THE EMAIL GROWTH SHOW EPISODE 233
Let me ask you something.
When was the last time you actually enjoyed going through a welcome sequence?
Not skimmed.
Not tolerated.
Actually enjoyed.
That question is the reason I stopped sending them.
And what I do instead has completely changed how people engage with my emails.
Listen to this episode here:
TL:DR
What you’ll learn in this episode:
– Why the delivery email is usually the most-opened email you’ll ever send
– What’s actually happening with inbox behaviour as we move into 2026
– How one “Start Here” email can replace an entire welcome sequence
– What to include in that email so it builds trust and invites action
– Why treating subscribers like adults leads to better long-term results
A Different Way to Welcome People In
Email works best when it feels human, not engineered.
If you want your inbox to feel calmer, clearer, and more intentional, here’s how I can help:
→ Book a Business Breakthrough Audit
Get a clear, 3-step plan to simplify your welcome experience and email ecosystem.
→ Join The Email Growth Club
Build list growth and nurture strategies that feel human and sustainable.
Why Welcome Sequences Started to Feel Off
Before anyone panics, this is not a “welcome sequences are dead” rant.
They still work.
They still convert.
They still have a place.
They just don’t fit how I want to show up anymore. Or how my audience wants to be treated heading into 2026.
Funnels and sequences honestly annoy the fuck out of me now. Not because they don’t work in theory, but because my audience is smart.
They know when they’ve entered a funnel.
They know the pacing.
They know what’s coming next.
And when people realise they’re in a sequence, something subtle shifts.
They skim more.
They click less.
They wait it out.
Not because they don’t like you, but because they want to feel back in control.
That matters to me.
I don’t want my emails to feel like machinery.
I want them to feel like a room you’ve just walked into.
The Assumption Most Welcome Sequences Are Built On
Most welcome sequences are based on an old belief.
That attention equals readiness.
That if someone downloads a freebie, they’re ready to be nurtured, educated, and gently guided toward an offer over the next five to seven emails.
But inbox behaviour has changed.
Across platforms, we’re seeing that the delivery email gets the highest open rates. Often 20 to 40 percent higher than follow-up emails in the same sequence.
Click rates peak there too.
Not email three.
Not email five.
The very first one.
So instead of dragging people through a sequence and hoping they stay engaged, I decided to respect that moment.
If this is the email they’re most likely to open and actually read, then it should do the work.
What I Use Instead of a Welcome Sequence
I send one email.
I call it a Start Here email.
It still delivers the thing they signed up for. That part matters.
But instead of drip-feeding orientation over a week, I give people everything upfront.
Clearly.
Honestly.
Without manipulation.
This one email answers the questions every new subscriber has, whether they’re consciously thinking them or not.
Who are you really?
What kind of emails do you send?
How often will I hear from you?
What do you actually help with?
Where do I go if I want more?
I don’t hide that information across multiple emails.
I let them decide what happens next.
Why This Works Better for My Audience
Yes, my Start Here email has more than one link.
I know. That breaks the old rules.
But those rules were written for a time when we assumed people couldn’t make decisions without being carefully guided from point A to point B.
That time is over.
My list is full of intelligent women. They don’t need to be funnelled down a narrow path or protected from “too many options.”
Giving people choice builds trust.
And trust converts when they’re ready. Not because you timed email number four perfectly.
What People Actually Need Right Now
People aren’t short on information.
They’re drowning in it.
What they’re short on is orientation.
They want to know:
Am I in the right place?
Is this person for me?
Does this feel safe, calm, and relevant?
A Start Here email can answer all of that without pressure.
And because it lives in one place, it becomes an anchor.
People can save it.
Come back to it.
Click when they’re ready.
That lines up with how people actually behave in inboxes now.
Longer decision cycles.
Fewer impulsive clicks.
Stronger trust when they do move.
What I Include in My Start Here Email
Conceptually, it does four things.
I introduce myself like a human. Not a brand bio.
I set expectations clearly. How often I email, what I send, and what I don’t send. Predictability builds safety.
I give a few clear places to explore. A loved free resource, the podcast, and one way to work with me.
And I invite conversation.
I ask them to reply. I remind them it’s actually me. I ask how they found me.
Even if most people never reply, that invitation alone changes how the inbox feels.
The Difference in Tone Matters
A welcome sequence says, “Sit down, I’ll take you through this.”
A Start Here email says, “Welcome. You’ve arrived. Take what you need.”
That difference matters.
It tells your subscriber they’re not a number.
Not a lead.
Not something to be warmed up before they’re allowed to choose.
They have agency from the very first email.
And in my experience, that creates better long-term engagement than any perfectly timed sequence ever could.
If You Want to Try This Yourself
If welcome sequences feel heavy, performative, or outdated for your business, this is a simple experiment worth running.
You don’t need to burn everything down.
Turn off your sequence.
Write one Start Here email.
Track it for 30 days.
Watch the data.
Notice how it feels.
Pay attention to replies and engagement.
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
A Different Way to Welcome People In
Email works best when it feels human.
Not when it feels engineered.
If you want your inbox to feel calmer, more honest, and more intentional, this is one small shift that can change everything.
→ Book a Business Breakthrough Audit
Get a clear, 3-step plan to simplify your welcome experience and email ecosystem.
→ Join The Email Growth Club
Build list growth and nurture strategies that feel human and sustainable.
You don’t need more emails to build trust. Sometimes you just need one that tells people exactly where they are and lets them choose what happens next.
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