Email Marketing Tutorial: 3 Indoctrination Emails That Will Turn New Leads Into Raving Fans

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How do you communicate with brand new leads to increase engagement, deliverability and long-term sales? Keep reading to learn my personal and proven 3-step indoctrination sequence for turning fresh leads into forever fans.

This week, I’m back with another email marketing tutorial. In this newsletter, I’m sharing my personal and proven 3-email indoctrination sequence to get some serious sparks flying between you and your fresh leads…

Because as a copywriter or business owner, it’s critically important to nurture a relationship with your list and turn new leads into raving fans.

Before I begin, I want to give a special shoutout to those of you who have been actively leaving comments and suggestions on my newsletters. I appreciate you, and I’m so glad that I'm inspiring you as I share the tools, tutorials and techniques that I’ve used to start and scale my own business. 

It’s my mission to get more messages that matter to the masses through the power of copywriting.

I love this global community that we’ve created, so whether you’ve been with me from the start or you’ve just walked through the door — thank you!

I’ve got some juicy JUICY topics coming up for you guys, including my own secret process on how to do a copy critique, copywriting scams to watch out for and how to write a killer about page. I release a new newsletter every single week so, if you haven’t already, hit subscribe to be notified when my next article goes live! 

Alright, back to this week’s email marketing tutorial on how to write an engaging, personable and compelling indoctrination sequence. 

In case you’re wondering what the heck an indoctrination sequence is because, yes, it sound kinda sound like I’m about to hypnotize you into joining my copy cult…

Or have I already? Muahahaha (cue evil laughter).

An indoctrination sequence is the first few emails you send to new leads to welcome them to your community, build rapport and let them know how you can help… 

Your indoctrination sequence is hugely important because this is when prospects’ awareness of your brand is highest and the problem they need solved is top of mind…

Your open rates will be the highest for the first few emails. So, you want to use this opportunity to make a great first impression, let your subscribers know what they’re in for and what you have to help them solve their problem!

So in a way, yes – you are indoctrinating your lead into your mission and methodology, but without the Kool-Aid.

The goal of your indoctrination sequence is to A.I.M. your prospects in the right direction.

These emails warm them up to future offers and set the bar on how likely they are to convert to customers.

It’s really like a first date — you want to make sure that you make a good enough first impression that they want to see you again and again and again.

Now, while you definitely want to let your leads know that you have something for sale, don’t make your entire indoctrination sequence a giant sales pitch, or you’ll lose leads like *that*.

So here is my proven 3-email indoctrination sequence to turn fresh leads into forever fans… (you can also watch this on YouTube).

Email 1: ACKNOWLEDGE (“I Feel You”)

The primary goal of this email is to build rapport by welcoming your lead to your community. Congratulate them on their decision to join your cause and thank them for signing up…

Then (and this is most important) you want to acknowledge where they are at and the problem they need help solving. Empathize with their journey by addressing their pain and mention the core benefits that your brand provides. 

Chances are they made their way here by opting in for a lead magnet or freebie that you offered in return for their email address. So this is where you can remind them how to access that content — whether it’s a download link or login details. Although I do recommend you send these access details first in a stand-alone immediate email autoresponder that’s more transactional in nature. Then direct them here, to the indoctrination sequence.

This is also the email to establish your personality and make them feel like they are indeed corresponding with actual, like-minded people. So depending on your brand identity, skip the uptight, formal approach and keep things conversational.

For example, Marie Forleo aptly uses “You’re SERIOUSLY amazing Alex!” as the subject line for her first email. She then gives a quick series of instructions on how to download her free audio track, watch her videos, check out her book — all while being mindful of and thankful for your decision to be part of her global community. 

In true Marie Forleo style — it really reads like she’s chatting with you on a 3-minute phone call.

This email is also a great opportunity to get engagement going with your community! Engagement increases email deliverability and improves your reputation as an email sender. So, like Marie does, you can ask your leads to reply to your email by answering a question, confirming receipt or just saying hi.

If you have a product to sell or a special welcome offer, this could be a great time to include it as a subtle P.S. line in the email. 

Email 2: INCLUDE (“Our Mission”) 

Now that you’ve acknowledged and welcomed your new community members, it’s time to include your prospect in your mission. 

They’ve already put one foot in the door… and this email will determine whether they truly stick around for the long haul.

You can do that by sharing your personal story and brand mission. Careful though – you don’t want the email to read all “me, me, me”. The goal is to make them feel like they’re part of the cause and let them know how they play a part in that story.

Make it about THEM! Include them in your mission and share how you can help them get to where they want to go... 

My friend and founder of Freelancing School, Jay Clouse, whose newsletter is recommended by Hubspot, Aweber, and The Copy Posse — did this brilliantly in one of his indoctrination emails. He shares a fun gif (you guys know I love a good gif), along with some random personal facts. He then shares his mission to help people do what they love (and be their own boss). 

He quickly turns the spotlight to his subscriber by asking them what led them to join his list in an honest attempt to actually get to know them, which the subscriber can answer by filling out a quick form to get a personal response with tips and resources from Jay himself! Brilliant. 

Again, you can seed your product a little more heavily in this email. Perhaps by mentioning a limited-time deal or special welcome bonus.

Email 3: MOBILIZE (“I Can Help You”)

The third email you send opens the portal to your offer. This is when you mobilize your leads to take some action towards solving their problem.

Add value, create desire and then share the benefits – what I like to call the juicy bennies – that they can expect to receive when they go all the way with you.

This is also where you can assert your authority and credibility as a solution provider, by adding some social proof… such as the size of your community, a case study or a testimonial.

In my third indoctrination email for the Copy Posse, I share two power moves that many new copywriters are too shy to do but are vital to getting a foot in the door with a potential client. 

After this valuable content, I introduce a proven shortcut – my copywriter coaching program that many aspiring copywriters from around the world have enrolled in to create a high-converting portfolio and ignite their copywriting business.  

The point is to not make the sale the sole focus of the email. Instead, give them content that provides value even if they decide not to jump on your offer at that exact moment. 

If you want to get an insider sneak peek at my complete indoctrination sequence, go ahead and join the Copy Posse Email List by signing up here.

So that is my 3-step blueprint to creating a personal yet impactful indoctrination sequence. For a quick way to remember this sequence, just remember A.I.M. Acknowledge, Include, Mobilize! I love a good acronym.

Remember, the goal of your indoctrination sequence is to aim your prospects in the right direction. READY, they opt-in. AIM, you indoctrinate. IGNITE, they buy. 

As always, thank you so much for reading.

Till next week, I’m Alex. Ciao for now! 

Alex Cattoni is the Founder of the Copy Posse Agency and Academy. Since 2011, she has launched several successful brands and has proudly partnered with many of the hottest transformational brands and businesses on the planet, writing high-converting sales copy, scaling multi-million dollar brands, and crafting iconic promotional campaigns.

Today, she’s on a mission to mobilize the raddest, baddest crew of authentic copywriters with a passion for creating community, credibility and conversions with nothing but powerful and precise wording.

Through her weekly YouTube videos, Alex helps copywriters, aspiring copywriters and entrepreneurs learn, write and ignite their businesses with words that work.

You can connect with Alex on Instagram @CopyPosse or sign up for her weekly email newsletter at AlexCattoni.com.