2.1 — Why Email Still Wins
Your most valuable marketing channel — and how AI changes it
Social media platforms change algorithms
Social media platforms change algorithms. Email lists are yours forever. This lesson covers the fundamentals of building an email marketing strategy, and how AI transforms the economics of email by making great content fast.
Ask AI: 'I run a [business type] and want to start an email newsletter. Help me define: the value proposition for subscribers, the content themes, the cadence (how often), and the tone. Ask me clarifying questions first.'
Pay attention to how AI structures its response. Is it giving you something genuinely useful, or something generic? The difference is almost always in the specificity of your prompt — the more context you give, the better the output.
Applying this in practice
The real skill here isn't getting AI to produce something — it's knowing when the output is good enough to use and when it needs refinement. Review everything AI produces through the lens of your specific audience. If it could have been written for anyone, it needs more work.
AI handles the first 80% — structure, vocabulary, volume. You provide the remaining 20% — your specific audience insight, your brand voice, your judgment about what will land. Neither alone produces great marketing.
2.2 — Subject Lines That Get Opened
The one line that determines everything
Your subject line is the only thing standing between your email and the archive
Your subject line is the only thing standing between your email and the archive. This lesson teaches you to use AI to generate, test, and refine subject lines using proven copywriting frameworks — curiosity, benefit, specificity, and urgency.
Take any email you've sent or plan to send. Ask AI: 'Write 10 subject line variations for this email. Use different approaches: curiosity gap, direct benefit, question, number-led, and urgency. Email topic: [describe].'
Pay attention to how AI structures its response. Is it giving you something genuinely useful, or something generic? The difference is almost always in the specificity of your prompt — the more context you give, the better the output.
Applying this in practice
The real skill here isn't getting AI to produce something — it's knowing when the output is good enough to use and when it needs refinement. Review everything AI produces through the lens of your specific audience. If it could have been written for anyone, it needs more work.
AI handles the first 80% — structure, vocabulary, volume. You provide the remaining 20% — your specific audience insight, your brand voice, your judgment about what will land. Neither alone produces great marketing.
2.3 — Writing the Email Body
From opening line to call to action
Most marketing emails are too long, too formal, or too focused on the sender rather than the reader
Most marketing emails are too long, too formal, or too focused on the sender rather than the reader. This lesson shows you how to brief AI to write emails that feel personal, move quickly, and drive action.
Ask AI: 'Write a marketing email for [product/offer]. Audience: [describe]. Goal: get them to [action]. Open with a hook related to [their problem]. Keep it under 200 words. End with one clear CTA.'
Pay attention to how AI structures its response. Is it giving you something genuinely useful, or something generic? The difference is almost always in the specificity of your prompt — the more context you give, the better the output.
Applying this in practice
The real skill here isn't getting AI to produce something — it's knowing when the output is good enough to use and when it needs refinement. Review everything AI produces through the lens of your specific audience. If it could have been written for anyone, it needs more work.
AI handles the first 80% — structure, vocabulary, volume. You provide the remaining 20% — your specific audience insight, your brand voice, your judgment about what will land. Neither alone produces great marketing.
2.4 — Welcome Sequences and Automation
The emails that run while you sleep
A welcome sequence is the highest-ROI email you'll ever write — it goes to your most engaged subscribers at their most engaged moment
A welcome sequence is the highest-ROI email you'll ever write — it goes to your most engaged subscribers at their most engaged moment. This lesson covers building a 5-email welcome sequence with AI that nurtures new subscribers into buyers.
Ask AI: 'Help me plan a 5-email welcome sequence for new subscribers to [business/newsletter]. Email 1: day 0 (welcome + what to expect). Emails 2-4: days 2, 5, 9 (value + education). Email 5: day 14 (first offer). Outline each one.'
Pay attention to how AI structures its response. Is it giving you something genuinely useful, or something generic? The difference is almost always in the specificity of your prompt — the more context you give, the better the output.
Applying this in practice
The real skill here isn't getting AI to produce something — it's knowing when the output is good enough to use and when it needs refinement. Review everything AI produces through the lens of your specific audience. If it could have been written for anyone, it needs more work.
AI handles the first 80% — structure, vocabulary, volume. You provide the remaining 20% — your specific audience insight, your brand voice, your judgment about what will land. Neither alone produces great marketing.
2.5 — Part 2 Exercise — Your Email System
Build your complete email marketing setup
Write a complete welcome sequence (5 emails), create 20 subject line variations for your most important campaign, and draft your next newsletter from scratch using AI
Write a complete welcome sequence (5 emails), create 20 subject line variations for your most important campaign, and draft your next newsletter from scratch using AI.
Three-part exercise: (1) Write a 5-email welcome sequence for your list. (2) For your biggest upcoming campaign, generate 20 subject lines and pick your top 3. (3) Draft your next newsletter — introduction, main section, CTA.
Pay attention to how AI structures its response. Is it giving you something genuinely useful, or something generic? The difference is almost always in the specificity of your prompt — the more context you give, the better the output.
Applying this in practice
The real skill here isn't getting AI to produce something — it's knowing when the output is good enough to use and when it needs refinement. Review everything AI produces through the lens of your specific audience. If it could have been written for anyone, it needs more work.
AI handles the first 80% — structure, vocabulary, volume. You provide the remaining 20% — your specific audience insight, your brand voice, your judgment about what will land. Neither alone produces great marketing.