Last week, we talked about how to take care of your new email subscribers.

One of those four steps was to create a nurture sequence (aka “indoctrination series”).

But it’s a pretty big topic. So while I gave some starter tips, I decided to dedicate an entire article to this idea of sending your new readers a nurture sequence.

So what IS a nurture sequence, anyway?

It’s a series of emails that you send to new subscribers to… well, to nurture
them.

This series is designed to…

• introduce new readers to your business — so they understand who you are, what you do, and who you help
• deliver value in the form of great, helpful content — so they equate seeing your name in their inbox with “good stuff”
• build a relationship — so they start to look forward to opening your emails + have a higher level of trust (key for when you start promoting to them)
• and gently lead them toward some call to action, like scheduling a consultation with you, or buying one of your products

There are also some Cool Things about nurture sequences…

Cool Thing #1: You automate this series.

Meaning — you write the emails once + set them up once, and then everyone who joins your list automatically gets these emails, in the order you decide, spaced out however many days you decide.

(So you don’t have to keep track of new subscribers and hit “send” over and over again.)

Cool Thing #2: You can use past content you’ve already created.

So it could take WAY less work than it sounds.

The idea is to send your new subscribers your BEST content, so if you already have popular articles or videos, repurpose them for the nurture sequence!

Cool Thing #3: You can decide how simple or complex you want your nurture sequence to be.

Sometimes entrepreneurs tell me they haven’t created a nurture sequence yet (even though they KNOW how powerful it can be) because they don’t have a webinar in place… or they don’t have a sales page written… or they heard it has be like, 12 emails long…

The truth is — yes, you can have a long, complex sequence with tons of emails that eventually invite people to attend a webinar (live or automated), which then sells them into a program (for which you’ll want to have a sales page ready), and then downsells them into a lower-priced product, etc, etc.

But you don’t HAVE to have that kind of sequence.

That’s a sales sequence.

The nurture sequence comes BEFORE the sales sequence.

Which means you can have JUST a nurture sequence for now… then later on, add other invites and offers to it.

Or, if you really want to make some kind of offer, you can invite your subscribers to sign up for a consultation or free strategy session (aka sales conversation) with you.

So for now, let’s just focus on a basic nurture sequence.

What do you need in a basic nurture sequence?

Here’s a simple format you can follow for a short, 5-email sequence…

#1. Send a Thank You email.

Welcome them, congratulate them for signing up for your freebie – or newsletter, if you don’t have a freebie yet. (Don’t know what a freebie is, or what to use for yours? Check out my article, “10 Types of Free Gifts to Grow Your Email List.”)

Let them know what to expect from you.

Give them a stellar introduction to you and your business. If they signed up for a freebie, they might not realize everything you do — because that freebie was probably targeted for just ONE angle of your business.

#2. Highlight a tip or step from the freebie.

Ask them, “Did you have a chance to check out the XYZ Gift yet?”

Then tell them you want to dive deeper into Step #2.

You could let them know that lots of people struggle with this particular step, so you want to give them some more help around it.

Or maybe it’s the step that gets the biggest, fastest results.

Or maybe you have an awesome story (from your own life or a client’s life) that relates to that step.

#3. Share your story.

If you have a Signature Story or Origin Story — the story of why you got into your business — tell it!

Storytelling is one of the fastest ways to make a human connection. (People are also way more likely to remember a story than helpful tips.)

Not sure which story to tell? Take a peek at my article, “How to Tell the Story Your Ideal Clients REALLY Need to Hear.”

#4. Share some awesome, valuable content.

You could repurpose an old blog article (choose one of your best or most popular!).

Or you could write a new email that goes along with the theme of the free gift.

Or you could send an email with a list of links to content you’ve already created.

The idea here is to show them that you’re a generous, helpful resource — so when they see your name in their inbox, they don’t think, “ew, spam,” but instead think, “ooooh, yeah, I wanna read that. She always sends good stuff.”

(Pssst… Having trouble writing articles and content for your biz? I’ve got an online course all about that: Article Magic: 7 article templates to make writing your newsletters & blog posts as easy as filling in the blank. It also has an entire section to help you come up with new ideas + bonuses to help with your writing & storytelling skills.)

#5. Share some more awesome content OR give them a call to action.

If you’re trying to get more people to sign up for strategy sessions / sales conversations / consultations with you — let them know you have some spots open on your calendar and would love for them to grab one of those spots!

Just make sure you don’t say, “Free session!” and leave it at that.

That’s not going to get anyone excited enough to sign up. You still need to explain WHY this conversation is awesome.

What will we talk about? What will I get clear on? What will I walk away with?

Other things to include in your nurture sequence…

• • Additional invitations to strategy sessions — Not everyone will see your invitation email. And out of those people, not everyone will take action right away. So consider sending 1 or 2 more emails about the sessions.
  • Cliffhangers or teasers — At the end of each email, tease me about what you’re going to talk about in the NEXT email. (“In my next email, I’ll share the story about how I totally embarrassed myself on stage, but managed to turn it into a huge revenue opportunity.”)
  • Invitations to connect on social media — Let them know you’d love to connect further, and give them links to any social media platforms you hang out on.
  • Postscripts (p.s.) — Often, a reader will skim through your email until they get to the bottom… and then they read the very last thing. So make it a powerful last thing with a “p.s.” This is where you can put your cliffhanger, social media invite, special offer, or reminder to download the free gift.
  • Your personality!! — This isn’t the time to be super-professional-corporate-speak-person (unless that’s your brand’s tone). You want to resonate with your new readers!

So there you have it!

The basics of writing a basic nurture sequence. 🙂

Keep in mind — this format is totally flexible.

Don’t want to tell your story in Email #3? Don’t! Send them a popular article instead.

Don’t want to invite them to a sales conversation? Don’t! Give them some links to your favorite TEDtalk videos.

Want to tell a client story in every single email? Go right ahead. (Though I do recommend you include a “moral of the story” or actionable takeaways for your reader.)

Once you have the emails written, all you have to do is go into your email provider (MailChimp, Aweber, ConvertKit, etc) and set them up to go out automatically.

Happy nurturing!

xoxo,
Cheryl

P.S. Want to know the easiest way to write copy that your ideal clients will connect with?

Get free access to my mini-course, “Copy That Resonates: How to find the exact words that attract your ideal clients + get them excited to work with you”