so thrilled that you’re here.

LIZ: Oh my gosh, what a fun intro. Lydia is the best. If you’re listening, stop right now and give her a five-star review because, wow, this lady’s got it going on already, and we’re just starting. Thank you for having me.

LYDIA: I’m so excited. I work with so many entrepreneurs who have email questions. I’m so curious about your backstory. Did you wake up one day and say, “I just love writing emails?” How did you realize the power of email marketing? And how did you decide, “This is my passion”?

LIZ: Yeah, so I actually started as an RV travel blogger, but I wasn’t the typical blogger where, you know, I was just writing because I was excited. I wanted to make money. So, I was listening to shows like this one, going to webinars, and everybody and their mother was saying, I wish I would have taken my email marketing more seriously from the beginning or I do all of this so I can get people on my email list.

And you know, mama didn’t raise no fool. I’m nothing if not efficient. I said, “Hmm, I think everybody wants me to do email marketing.” So, I started the travel blog at the same time as I started my email list—on the same day. I just started emailing weekly, taking the advice people give you, creating my own digital products, emailing, and selling them.

Eventually, I launched the big daddy—the digital course everyone and their mother tells you to do. I had 141 people on my waitlist, and by the time the cart closed, I had 141 sales.

LYDIA: A 100% conversion rate—what?!

LIZ: Yeah. Which I didn’t know was crazy. I didn’t come from a digital marketing background. I was a teacher before I started my business. So, I just thought, “Yeah, of course.” You know, like as a teacher, you want everyone to succeed. You pull out all the stops for each and every one of your students.

In this case, it was making sure each and every person that indicated interest got all the questions they needed answered in order to make a buying decision. And yeah, word got around about that. Like, how did she do that? Let me see the receipts. Eventually, I realized, “Oh wow, not only do I love email, I love writing to my customers and email list, and I’m actually really good at it.” That’s when I knew I needed to sell the blog and go all-in on email marketing.

LYDIA: I love it. Your story is pretty incredible because I feel like I’ve worked with a lot of people and really struggled with this myself. We didn’t quite see the results like you did from our emails. What do you think holds people back from getting results from their email marketing?

LIZ: Honestly—and I know this is an eye-roll answer—overthinking. We listen to a lot of webinars, take all these courses, and spend too much time consuming or trying to get it right, rather than just taking action. For me, it was just, “Oh, I can write an email once a week. That’s easy.” I didn’t go out and read blog posts or search, “How to write an email newsletter.” I just did it.

I spent years refining my process, learning how to speak to my ideal client, and learning who my ideal client was. It wasn’t about doing a bunch of worksheets on who I wanted to talk to. It was about taking action, finding people to join my list, getting to know them, and actually talking to them in the inbox—spending more time in the inbox talking to people than learning how to talk to people.

LYDIA: So this is so funny. My podcast is called The Launch Perspective because I truly believe you have to launch to learn. It comes back to that whole concept of taking imperfect action because nothing moves forward if you don’t take action. Like you said, overthinking is truly one of the biggest things that holds people back.

I know for me, I’ve spent hours writing one email before. Hours. Because I’m in my head so much, thinking, No, I need to say it this way. Should I say it this way? I think you’re right. We have to stop. I’ve so adopted the mantra and said to myself, Lydia, it’s good enough. Just hit send.

LIZ: Just hit send. I love that. It’s so true. If you’re just listening and not watching, I’ve got this striped shirt and this black hat on. This is the first time I’m seeing myself, and I’m like, Oh, I look like a burglar. I need to change my hat. And guess what? I have another live coming up in about an hour, and guess what? I will not be wearing this hat.

Maybe during that event, I’ll think, Oh, maybe I should change my shirt, because I have a third live I’m doing today. And maybe by that third live, I’ll get the outfit right. But I’m not overthinking it. I just thought, Oh, I have this call with Lydia, let’s go. Then the second I came on the screen, I was like, Well, that’s not exactly how I want to look today, but whatever—we’re here, we’re doing it.

Honestly, I just feel like people want authenticity. They want you to be genuine. They don’t want perfect. We’re thinking in our heads that people are analyzing everything, but it’s so funny.

LYDIA: I would not have thought “burglar” until you said that.

