Mastering Nurture Email Sequences: Insights from Jim Edwards on Closing More Leads with Email Nurturing
As a marketer and content creator, I’ve sent my fair share of emails that really missed the mark. But after attending a training by Jim Edwards—Best Selling Author, Entrepreneur, and the OG of Copy and Content— I learned some insightful tools on how to elevate my email marketing game and I wanted to share them with you.
For the past 3 decades Jim has helped countless authors, coaches, speakers, and entrepreneurs create powerful marketing and sales content to drive sales and achieve freedom in their work. His expertise in nurturing email sequences to close leads was nothing short of eye-opening. Here’s what I learned.
Nurture Emails Matter!
Once you’ve captured a lead, the work begins. Nurture email sequences are the tool you will use to guide leads through the journey from curiosity to conversion. The goal should not be to sell; rather, every email should be a building block of interest, trust, and urgency to take action. The only real action anyone will take in an email is to call you directly or click a link.
According to Jim Edwards, nurturing is the key to closing, and a well-structured email sequence does just that. Whether you’re launching a new product, selling a course, or offering a service, these strategies can help you develop a relationship with your leads, keeping them engaged and ready to
Most Emails Don’t Get Opened!
Too many people write emails that quite honestly suck! I’m guilty as well! Jim shared his simple but effective formula for creating emails that your lead will open, read, and act on. Here are the core elements:
Personalization is King: Use YOUR name in the "From" line, not your company or brand. People open emails from people they know, not faceless brands.
Subject Line: Keep it personal, relevant, short, and add benefit. Your subject line should feel like it’s coming from a friend. Think of something simple and engaging like, “Here’s your stuff,” or “I forgot to send this to you earlier.” Avoid keywords that will get you sent to promotions, junk, or have you blocked forever. Here’s a blog post I wrote with a list of those keywords.
Pre-header Text: This is prime real estate to add a secondary benefit. Use it to entice the reader even more after they’ve read your subject line.
Purpose: Every email has one purpose—get the lead to click. Keep it short, to the point, and focused on the action you want them to take. You can’t sell in an email, but you can persuade them to take an action that will lead them closer to a sale.
Call to Action: Your CTA should be crystal clear and impossible to miss. This is what drives clicks and moves the lead further down the funnel.
The “Magical” 11-Email Nurture Sequence
One of the most valuable takeaways from the training was Jim’s recommended 11-email follow-up sequence, which works so well that it’s almost like magic. This email sequence has been used to close millions in sales and create lasting connections with clients that keep them coming back for more. It’s designed to build rapport, showcase value, and motivate leads to purchase.
Some examples of when the 11-Email Nurture Sequence should be used: When someone signs up for a free trial of your product or service. When someone subscribes to your mailing list or a community. When someone makes a purchase, and you have the opportunity to get repeat business or sell additional products. Here’s the breakdown:
Welcome Email - Goes out immediately. The goal is to make the lead feel good about doing business with you. This should only communicate want them to do next!
Thank You Email—Day 2. You need to reinforce the reason they signed up or purchased. Make sure they feel reassured and remind them of the benefits. Keep it short and to the point, and its best if you can make it personal to them.
Quick Win Email - Day 3. This email is all about helping them achieve fast success. What’s one thing they can do right away to get value from your product or service?
Background Story Email – Day 4. Share your personal “why” story to connect with them on a deeper level. This makes you relatable and helps build trust. (Want to learn the building blocks of a great story sales letter? Read my blog all about that about that here!)
Tribe Invitation Email - Invite them to join your community, whether that’s a Facebook group, a forum, or a private community. The more connected they feel, the better.
Bonus Email - Surprise them with something extra—a bonus tip or resource they didn’t expect. People love surprises, especially ones that add value.
Customer Success Email - Highlight a success story from a real customer to inspire them and show what’s possible. This gets them thinking that they can do the thing that you want them to do.
Cool Speed Hack Email - Show off a feature or benefit of your product that helps them achieve faster results. People love shortcuts and efficiencies.
Effort Hack Email - Share a tip or trick that helps reduce their workload. It’s all about making their life easier.
Engagement Email - Send content that re-engages them—whether it’s something new you’ve created or relevant past content that helps them move forward. Examples may be articles or posts you’ve made that are relevant to their engagement. The goal is to get them to see value in your offer (promise) to them.
Feedback Email - Finally, ask for feedback. How can you improve? What would they like to see next? Ask for a referral. Use this to gather insights, strengthen your offer, and reach more people. Bonus if you can use their feedback and tell them how you used it!
After completing the 11-email nurture sequence, the lead should then be placed in your general nurture email campaign to maintain consistent engagement until they make the next purchase or take the next action. Rinse and repeat the 11-email nurture sequence for that action when they do.
Event Follow-up Funnel
If you’re promoting an event, Jim offered a three-phase event funnel that is a must-have for getting people to sign up, show up, and put up the cash for your offer. Here’s how it works:
Phase 1: Sign up – On the week leading up to the event send a 9-email sequence to build anticipation, highlight key benefits, and answer FAQs. Send a couple of final “last chance” emails the day before to capture undecided leads.
I'm sure you would like more details on the Event 9-Email Nurture Sequence.
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Phase 2: Show Up - Send a morning-of and a one-hour-prior notification email to remind people to attend and provide any last-minute instructions they might need. Restate the event's benefits and what they will be missing by not attending in person.
Phase 3: Post-Event Follow-up - Once the event is over, send replays, recaps, and final calls to action. This is where you close sales and get the most value from your leads.
SMS Marketing: The Perfect Sidekick to Email
These strategies are not limited to email only. Jim also touched on how SMS can complement your email efforts. SMS is incredibly effective for time-sensitive information and reminders, but it must be used sparingly. As Jim says, "SMS is like salt; the right amount makes any food taste great, but too much will make you puke."
Here’s when and how to use SMS effectively:
Event Reminders: If you’re hosting a webinar or launching a new product, SMS can serve as a last-minute reminder to drive attendance.
Limited-Time Offers: Sending a quick text about a flash sale or expiring offer can drive urgency and prompt immediate action.
Mobile Only Activity: Some tasks are done natively on a mobile device more easily than others. Requests for review on Google or login link to a mobile app will get a more likely and faster response when sent through an SMS message.
Remember to use SMS wisely! Bombarding your audience will make them tune out or block you completely.
Lead Nurturing for Different Price Points
Jim also broke down the difference between nurturing leads for smaller sales versus larger sales. A short lead cycle is most effective for sales of $1,000 or less, focusing on fast conversions that strike while the iron is hot. For higher-ticket items over $1,000, the lead nurturing process can be a bit longer and more relationship-driven. Trust and value must be established over time to justify the investment. The most important thing to understand with both high-ticket and low-ticket sales funnels is to never let the lead get cold. The best way to reengage a cold lead list is to start making a new list
Eat, Sleep, Content, Repeat
One of Jim’s mantras is simple: Eat, sleep, content, repeat. People want stories, opinions, and unique perspectives—not just product pitches. Create content that resonates with your audience, whether it’s an email, a video, or a blog post. Small tweaks in your messaging can make a huge difference.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Jim’s training, it’s this: Email is more than a marketing tool—it’s an opportunity to build relationships and drive sales. You can transform your leads into loyal customers by creating well-thought-out nurture sequences, using personalization, offering value with each interaction, and asking for what you want. Whether you're using email or SMS, focus on nurturing action, not just selling, and you’ll see the difference in your conversions.
