Short answer: after every opt-in, I send five nurture emails before I start selling my core offer: (1) instant access to the free resource, (2) a "did you get a chance to watch this yet?" nudge the next day, (3) an "oops" email with three extra short trainings, (4) a proper introduction to who I am and why I'm the expert, and (5) a "what's been your biggest takeaway?" email that starts conversations. Every one ends with a PS to my $27 offer or the next step. Below you'll find every email written out, ready to copy and paste.

Someone has just opted in for your free training. Brilliant. Now what?

For most coaches, the answer is one delivery email and then silence, or straight into "buy my programme". Neither works. The first wastes the trust you've just started to build. The second asks for a big decision from someone who met you ten minutes ago. Your nurture sequence sits in between. It gives more value, builds trust and shows your new lead why they need you, so that when you do sell, it's an easy yes.

This is part of my ultimate guide to evergreen funnels. These five emails are the bridge between your opt-in page and your core offer.

Why you need a nurture sequence

Your email list is the one marketing asset you truly own. Social media accounts get hacked or shut down. Your list stays yours, and a huge share of sales in my business come from email. But a list only makes money if people open your emails and trust you. Some people opt in and never check their inbox. Some watch half your training. Some forget who you are by Friday. A nurture sequence makes sure none of them slip through the cracks.

How to build the sequence, step by step

Step 1: Write all five subject lines first

Subject lines decide whether anything else gets read. Write them before the emails. Mine are below.

Time: 10 minutes. Done when: five subject lines in a document, one per email.

Step 2: Record three short trainings for the "oops" email

Three trainings of around 10 minutes each (or secret podcast episodes, if you'd rather do audio). They don't need to be fancy. I recorded mine in a couple of hours using slides I already had. Why three? You'll see which one gets the most clicks, and that tells you what your audience cares about most.

Time: 2 to 3 hours. Done when: three videos uploaded, each with its own link.

Step 3: Write the five emails using the templates

Each email has one purpose and one clear call to action, made into a button. Every one ends with a PS.

Time: An afternoon. Done when: all five emails written, with a PS on each. Short on time? The Email Marketer inside Ascendia OS writes your welcome and nurture sequence in your voice, so you're editing and approving instead of staring at a blank page.

Step 4: Load and schedule them

Email 1 immediately, then one a day for the next four days, when your new lead is most engaged.

Time: 1 hour. Done when: you've opted in yourself and received all five on the right days.

Step 5: Reply to every reply

Emails 2 and 5 invite replies. Yes, you reply manually, or a team member does. Conversations convert.

Time: 10 to 15 minutes a day. Done when: no reply waits more than 24 hours.

Step 6: Connect the sales sequence

After email 5, move people into the sales sequence for your core offer (more on that below).

Time: 1 day to write. Done when: the nurture sequence hands over to the sales sequence automatically.

The 5 emails, ready to copy and paste

Email 1: Instant access (sent immediately)

Give them the link, but tell them why they need to watch it and what they'll walk away with, because opting in and actually watching are two very different things.

Email 2: The nudge (the next day)

Email 3: Oops (day two)

One of my favourites because it always gets a high open rate.

Email 4: Meet me properly (day three)

By now they've had value from you. Introduce yourself properly, and bold the key credibility points so skim readers catch them. Mix up the PS: point them to your podcast, Instagram or community.

Email 5: Biggest takeaway (day four)

When someone replies, keep it going. If their takeaway was your content system: "So glad that helped! Did you know I have a short course on exactly that?" Or ask what led them to sign up in the first place, which can open a conversation about working together.

Optional email 6: another way to start a conversation

Offer a small number of free audits ("DM me the word AUDIT"), or a bonus resource they get by following you and sending a keyword. That moves people onto your social media and into your DMs.

How long should your nurture sequence be?

• Low priced membership: five or six nurture emails, then a short countdown with a 72 hour bonus.
• Four figure programme: the five emails above, plus a fuller sales sequence with stories, testimonials and objections.
• High ticket: a longer nurture, more personal touch points (DMs, a call or a live virtual event), and low priced offers to keep building trust.

Map the steps you took before you bought something similar. That tells you how many touch points your buyers need.

What comes after: the sales sequence

The sales sequence sells your core offer: your story with proof, client stories (where they were, how you worked together, where they are now), a "paint the picture" email, emails that handle objections like price and time (see how to handle the 5 most common sales objections), and a deadline on a bonus. The full flow is in the ultimate guide to evergreen funnels.

Worked example: what five emails are worth

Example (illustrative numbers): a nutrition coach gets 400 opt-ins a month.

• Opens: at 40 to 50%, 160 to 200 people open each email.
• $27 offer via the PS: 4% of the 400 buy over the five emails, on top of the thank you page buyers. That's 16 sales, $432.
• Replies to email 5: 5% reply, 20 conversations. If 3 of those become $1,200 clients, that's $3,600 from one email she answered by hand.
• Insight: email 3 shows that training two gets twice the clicks of the others. That becomes her next free training.

Benchmarks

Common mistakes (and the fix)

• Selling too soon. I once reviewed a funnel that went from the opt-in straight to a $2,000 programme, then emails that only pushed the same programme. Fix: nurture first.
• One delivery email, then silence. Fix: five emails, one a day.
• No PS. Fix: always add one. People skim to the end, so the PS often gets read more than the email.
• Lots of links. Fix: one call to action, as a button. Lots of links push you into promotions or spam.
• Everything bold. Fix: bold sparingly, or nothing stands out.
• Never checking numbers. Fix: open rates test subject lines, click rates test content. Swap out any training nobody clicks.

Your action plan

• Day 1: Write your five subject lines.
• Day 2: Record three 10 minute trainings for the "oops" email.
• Day 3: Write emails 1 to 5 using the templates, each with a PS.
• Day 4: Load and schedule them, then opt in yourself to test.
• Day 5: Set a daily 15 minute slot to reply to every reply.
• Day 6 to 7: Outline your sales sequence.
• Next 30 days: Check opens and clicks weekly against the benchmarks and swap the weakest subject line.

To see where these emails sit between your opt-in page, thank you page offer and core offer, read the ultimate guide to evergreen funnels. If you'd like my full email sequences, funnel pages and the system that ties it all together, it's inside Content To Clients®.

Frequently asked questions

What is an email nurture sequence?

An automated series of emails sent after someone opts in, designed to give value, build trust and show them why they need you, before you sell your core offer.

How many emails should a nurture sequence have?

Around five or six works well for most offers before you move into selling. Higher priced offers usually need a longer journey and more personal touch points.

How often should nurture emails go out?

Daily works well at the start, when your new lead is most engaged: the first email immediately, then one a day for the next few days.

Should I sell in my nurture emails?

Lightly. A PS to your low priced offer is fine, because it's a no brainer price. Save selling your core offer for the sales sequence that follows.

What open rate should funnel emails get?

Aim for 40 to 50% on your funnel emails. If you're below that, test your subject lines first and keep emails short and personal.

Laurie Burrows is a UK-based marketing and sales strategist who has built a business that's generated multi-seven figures in sales through social media and digital marketing. Today, Laurie helps business owners use social media, content and digital marketing to get seen, attract more clients and make more sales. She's also the founder of Ascendia OS.