LIZ: Right? It’s giving a Hamburglar McDonald’s vibe from the 90s. But y’all, it just goes to prove—don’t overthink it. Just go live. Just hit send. It might not be the perfect email, and guess what? It probably isn’t. And when you’re first starting out, hardly anyone is reading anyway. So, just make the mistakes, get that rusty Tin Man out of there, and then by the time you’ve actually built an audience, you know how you want to show up online. You know how you want to show up in your emails. That’s when you’ll actually have the audience, and they’ll love everything you send.

LYDIA: It’s so true. In the beginning, truly no one is looking at anything as closely as you. You just have to let that overthinking go. Doing it is increasing that muscle memory and your ability to make decisions, take action, and move faster. And that is gold. I love what you’re sharing here. I know you teach this really simple concept called the “email staircase,” and I love simple. As a teacher and someone who loves to make hard things very, very simple and systematic, will you just tell everybody what the email staircase is and why it works so well?

LIZ: The email staircase is just my framework for how emails work. First, you have a follower. Then, you have a friend. Then, you have a customer. That’s the staircase we’re climbing.

So, a follower is someone who finds you—maybe from an event like this, a guest blog, or on social media. They’re now your follower. You get them on your email list, and once they’re on your email list, you try to turn them into a friend. Someone, like we just said, who gets excited when you send emails, wants to open everything, and reads everything.

Once you have a list full of friends—people who respond to you and you know how to talk to—you can have a list full of customers. People buy from people they trust, and who do they trust more than their friends? You’ll be able to hone in on the messaging of your offers and create offers they want.

For example, my first product was a book about poop. It was called Tales from the Black Tank. The black tank is where your sewage goes in your RV. I never would have written that book—I actually don’t like potty humor that much—but people told me, “Liz, you’re really funny, and you can tell a good story. That’s why we follow you.” So, I created the offer after my email friends told me what they liked about me.

My first offer was that funny book of stories. Again, it’s about finding followers, getting visible, getting them on your list, turning them into friends, and then turning them into customers because you know what they want.

LYDIA: So good and so simple. I think this is one of the reasons people get stuck. They think, I have to create this super long email sequence, like a welcome sequence. Until they’ve written this really long email sequence that fits into some fancy funnel, they don’t send anything. Like it has to be perfect or have all the elements before they move forward. What are your thoughts on that? How can people simplify? What’s the alternative if we’re not going to write this super fancy funnel email sequence?

LIZ: First of all, how the heck do you know what’s going to be in your funnel if you’ve never sold anything? A funnel only works when you have a proven product and a proven process, right? It’s only after you’ve launched a few times that you know how to talk about your offer, what to write, what not to write, what objections to address head-on, and which ones need more substance or a longer sales process.

A simple alternative? I say email is made of three things:

  1. A Welcome Sequence. No, it doesn’t have to be this long, drawn-out thing. It can just be three or four emails where you set expectations, share a little personality, and tell people what’s coming.

  2. Newsletters. These are mostly weekly emails sent live. These share tips, tricks, little content pieces, and connections. It’s about starting a friendship through the inbox.

  3. Sales Emails. This is super important. Otherwise, you’ll never make money. You can even sprinkle sales into newsletters with a soft pitch. For example, let’s say I wrote an email about welcome sequences and why they’re important. At the end, I could say, “Oh, by the way, I have a $50 Welcome Sequence Workshop. No big deal, but if you’re ready to actually write it, here you go.” That’s a soft pitch.

Finally, decide when to sell. Look at the next 30, 60, or 90 days. What do you want to launch? What do you need to do before, during, and after that launch? Put dates on the calendar. It’s your job to decide when to launch.

LYDIA: I love it. So, I definitely teach launching as a launch strategist, and I actually find those emails easier to write than my weekly content, believe it or not. I am all about launching. I love picking the dates, seeing the vision of where everything should go. It makes sense to me—when I’m launching, I know what emails should go out.

But then I get to my weekly newsletter, and it’s a blank page. I’m like, What do I say right now? I love launching because I know where I’m headed. So, I would love to hear any tips on how to make weekly content more manageable—and more fun. Can it be fun?

LIZ: It can be fun! Just remember, this is just a touchpoint. You’re just connecting with those potential clients and students. If you want your launch to do well, you’ve got to keep connecting with them. If you want it to be fun, ask yourself: What would be fun to share?

