Email Marketing Experiments 🧪: Email Marketing Strategies for Business Owners, Service Providers & Freelancers

Oct 5, 2026 · 43m

Most people use AI for email marketing the wrong way , throwing a prompt at it and hoping for the best. Meera Kothand, AI marketing systems strategist and author of over 10 self-published books with thousands of copies sold, built a completely different system.In this episode, she walks through the end-to-end AI workflow she uses to generate email ideas, interview herself, evaluate drafts, and send emails that still sound like her ,in half the time it used to take. Including an AI agent named Rita who reviews her work before it ever reaches her audience.If you want to use AI for email marketing without losing your voice, your edge, or your humanity , this episode will completely change how you think about it.INSIDE THIS EPISODE1. How Meera went from a $2.99 Amazon book to building an email list of right-fit clients who pay thousands2. Why she calls email marketing the number one home base and primary conversion tool in her business3. The Open Rates Confession that every AI user needs to hear and the simple fix that saves hours4. What a signal library is and how it solves the "I have no email ideas" problem forever5. The 3-lens AI interview framework: story miner, systems extractor, and skeptical subscriber6. The scoring rubric that evaluates every email draft before it reaches your audience7. Meet Rita , the independent reviewer agent who checks your work so you do not have to8. Why AI does not remove the human element and what you have to do to keep it in9. The two email marketing myths Meera wants to bust about welcome sequences10. How to use AI to monitor email marketing laws and regulations without spending hours researchingGUEST RESOURCESGuest: Meera KothandYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/meerakothandFreebie: Newsletter Workflow Starter Kit 👇https://meera.email/aiworkflowFree Bonus: Email Workflow Finder👇https://deck.meerakothand.com/email-marketing-experiments/EPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[00:58] – Introduction: meet Meera Kothand, AI marketing systems strategist[02:07] – What AI marketing systems actually means and how it goes beyond just writing prompts[03:49] – The $2.99 Amazon book strategy that built her entire email list of right-fit clients[06:00] – Email marketing's job description: number one home base and primary conversion tool[07:21] – How a health scare led to entrepreneurship and why she almost did not start[09:32] – Open Rates Confession: the AI mistake that had her starting from scratch every day[11:13] – The signal library: how to never run out of email ideas again[12:27] – The 3-lens AI interview framework: story miner, systems extractor, skeptical subscriber[13:05] – The scoring rubric that evaluates audience language, opening hooks, and points of view[23:21] – Why AI does not kill the human element if you use it as a co-creator, not a replacement[25:55] – Meet Rita: the independent reviewer agent who checks every draft before you see it[29:48] – The Newsletter Workflow Starter Kit: from idea to send in half the time[32:51] – Rapid fire: long emails, emojis in subject lines, and the send time myth[33:52] – Two email marketing myths busted: welcome sequences are not just for nurturing[40:53] – How to use AI to monitor email marketing regulations without overwhelmCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/Mentioned in this episode:Freebie: How To Break Into Email Marketing & Get Paid To Offer it as a ServiceFreebie: How To Break Into Email Marketing & Get Paid To Offer it as a Service

