TOC #155: You're gonna hate this
(December 12, 2023) [EMAIL MARKETING SERIES 3/4]: Writing your welcome sequence
As soon as I made this decision, my first thought was:
“Oh, shit. My subscribers are gonna HATE this.”
But it's just something I have to do for my own self, ya know?
I know you really like hearing about it, and, honestly, I genuinely like telling you about it…
And I'm kind of nervous to share such a big decision with you, because I know it could impact your decision to stay in touch with me, but…
I really can't keep this up anymore
So, hopefully you forgive me when I tell you…
I'm giving up dating apps in 2024.
I know, okay? I know. I know how much you love the content, and I'm SORRY.
But seriously, I don't think I can do it. These men are icking me left and right with their Sketchers, and their fishstagrams, and their navy sheets.
(If you've been a TOC subscriber for a while, you know these stories all too well. If not, read them here.)
Having another stupid ass conversation with some stupid ass man who doesn't have enough brain cells (or doesn't care enough) to take 2.4 minutes of his time to create a thoughtful profile is simply out of the realm of possibility for the me I plan to be in the new year.
(If I have to read “get off this app” as a response to the prompt “together we could…” I am actually going to lose my mind.)
If you, too, find yourself almost-29 and single, you probably feel me on this struggle, and you understand why I'm making the choice to leave the apps in the past and refrain from bringing that questionable energy into the new year.
(Liking a MAN??? In THIS ECONOMY?? Disgusting.)
HOWEVERRRR…
Last weekend, I decided that since I'm giving up the whole meeting-someone-online concept completely in the new year, I might as well redownload the godforsaken dating app one last time, just to see what's out there.
And, in the process, I unlocked a new character for you. You're welcome.
Consider this my peace offering; a way of saying I'm sorry for the lack of dating app content to come.
Bestie, meet Shy Guy.
Not my usual type, I know — but I'm nothing if not obsessed with a good texter, so he slipped through the cracks, despite his minimal-effort profile and all his pictures being from one wedding 18 months ago.
(Don't worry, I demanded recent photos before ever encountering this man in real life. I'm not an idiot.)
(My friends were appalled that he was daring enough to send Live selfies, but I knew it was because he's not exactly a tech savvy girlie like that — and I thought his lack of awareness of the possibility of me being able to watch the photo live and see him move around to take the perfect picture was cute.)
And I've gotta give it to him, the man sounds good on paper.
(By “sounds good on paper” all I mean is that he's interested in my life, is down for Wesley, texts me back instantly, is gainfully employed, is taller than me, and drives a truck. The bar isn't exactly high rn.)
(I hope he doesn't read this.)
(Remember when I wrote a newsletter about Fish Boy the day of our first date, and he was subscribed? That actually worked out in my favor — but I couldn't take any chances this time around.)
Aaaaanyway, Shy Guy & I went on a first date yesterday, and, between you and me, I think there may be a second one. 👀
Jury's still out on whether or not I can actually handle a shy man — Lord knows that is my biggest ick factor on the planet, as an extroverted person with admittedly zero experience being interested in someone who feels awkward on the regular — but, for now, I'm giving him the chance to surprise me.
I'll keep you updated on whether or not this new experience goes anywhere, but first, I want to tell you something he brought up that reminded me of a very important piece of advice I've been meaning to give you…
At one point during the 4-hour lunch date (!!!), we talked about past dating app dates, and he shared a few not-so-great experiences he'd had in the past.
Naturally, I asked how he ended those budding relationships.
(How does one move on from a girl shock-collaring a dog while you're in the middle of petting it on your lap? How does one move on from going on a date with a girl who was a completely different person than the photos in her profile? I had to know.)
“I don't really know,” he told me. “They just kind of… fizzled?”
Now, this wasn't exactly a favorable answer — I'd normally be looking for a more mature conversation about an official ending — but, unfortunately, I've had to hit a few guys with the fizzle before, so I knew exactly what he meant.