It doesn’t always have to be your content or your ideas. You can share, “Oh, I saw this TikTok and thought of you.” Or, “Here’s the latest blog post I found.” For example, in my Facebook group today, I shared a post I saw from Social Media Examiner about AI and the future of Google. I said, “What are your thoughts? Discuss.” That post is going crazy right now—within five minutes, there were already ten comments.

That’s not my content. It’s just something I thought was relevant to both me and my audience. Friends share other information, right? They discuss things and engage with each other. That’s what newsletters can do.

LYDIA: That’s so good! But what if writing a weekly newsletter still feels overwhelming? Like, I’ve spent hours on one email before. Can we make it faster?

LIZ: Absolutely. Write your newsletter in 20 minutes or less. Here’s a simple framework:

  1. A Greeting. Start with something like, “Hey Lydia!”
  2. A Two- to Three-Sentence Personal Update. It can be about something you’ve done since the last time you emailed. For example:
    • “I bought a new podcast mic.”
    • “I learned I need to invest in better lighting after someone said my video was too dark.”
    • “My fridge broke.”
    • “I took my dog for a walk.”
    • “I’m rushing this newsletter because I have carpool in 10 minutes.”

This makes you relatable and shows you’re invested. Plus, it makes writing the email easier.

  1. Segue into the Content. Whether it’s a blog post, podcast, YouTube live, or even someone else’s content, explain why you’re sharing it. For example:
    • “Hey, I saw this and thought of you because we’re both dog lovers. Check it out here.”

Now, I know segues can feel awkward. If you’re stuck, just type “Anyway…” and go straight into it. For example:

  • “Anyway… what I really wanted to tell you about today is my new blog post.”
  • “Anyway… I’m going live at 2 p.m. today.”

It’s super easy. Remember, this is a newsletter, not a novel. Just get to the point and get out.

LYDIA: That’s my favorite tip of the year! It’s so hard to think of smooth transitions sometimes. You’re right—it’s like you’re just having a phone conversation. You wouldn’t overthink that.

LIZ: Exactly. If you and I were on the phone, I might say, “Oh, I just took the dog for a walk. Fido got off his leash, and I had to run after him.” Then, after you respond, I’d go, “Anyway, I can’t make the meeting tonight.” That’s how we talk! It’s not like we say, “While I was chasing Fido, I realized I can’t run toward the meeting tonight.” That’s awkward, right? So, just talk like you normally would.

LYDIA: I love that. It’s a newsletter, not a novel. Less is more.

LIZ: Exactly. And one last thing: if you don’t have time to write your email, chances are people don’t have time to read it. Respect their time. Get in, get to the point, and get out. This approach builds trust. That way, when you send longer launch emails, they’ll know it’s important and pay closer attention.

LYDIA: That’s so helpful because, as I said earlier, I find it easier to connect with people through video or audio. They can hear the reflection in your voice and see your energy. That makes it easier for people to trust you and transition from, “Hey, I just met you online,” to “I really want to learn about your stuff.”

Is there anything else we can do in emails—if written communication is challenging—to improve connection and build trust so they’re ready to buy?

LIZ: Two things:

  1. Consistency. You’ve got to be consistent. If you email today and then wait until Christmas Eve to send your next email, you’re not going to build trust.

  2. Incorporate Visuals. Add GIFs, pictures, or even short videos. For example:

    • I use GIFs of myself, so people immediately recognize my face.
    • I’m a huge Survivor fan, so I often use Survivor GIFs. It makes my emails feel personal and helps people connect with me as a person.
    • Include pictures occasionally—like a selfie of you working at your computer or making your products.

Finally, tools like Loom are great. You can record quick videos and include links to them in your emails. For instance:

  • “If you’re more of a visual person, here’s a video of me explaining today’s topic.”
  • Or, if someone replies to your email with a question, instead of typing a response, you can record a two-minute video. It’s personal, quick, and builds trust.

LYDIA: That’s powerful! I’ve used Descript for quick recordings, but I hadn’t thought of incorporating them into my newsletters. It’s so easy. I love that idea.

LIZ: Yes! Even in a regular newsletter, or if you’re doing a soft pitch, you could say, “By the way, if you’re more of a visual person, let me show you the slides from my Welcome Sequence Workshop.” Then, link to a quick video where you’re flipping through the slides and saying, “Here’s the first slide, and oh, wait until you see this part…” That kind of personal touch can really help you succeed in the inbox.