Sep 28, 2026 · 1h 9m

You have thousands of followers on Instagram. Hundreds of subscribers on YouTube. A growing LinkedIn newsletter. But if those platforms disappeared tomorrow, what would you have left?Lydia George , digital strategist, senior social media professional at Selar, and one of the sharpest voices in the creator economy says the answer is simple: your email list. It is the only place where you truly own your audience, can take them with you anywhere, and can scale without showing up every single day.In this episode, Lydia breaks down why email is the most underrated asset in a creator's business and what African business owners specifically are getting wrong about it.INSIDE THIS EPISODE1. Why Lydia calls email marketing the "chief community builder" and how it creates a different kind of relationship than social media ever can2. How email marketing is a form of ownership and scalable IP that most creators are sleeping on3. Why Substack is closer to a real email tool than most people realise and why LinkedIn newsletters are a trap4. The missing link mistake that became one of Lydia's most opened campaigns ever5. Why social media feels shiny and email feels boring and why that is actually good news for email marketers6. How to blend personal vulnerability with product promotion to write emails people actually feel7. Why African businesses are struggling with email and what the data about Africans and subscriptions actually shows8. The bold creative email stunt by Chocolate City that generated massive open rates and the legal risk to watch out for9. Why you should never use email only to sell and what to do instead to protect your deliverability and reputation10. Rapid fire questions: The Best type of emails she likes,what makes her open emails, how email for software different from emails for creators, email myth she'll like to break.GUEST RESOURCESGuest: Lydia GeorgeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydiacgeorge?stkn=MXYza3o5YWNhdzB6LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiacgeorge?originalSubdomain=ngSubstack: https://thesocialdive.substack.com/Free Gift: Social Dive Lead Magnet ,a short guide on the mindset shifts, career steps, and advice from scaled professionals to help social media professionals level up their careers. Click here to get it👉 https://socialdive.selar.com/beyondthealgorithmState of Email Marketing in Africa shares your experience and helps shape the report. Click here to get the link 👉 https://sapphirelearninghub.com/survey/EPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[00:54] – Introduction: meet Lydia George, digital strategist and senior social media professional at Selar[05:17] – If email had a job description: Lydia calls it "chief community builder" and explains why[06:16] – What it means when your subscribers expect to hear from you and what that builds over time[08:36] – Lydia's first email campaign: a Mailchimp experiment that started everything[09:35] – The Women's Day campaign that reached 100,000 to 200,000 users and why it worked[11:25] – Why every email , corporate or personal ,must sound like a real human being[13:47] – Open Rates Confession: the missing link mistake that made Lydia want to cry[15:33] – How she turned the mistake into one of her most successful campaigns using humor[18:31] – Email marketing is a form of ownership: the scalable IP argument creators need to hear[23:01] – Why business owners prefer social media over email and the misconception driving it[24:42] – Substack vs LinkedIn newsletter vs traditional email service providers[40:17] – How to blend vulnerability with promotion to write emails that convert[42:18] – Why only emailing when you want to sell is killing your deliverability and your reputation[46:26] – What African businesses are getting wrong about email design and subject lines[55:08] – About the State of Email Marketing Report in Africa and what Lydia's hypothesis on the report[56:03] – The Chocolate City email stunt that generated massive opens and the legal caveat[01:02:37] – About her Social Dive lead magnetCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/Mentioned in this episode:Our Services - Work with MeFreebie: How To Break Into Email Marketing & Get Paid To Offer it as a Service

Sep 21, 2026 · 1h 5m

In a world where everyone seems to be using AI for everything, Dr. Sapphire has a very clear line. She knows exactly where AI helps her do more and exactly where she minimises her use of AI.In this special role-reversal episode, Dr. Sapphire becomes the guest as Mmesoma,pharmacist, e-commerce email copywriter, and Email Clinic community member of the month takes over as host.Together they dig into Dr. Sapphire's origin story, her early scepticism of AI, the three specific ways she uses it in her email marketing business today, and the two things she has kept from AI.If you have been wondering how to use AI smartly without losing your edge as an email marketer, this episode will give you a clear, honest framework to follow.INSIDE THIS EPISODE1. How Dr. Sapphire went from childhood novelist and journal keeper to accidental email marketing expert2. The "PTSD" mistake she made managing a large email list and the anxiety that followed every time she pressed send3. Why she started out almost anti-AI and what changed her mind4. The three ways she actively uses AI in her email marketing business: research, analytics, and editing5. What her Email Marketing workflow was like before the advent of AI6. Why she refuses to outsource her copywriting to AI and what happens to your skill when you stop writing7. The "garbage in, garbage out" principle that governs everything she does with AI8. How she gets maximum results with the use of AI9. What Notebook LM is and how to use it10.Why AI will not take your job and what actually willNEW: The Email Clinic is open!If this episode got you thinking about your email marketing, imagine having a community where you can get help 24/7.The Email Clinic is where freelancers and service providers come to start, grow, and sharpen their email marketing skills together. Live copy reviews, live training, community chats and more.👉 Join us here: nestuge.com/emailclinicGUEST RESOURCESGuest Host: Mmesoma AniConnect with Mmesoma Ani here 👇Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077766273858Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somascopy?stkn=ZDJmZHQ0dTRkaWdwLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmesomaani?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_androidOTHER RESOURCES FROM EPISODE Services: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/servicesFreebie: How to break into Email Marketing: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/resources/freebies/EPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[00:41] – Introduction: why this episode is different, Dr. Sapphire is the guest today[01:49] – Meet the host: Mmesoma, pharmacist, e-commerce email copywriter, and Email Clinic member[03:54] – A fun activity she enjoys in the Email Clinic and what the Email Clinic is about[06:55] – Open Rates Confession: the mistake that gave Dr. Sapphire email-sending anxiety[10:43] – How email marketing found Dr. Sapphire ,from novels at age 6 to her first paid email gig[17:55] – Her initial reaction to AI: almost anti-AI and approaching it with caution[24:33] – AI use case 1: research , how she uses AI to understand audiences and find patterns[25:20] – AI use case 2: analytics ,pulling data into AI to find behavioral trends and insights[27:09] – AI use case 3: editing ,using Gemini for grammar and punctuation checks[28:50] – The garbage in, garbage out principle and her three-layer research process[41:01] – The two things she has decided to minimize the use of AI[46:35] – The AI tools she recommends: Claude, Google Gemini, and NotebookLM explained[57:25] – Her three predictions for email marketing in the next two to three years[01:01:50] – Why AI will not take your job and what actually will[01:02:20] – Surprise ending: Mmesoma wins Email Clinic Member of the Month for AugustCONNECT WITH USServices: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/servicesFreebie: How to break into Email Marketing: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/resources/freebies/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/