Sometimes it's not enough to give them the full “I don't see a love connection" - and sometimes it really IS appropriate to just let the convo sort of… ✨ fizzle out ✨
I've been on a few “meh” dates myself, where we didn't know each other enough to really have an ~ending~ so the conversation sort of just, well, died. And we never spoke again.
(Remind me to tell you one day about Colby and the giant watermelon he was growing for the county fair. That's a good one.)
In my experience, when you're not about it, and you haven't been talking to someone long enough for your absence to really impact their life, you just sort of stop answering as quickly… and then you stop answering at all… and then you just pray they never text you again…
Until you're in the clear to chalk it up to a mutual fizzle.
(My rule of thumb is if I don't answer, and they don't double text, the mutual fizz is a go.)
This is the opposite of how you'd maintain a relationship you want to keep alive.
In this digital day and age, with someone you don't care about, you'd probably just let the convo die.
But with someone you're actually interested in keeping around?
You'd obviously continue to keep in touch after that first date, sharing details about your life, taking the next step, making them feel like you're genuinely excited about fostering that potential relationship…
And that doesn't only apply to Shy Guys you meet online.
It applies to your relationships with your subscribers, too. 😏
Keep reading to learn how NOT to fizzle after the freebie delivery.
Why Your Welcome Sequence Matters
A welcome sequence is a series of emails that you send new subscribers in an effort to help them get to know you and your brand better.
And as I mentioned when I taught you How To Grow Your Email List With A Lead Magnet:
Sending a new subscriber your freebie and then never speaking to them again is like ghosting someone after a first date and expecting them to still like you and welcome you into their life.
But before we talk about welcome sequences, let's get one thing straight:
People do not care about who they download freebies from.
More often than not, you don’t even know the person you’re downloading the freebie from. You’ve probably never heard of them in your life.
I’m willing to bet that at least 80% of the people who have downloaded my lead magnets have either found me on Pinterest, with no prior knowledge of my existence, or Googled something like “how to write a homepage” and opted for downloading my quick checklist instead of reading through my lengthy blog posts.
WELCOME SEQUENCES ARE NECESSARY BECAUSE THEY HELP YOUR SUBSCRIBERS GET TO KNOW YOU, SO THEY COME TO LIKE YOU, SO THEY COME TO TRUST YOU, SO THEY EVENTUALLY BUY FROM YOU.
Because while, yes, I love everyone on my email list, and I get a great deal of joy from sending them a weekly newsletter every Tuesday morning, I’d be lying if I said my ultimate goal wasn’t to make more people aware of my services, encourage them to book a strategy call, or to create an engaged audience to launch my website copywriting course to each year.
I’m not out here sending weekly newsletters for my health.
(Okay… maybe I am. You know I don't exactly hate talking about myself… 👀☠️)
That being said, though, I don’t expect anyone on my email list to invest in my products or services without a comprehensive knowledge of who I am, why they can count on me, and how I can help their brand or business grow.
Your welcome sequence helps you build trust with your audience, allows you to establish your credibility, and gives you an opportunity to nurture your relationships — so that you can create (and maintain) an engaged, ready-to-invest email list.
Click the button below to keep reading why your email sequence matters & how to write yours!
Want to learn how I turn everyday stories into easy-to-write content that hits every time?!
On Tuesday, January 9th at 12pm EST, I'm teaching you how to write the best newsletters EVER — for $0.
In this upcoming FREE 60-minute masterclass, you'll learn my exact newsletter storytelling process.
I'm walking you through, step by step, of how to take a story (no matter how seemingly mundane or boring!) and turn it into fire newsletter content that'll have your subscribers responding, raving, and 5-star-reviewing every single time.
(And, duh, there will be a recording sent your way if you can't join me live.)
>> Click here to reserve your seat for free!
Chat so soon!
—S
P.S. Send tips on how to be an extrovert dating an introvert. I don't know how to do this shit and I feel like it's unfair for me to be icked by shyness???? HELP ME
If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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