LYDIA: So good. I’ve been a part of your email membership for a while now, and it’s amazing. I hate starting from a blank page, so I love starting with your ideas. You have concepts for pretty much every type of email someone might need to write inside your membership.

The most amazing part about your membership is that it costs the same as a venti drink at Starbucks. It’s $9 a month, everyone, and so valuable. I know, Liz, you keep that open all the time, but right now, with Black Friday coming up, there’s also a special annual pass. Would you take a minute to tell everyone about your membership, what’s most impactful and helpful for people, and what they need to know about the annual pass?

LIZ: Of course! The membership is $9 a month, and it answers the question, What the heck do I write?

Every single week, I send you a template you can take and make your own. Sure, you can copy and paste it, or you can paste it into ChatGPT to tweak it further. I also give you video walkthroughs and two sample emails so you can see exactly how the template works.

Every template is designed to turn a follower into a friend, and the walkthroughs explain how you can use the template for soft pitching if you want. There are also sales email templates, a pre-launch mini-course, and a course on list building.

On top of that, we do a live Q&A once a month, which is so much fun. All of that is $9 a month. But then there’s the annual pass. This is only offered a few times a year—like right now around Black Friday.

The annual pass is $108 for the year (9 times 12 months), but the deal is that you get access to all my other products for free during that year. Whether you’re just starting out with no one on your list or you have thousands of subscribers and are ready to dive into funnels, I’ve got you covered.

The Welcome Sequence Workshop? Included. A $500 course on launching? Included. Courses on getting your open and click rates up? Included. And in 2025, we’re doing three list-building challenges throughout the year to help you grow your list while you send the weekly newsletters I provide.

This annual pass is only available from November 25th through November 29th—just five days. After that, it won’t open again for another four months. If you’re ready to make 2025 the year for email marketing, this is a great way to do it. And, of course, the $9 monthly membership is always open.

LYDIA: I’ll make sure to share the link with my audience. If you’re on my email list—which I hope you are—you’ll definitely hear about Liz’s annual pass as Black Friday gets closer. If you’re not already on the list, go to launchperspective.com, scroll to the bottom, and sign up to get notified of future podcasts.

(Go to lydiamartin.info/emailmembership to check out Liz’s membership.)

If you’re listening to this after Black Friday, you can still get in for $9 a month, which is a steal. Liz, thank you so much for sharing this.

Before we wrap up, I want to ask one final question: What is one lesson from your experience on Survivor that you think every entrepreneur could apply to their email strategy?

LIZ: Out on Survivor—if you haven’t seen it, you can Google “Liz Survivor,” and it’ll pop right up—I had a major meltdown. I was so hungry, I didn’t get a food reward, and I flipped out. There’s no other way to describe it. I will fully own my temper tantrum.

What happened after the tantrum taught me a lot about what I deserve. Everyone forgave me. They said it was a completely normal response to an incredibly stressful moment. It actually endeared me to people. I became much closer to them after that.

I realized in that moment that, as much as I give grace to others—Oh, they’re hungry. Oh, they’re just having a bad day. Oh, they don’t know any better—I deserve grace too.

When it comes to your business, and especially your email strategy, remember: As much as you give grace to others, you deserve grace too. It’s okay if you don’t feel 100% confident about the email you just sent. It’s okay if people unsubscribe or if your list isn’t growing as fast as you’d like. It’s okay if you haven’t updated your welcome sequence in two years or haven’t emailed in six months.

I know you give grace to other people in and outside of your business, and you deserve grace too.

LYDIA: Amen. That’s so true. So many people beat themselves up, thinking, I didn’t do this. I didn’t do that. I hear from a lot of people who say, “I haven’t emailed my list in six months. I’m too embarrassed to write to them.” But I tell them, what would you say to someone else in that situation? Just write. You don’t have to write a six-month sob story apologizing. Just write.

LIZ: Amen. Oh my gosh, please don’t send an apology email. I say this with love: nobody cares. Nobody even noticed. Just start.

LYDIA: Just start. I love it. Liz, it has been such a pleasure chatting with you. Thank you for sharing so many golden nuggets with my audience. I know this episode is going to resonate with so many people. Thank you again!

LIZ: I can’t wait to see what everyone does with email marketing. Thanks!

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