Sep 14, 2026 · 56m

What does it look like when a proven email launch strategy stops working and the person behind it decides to play her way back to her best results yet?Liz Wilcox , the Fresh Princess of Email Marketing, keynote speaker, and the woman behind a $9 membership that has generated multiple six figures , shares the full behind-the-scenes of her 13th Christmas in July Annual Pass sale. A tiered waitlist, Golden Tickets, a 15-minute-only 50% off flash offer, and a mindset shift that changed everything.If you have ever felt like your launches have plateaued, or you want to understand how email and waitlists can work together to grow your list and drive serious revenue, this episode is required listening.INSIDE THIS EPISODE1. Why Liz calls email marketing the CEO of her business and why that analogy is more accurate than it sounds2. What an email-first business actually means and how to build one3. The Open Rates Confession that proves even the best email marketers struggle with the tech4. How the Christmas in July waitlist strategy works , tiered bonuses, Golden Tickets, and a real-life Santa Claus5. The 15-minute flash offer that converted 13% of cold subscribers before the sale even started6. Why Liz sent 37 emails in 24 days to different audiences and why it worked7. The mindset of play that turned two disappointing launches into her most creative sale yet8. What she would do differently and why she is already planning to do it again9. How to stay compliant with email marketing laws without losing your mind10. Two questions Liz asks herself whenever she feels stuck in her businessGUEST RESOURCESGuest: Liz WilcoxWebsite: https://lizwilcox.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/emailmarketingwithlizFree Gift: The Mega Swipe File , a complete welcome sequence, three newsletter samples, and 52 subject lines for a full year of email prompts. Link in show notes. Click here to get the free gift 👇https://lizwilcox.ck.page/4072e76815EPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[04:02] – How Liz went from RV travel blogger to email marketing expert[06:38] – Why email is the CEO of her business and why that analogy is more accurate than it sounds[08:36] – What an email-first business actually means and how to build one[09:40] – Open Rates Confession: a week of email mistakes that proves even the best struggle with the tech[12:36] – Introducing the Christmas in July Annual Pass and the waitlist strategy[17:46] – The tiered bonus system: how each milestone unlocked a reward and made the waitlist shareable[19:37] – The Golden Tickets inspired by Willy Wonka and why curiosity drove people to join[24:35] – The play mindset: Liz's 2026 word of the year and how it shaped the entire launch[29:00] – Why she sent 37 emails in 24 days to different audiences and why it worked[36:45] – Eight sales emails in 48 hours and $37,000 in revenue[43:21] – What she would do differently: more affiliates, earlier prep, more emails[44:47] – The Mega Swipe File: a done-for-you welcome sequence, newsletters, and 52 subject lines[52:18] – How to stay compliant with email marketing laws without losing your mind[54:43] – Two questions Liz asks herself whenever she feels stuck in her businessCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/

