Recently, I had a conversation with my friend Alex (not his real name), a consultant who’s finally ready to launch his first course. Alex has been using social media and content to try and drive more sales for his business, and I’ve been encouraging him to try a course for a while now. So, it’s exciting to see him dive in! But I wasn’t thrilled with his chosen launch method: an email sequence.
There’s a ton of advice out there saying you need an email sequence to launch a course. And sure, if you have tens of thousands of subscribers, it might make sense—the volume can make up for the lower conversion rates. But if you’re like Alex, with a more modest audience, relying solely on email could leave you feeling frustrated with the results. Here’s why I think a more personal, hands-on approach is the way to go, especially if you’re just starting out.
The Reality of Email Sequences: Low Conversion Rates
The stats on email conversion rates might surprise you. Here’s a look at the average numbers:
• Average email open rate: Around 20-25%
• Average click-through rate (CTR): Roughly 2-3%
• Conversion rate after clicking: Typically around 1-2%
Let’s break that down with some real numbers. If you send an email to a list of 1,000 people:
• 200-250 will open it
• 20-30 will click through to your sales page
• Only 1-2 people might actually convert and purchase your course
Even with great copy, it’s clear that email alone doesn’t provide strong odds for someone like Alex, who doesn’t have tens of thousands of subscribers. That’s why I suggested a different approach.
Why you should go with a personal touch
When your audience is smaller, personal outreach can be incredibly effective. Rather than relying on automated email sequences, reaching out one-on-one through email, DMs, or even calls allows you to create genuine connections that are far harder to ignore.
Here’s what I suggested to Alex:
• Skip automation for now: Instead, directly engage with people who’ve shown interest in his content. Reach out, ask if they’d like to try the course, and invite honest feedback.
• Leverage one-on-one connections: His advantage at this stage is that he can build personal relationships, unlike big-name creators who are often just another email in a flooded inbox.
• Use a CRM to stay organized: When managing multiple personal outreaches, organization is key. This is where a CRM like lnks.to can help, letting you track contacts, follow-ups, and engagement in one place.
Comparing the Numbers: Email Sequence vs. Direct Outreach
To illustrate this, let’s look at how a typical email sequence funnel compares to a direct outreach approach:
Email Sequence Funnel:
• Social post views: 5,000 people see a post promoting the course
• Email list signups: 100 people sign up (2% of views)
• Open rate: 25% (25 opens)
• Click-through rate: 3% (3 people click to the landing page)
• Landing page conversion rate: 10% (0.3 people convert – not even 1 full sale)
With numbers like these, Alex could invest time into a sequence and see minimal returns, simply because his audience size isn’t large enough to offset low conversion rates.
Personal Outreach Funnel:
• Outreach (email/DM): Reach out personally to 100 warm leads
• Response rate: 40% (40 people respond positively to the initial contact)
• Discovery call booked: 25% of those who respond (10 calls booked)
• Sales call conversions: 30% of calls convert to a purchase (3 course sales)
By reaching out personally, Alex could see much higher engagement and conversion rates, translating to more sales. The personal approach allows him to showcase the course’s value directly, answer questions, and guide leads through the decision-making process. Not to mention, each interaction builds a stronger relationship, making future sales easier.
Why Scaling Comes Later
The big names in online courses often promote email automation because it works at their scale. When you have hundreds of thousands of subscribers, even a 1% click-through rate can yield thousands of clicks. But for someone like Alex, whose list is modest, the one-on-one approach is far more effective at building trust and converting leads.
I advised Alex to focus on validating his course through personal outreach first, making those initial sales, and refining his pitch based on real feedback. Once he’s confirmed there’s demand, he can consider scaling up with email automation. But right now? His edge is in those personal connections.
Using lnks.to’s CRM to Simplify the Process
One of the reasons I built a CRM into lnks.to is for scenarios exactly like this. When you’re launching a product or course with a smaller audience, every personal interaction counts. The CRM lets you keep track of each person you’ve reached out to, organize responses, and follow up as needed.
Rather than losing potential leads in an email inbox, a CRM keeps everything streamlined so you can stay on top of your outreach. It’s a simple but powerful tool that helps you focus on conversions, not just contacts.
To make it a little clearer, here is a video that shows you how to manage the whole process…
A Final Thought on Launching Courses
If you’re thinking about launching a course and your audience isn’t huge yet, consider trying the personal approach. Don’t get caught up in the automation hype before you’re ready. You might be surprised by how much traction you can get by reaching out directly to people who already know and value your work.