Sep 7, 2026 · 36m

Most people learn email marketing by watching videos, taking courses, and consuming content. Hadiatullah Olaitan, email copywriter, content strategist, and founder of a LinkedIn-to-email revenue system , says that is only half the education.The other half happens when you get your hands dirty. When you make mistakes, fix them, and learn things no course will ever teach you. In this episode, Hadiatullah shares how she went from a generalist copywriter in 2020 to a specialist who grew her leads from 28 to 387 in just two months and the real on-the-job lessons that got her there.If you have been consuming content about email marketing without feeling like you are actually moving forward, this episode will challenge you to think differently about how you learn.INSIDE THIS EPISODE1. Why Hadiatullah describes email marketing as community building and how it is fundamentally different from social media2. How Email Marketing helps in retention than social media3. The Mailchimp mistake that taught her more about list management than any course ever could4. How she went from generalist copywriter to email specialist and why niching down changed everything5. The moment she realised LinkedIn content could be the engine that drives her email revenue6. Why practical implementation beats video watching every single time and what to do instead7. How she grew from 28 to 387 leads in two months by showing up consistently on LinkedIn8. Her approach to email length and the unconventional way she studies other people's emails9. The "build in public" strategy that helps beginners get proof of work without having clients yet10. Her free guide for LinkedIn users who want to turn their profile into an email list landing pageGUEST RESOURCESGuest: Hadiatullah OlaitanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadiatullah-olaitan/Free Gift: Before You Post — a free guide to optimising your LinkedIn profile so it works as a landing page for your email list. 👇https://nestuge.me/hadiatullah-olaitanEPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[02:01] – If email marketing had a job description according to Hadiatullah and why she calls it community building[02:47] – Why email is the retention layer social media can never replace[03:35] – Open Rates Confession: the Mailchimp mistake that almost cost her a subscriber permanently[05:33] – Dr. Sapphire's own story of a guest who accidentally sent a mass email under the wrong name[08:27] – How Hadiatullah started freelancing in 2020 and discovered copywriting through a gifted book[11:05] – Why she niched down from generalist to email copywriter in 2022[13:09] – How LinkedIn content grew her leads from 28 to 387 in two months[16:20] – The automation mistake that forced her to send manual campaigns and what it taught her[17:35] – Why practical implementation is the real education in email marketing[22:39] – Her philosophy on email length and how she learns by dissecting expert emails[25:06] – Advice for beginners: build in public, start where you are, volunteer strategically[31:49] – About the Before You Post guide and how to get itCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/

Aug 31, 2026 · 59m

If you've ever wondered which email sequences actually move the needle in your business, this episode is for you. Breanna Owen, email strategist and copywriter, joins Dr. Sapphire to break down the 5 essential email sequences every business should have, and why your post-purchase emails are the real key to customer retention, repeat sales, and brand loyalty.You'll learn how to build smart, human-centered sequences that strengthen relationships, increase revenue, and make your email marketing more intentional.INSIDE THIS EPISODE1. Breanna's journey from fashion into email marketing2. A simple strategy that made email marketing easier for one of her clients3. The biggest email marketing mistake Breanna has made4. What "bricks and mortar" stores can teach us about email marketing5. How to build a cart abandonment sequence that recovers lost sales6. The key outcomes of a post-purchase email sequence7. How to diversify your post-purchase flow so it fits different customer journeys8. How long an email sequence can realistically run for real-life clients9. How Human Design can shape the way you write and structure sequences10. The email marketing myth Breanna wants to bustGUEST RESOURCESGuest: Breanna OwenWebsite: http://www.owenyourmark.comSocial Media: http://www.instagram.com/owenyourmarkNEW: The Email Clinic is open!If this episode got you thinking about your email marketing, imagine having a community where you can get help 24/7. The Email Clinic is where freelancers and service providers come to start, grow, and sharpen their email marketing skills together. Live copy reviews, live training, community chats and more.👉 Join us here: nestuge.com/emailclinicEPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[02:21] – How Breanna transitioned from fashion into email marketing[10:18] – A simple strategy that made email marketing easier for her client[15:59] – Her biggest email marketing mistake[17:28] – The most important email sequence every business should have[18:05] – Why the post-purchase sequence is the foundation of good email marketing[20:33] – The second essential sequence to add[22:19] – The third sequence your business needs[23:03] – Other supporting emails that boost your funnel[25:24] – How Dr. Sapphire applies onboarding sequences for courses and clients[28:58] – Different types of post-purchase emails (and when to use them)[31:49] – Bringing Human Design into your email sequences[34:42] – What makes a post-purchase sequence effective[38:57] – A real-life case study from one of Breanna's clients[47:22] – One email marketing myth Breanna wants to bust[50:17] – How to connect with Breanna[51:32] – Dr. Sapphire's take on the mythLoved this episode?😉 Leave a review and a rating on your podcast listening platform.CONNECT WITH USInstagram: instagram.com/dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwariThreads: threads.com/@dr.sapphire_Website: sapphirelearninghub.comDownload These 12 Emails Free: sapphirelearninghub.com/services/

Aug 24, 2026 · 33m

What does email marketing actually look like behind the scenes of our brand? Not the highlight reel , the real numbers, the experiments that worked, the ones that did not, and the honest lessons that came out of it all.In this episode, Dr. Sapphire takes you inside Sapphire Learning Hub's Q2 email marketing report covering April, May, and June 2026. From gaining 654 new subscribers through a major collaboration campaign, to spotlighting one email that triggered a 2.4% unsubscribe rate in a single send, this is the kind of behind-the-scenes breakdown you rarely get to see.If you want to understand what real email marketing strategy looks like in practice , the data, the decisions, and the lessons, this episode is for you.Inside This Episode1. The Q2 numbers in full: subscribers gained, emails sent, open rates, click rates, and unsubscribes2. How the Client Acquisition Challenge drove 754 total signups and why 234 unsubscribes followed3. The three-level collaboration promotion strategy that brought in the majority of new subscribers4. The things that helped increase our list size this quarter,and what may have led to the increase.5. What audience message mismatch actually looks like and how it shows up in your unsubscribe data6. A spotlight on the email that triggered a 2.4% unsubscribe rate and the theories behind why7. The VIP Circle, what it is, how it works, and why 38.5% of recipients clicked the special perk8. Why quality over quantity is the real email list growth lesson from this quarter9. That the ANCOR framework looks like in action across attract, nurture, convert, and retain10. What Dr. Sapphire is testing and building in Q3, including a revamped lead magnet and new automationsResource from Episode Link to the CAC replay: https://sapphirelearninghub.nestuge.com/replayticketJoin the Email Clinic here: nestuge.com/emailclinicEpisode Timeline ⏱️[00:43] – Introduction to the Q2 Email Marketing Report[01:38] – The big numbers: 1,804 active subscribers, 654 new subscribers, 234 unsubscribes[02:42] – Average open rates for April, May and June and the decline that raised questions[03:06] – Total emails sent across the quarter: 53,351[03:55] – How the Client Acquisition Challenge drove 754 total signups[06:14] – The three-level promotion strategy: personal, paid influencers, and guest sharing[07:23] – How individual landing pages and UTM tracking gave granular data per collaborator[08:51] – The ad experiment that didn't work and why they turned it off early[10:24] – The lesson on audience message mismatch and why it caused the unsubscribe spike[13:58] – Spotlight email: "You Need New Shoes" , the 2.4% unsubscribe rate explained[17:49] – The full stats: 33.2% open rate, dynamic content, and multiple link clicks[19:16] – Theories on why this email triggered so many unsubscribes[20:21] – Introducing the VIP Circle: rewarding the most engaged subscribers[27:06] – Keeping, killing, or iterating, what stays and what changes in Q3[30:00] – Q3 plans: automations, customer journeys, and a revamped lead magnetCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/

Aug 17, 2026 · 22m

Most people create a freebie, slap it on their website, and wonder why nobody is signing up. Samantha Burmeister,founder of Nomad Copy Agency and copywriter behind multiple seven-figure client launches, says the problem is almost never the freebie itself. It is the system around it.In this episode, she breaks down the two-part funnel that has helped her attract email subscribers and convert them into paying clients from 85 countries and counting, starting with one high-converting opt-in page and one well-crafted welcome sequence that does the selling before you ever pitch anything.If you have a freebie that is not working as hard as it should, this episode will show you exactly why and what to fix first.INSIDE THIS EPISODEWhy your opt-in page is the most important piece of copy you will write for your entire funnelThe one thing that makes the difference between a freebie that converts and one that collects dustWhat to put on your opt-in page and what most people leave out that costs them subscribersHow to drive traffic to your opt-in page without running paid adsThe welcome sequence strategy that warms up new subscribers and moves them toward buyingWhy the freebie and the welcome sequence must work together and how to make sure they doHow the Opt-In CopyBot and Welcome Sequence CopyBot can cut your writing time dramaticallyWhat it looks like to build a business that runs from anywhere in the world and the email strategy behind itGUEST RESOURCESGuest: Samantha BurmeisterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomad.copyLead magnet: www.nomadcopyagency.com/sapphireNEW: The Email Clinic is open!If this episode got you thinking about your email marketing, imagine having a community where you can get help 24/7.The Email Clinic is where freelancers and service providers come to start, grow, and sharpen their email marketing skills together. Live copy reviews, live training, community chats and more.👉 Join us here: nestuge.com/emailclinicEPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[01:26] – Sam's background: from finance and tech sales to nomadic copywriter in 85+ countries[02:38] – Writing copy from her 79th country and landing a client because of it[03:26] – Her first seven-figure client launch and what made it work[04:18] – How she got her very first freelance client ,from within her own network[05:50] – Why the opt-in page is the starting point of every great funnel[06:25] – What goes on a high-converting opt-in page: the exact copy elements[09:12] – How to drive traffic to your opt-in page organically, on social, and beyond[15:11] – What happens after someone opts in: the welcome sequence strategy[16:23] – Introducing the Opt-In CopyBot write your page in minutes with AI[17:26] – The Welcome Sequence CopyBot and how the two tools work together[18:44] – How to think about your freebie funnel as one connected systemCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/

Aug 10, 2026 · 29m

What if you could add over 300 people to your email list in a single month without running a single ad, creating anything from scratch, or spending more than a week on execution?In this solo episode, Dr. Sapphire breaks down the exact collaboration strategy she used in March 2026 to grow her list by 307 people, using the International Women's Day as the hook, eight community partners as the distribution channel, and a free bundle she already had sitting in her email marketing school.This is the full behind-the-scenes breakdown, numbers, data, what worked, what she would do differently, and exactly how you can replicate it for your own brand.INSIDE THIS EPISODEWhy list growth has to be intentional and what it looks like when you actually plan itThe collaboration outreach strategy that turned 11 messages into eight successful partnershipsHow she productized existing content into a high-value free bundle without creating anything newWhat the landing pages looked like and the conversion rates that surprised even herThe audience data she collected from 307 cold leads and what it revealed about who is looking foremail marketing helpThe friction mistake that cost her signups and how she would fix it next timeWhat she tracked, what she missed, and the metrics she wishes she had from the startWhy leveraging a season, a day, or a moment is one of the most underused list growth strategiesHow to turn a one-off collaboration into a long-term brand partnership that keeps growing your listNEW: The Email Clinic is open!If this episode got you thinking about your email marketing, imagine having a community where you can get help 24/7. The Email Clinic is where freelancers and service providers come to start, grow, and sharpen their email marketing skills together. Live copy reviews, live training, community chats and more.👉 Join us here: https://sapphirelearninghub.nestuge.com/EPISODE TIMELINE ⏱️[00:51] – Introduction: how Dr. Sapphire grew her list by 307 people without ad spend[01:07] – Why list growth must be intentional and the question she gets asked most[01:41] – The International Women's Day idea and how it started[03:03] – How she productized existing content into the Email Marketing Career Bundle[03:56] – The outreach process: 11 messages, 9 yeses, 8 collaborations[04:37] What the cold outreach email actually looked like and the reply that came back[08:31] – The infrastructure: landing page, Google Drive assets, captions, and graphics[11:46] – The numbers: 307 signups, two landing pages, and conversion rates of 40% and 48%[13:57] – Audience insights: who signed up, where they came from, and what they struggled with[16:05] – Geography: Nigeria, US, Ghana, UK, Kenya, Finland, Brazil and more[18:29] – What she would do differently: deeper alignment, less friction, more tracking[20:15] – The email metrics for this new cold audience: 32.76% open rate, 4.79% click rate[21:09] – The 12% drop-off rate and what it means for list quality[24:45] – Why leveraging a season or international day is one of the smartest list growth moves[25:47] – The importance of vision and message alignment to get partnershipCONNECT WITH USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sapphire_/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayebanoabenwari/Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dr.sapphire_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/sapphirelearninghub/Website: https://sapphirelearninghub.com/