This practical guide deconstructs a proven consulting email sequence that you can use to land more clients and get paid more.
Here's the problem: Building out a stable pipeline of new leads as a consultant is always a pain in the A$$.
It requires constant hustling and never-ending vigilance.
And once you stop doing lead generation, it's only a matter of time before you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you're out of clients, and you have to seemingly start over again.
We've all been there. And it's a frustrating situation.
So what can you do?
And more importantly, how can you avoid this, without wasting long hours every week on lead generation?
With the help of email marketing, of course!
You see, sending persuasive emails isn't just a winning strategy for course launches or e-commerce...
...it also works really well for consulting or freelancing!
Now look, a lot of people don't like sending cold emails, and that's totally fine.
They aren't the best in all situations.
However, implementing a simple consulting email sequence into your lead generation will definitely create a huge improvement in your actual sales meetings.
So that's why today I'll deconstruct and analyze a super-useful 5-part consulting email sequence that works for ANY industry, regardless of what you sell.
Plus, I've also used it personally to land a lot of high-paying clients that otherwise would have slipped through my fingers.
So do believe me when I say that this works, guys.
NOTE: Although I'll analyze this consulting email sequence through a real-world example, feel free to modify it to fit your own needs and offers.
ALSO: You can also grab the convenient fill-in-the-blanks template version of this email sequence for free by clicking on the link below.
Interested in more great content on copywriting? Check out my Copywriting Resource Hub where you'll find in-depth guides, interesting case studies, and practical resources that will help you boost your conversions and sell more, without being salesy or aggressive.
EMAIL #1 - PRIMARY OUTREACH
Subject line: [NAME], I‘d like to help you get more paying customers
Hi [NAME],
I recently stumbled across your website and I noticed that it’s not optimized for conversions.
Because of this, you’re actually leaving a lot of money on the table.
However, it’s quite easy to fix it.
I’ve been helping aspiring entrepreneurs such as yourself generate more money with marketing automation for years and I’d like to help you upgrade your website.
This would allow you to generate tons of new customers with predictability, every single month and massively grow your business.
We can discuss the details, of course, but first I wanted to see if this is something you might be interested in.
If so, would it be okay if I sent you a few ideas on how I could help?
Best,
-[YOUR NAME]
[consulting website link]
***
Let's analyze what the 1st email does and why it works.
First, it's relatively short. It gets to the point quickly and teases a clear benefit to the reader: generate new customers with predictability.
If you did you homework right and you know your target audience, you should be able to identify a benefit that's definitely alluring to them. Focus on this but be careful not to talk too much about it.
You don't want to overwhelm your reader right from the start... and for God's sake, please don't talk about yourself in the whole email!
Everybody hates blatantly self-promoting emails, especially if it's a cold email. When reading these, your prospect is probably thinking something like: 'Who the hell is this guy and how did he get my email address?'
Let me give you a BAD EXAMPLE of a cold email that I actually received a few days ago:
OK, Here are 3 problems right off the bat:
1 - I'm sure your product must be really nice but why should I care about it?
2 - Why do you talk so much about features that I have no clue about?
3 - And why in the name of sweet Santa should I - as a busy business owner - do extra work to go to your site, read all sorts of stuff about things I'm not warmed up to be excited by, and flat out purchase it?
Believe it or not, most of your own prospects will also react like this when you send them a pushy email that already asks for commitment but gives nothing in return.
A few days later, I received this:
Notice the big claim: 'it has everything I need'.
Yeah, sure...
And then the sender goes on talking about another meaningless feature in a not-so-understandable way.
It's obvious that this is a generic, canned template, that has a very little chance of converting anyone.
Most people will simply ignore or delete it.
Don't send emails like these guys, seriously. You're better than this!
Instead, make it about your reader, and frame everything from your prospect's point of view.
EVERYTHING!
BONUS POINT: Be careful with the call to action at this point: definitely ask them for a specific action, but don't be pushy because you're talking to a cold prospect.
And because of that, there's still a high chance that they won't respond.
This is completely normal: people are busy, many of them have hundreds of unopened messages, or your email just simply ends up in the spam folder. Use a service like MixMax to check if people opened your emails or not.
If they stay silent, you continue the email sequence with...
EMAIL #2 - SECOND ATTEMPT
(FOLLOW-UP1)
--- send 1 day later ---
Subject line: 2X your customers in 2 weeks?
Hi [NAME],
I recently stumbled across your website and I noticed that you’re losing a lot of leads because it isn’t optimized for conversions.
You could easily fix this and get way more sales with a little bit of help.
This would allow you to generate more valuable customers with predictability, pretty quickly.
We can discuss the details, of course, but first I wanted to see if this is something you might be interested in.
If so, would it be okay if I sent you a few ideas on how I could help?
Best,
-[YOUR NAME]
[consulting website link]
***
Notice how the 2nd email in this consulting email sequence is very similar to Email #1.
The content is basically the same, just re-stated in a shorter way.
This is done intentionally because our aim is to get the attention of the prospect and get them to say a very easy 'YES', without extra work on their part.
Remember, successful people are busy and there's a high chance that they simply missed your first email.
It isn't personal, and chances are, they aren't purposefully ignoring you.
So it's totally fine to re-send the same message, just phrased slightly differently.
Also, notice how the subject line is different.
This is done because it presents a different way of getting their attention, and to counter potential spam flags.
Regarding the email body, there are only 5 sentences, but each one has its specific purpose:
All of these work in tandem to create a narrative flow, while still keeping things short.
Also observe how the final question stays casual, non-pushy, and interesting.
If your target market is reading this, there's a very high chance that they'll say 'YES'.
Why?
Because you're asking a very small action on their part, that may result in a HUGE upside for them.
There's no reason for them not to hear your ideas out (if you niched properly):
They can do it with minimal effort and can decide to reject you later if they want...
...which is actually a good position for you because you just got that oh-so-important first micro-conversion ?
And even IF they're flat out not interested, at least you get a hard "NO" - without wasting anyone's time and without any 'weird' feelings.
But let's say they reply.
Great!
But what do you do now?
IF they reply yes THEN send them...
EMAIL #3 - TO SEND AFTER YES
(FOLLOW-UP2)
Subject line: [NAME], The real secret to generating “high-ticket” clients on demand...
Hi [NAME],
Right on.
It’s always a pleasure to work with someone who’s open to new opportunities.
Based on your current website, I’ve identified 3 fundamental elements that - when optimized - could fuel some serious growth in your business!
These are:
- 1A reliable funnel that converts your incoming traffic into more regular buyers
- 2A robust and scalable digital marketing strategy for saving you time
- 3Digital infrastructure that can handle the demands of your growing business
The best thing about implementing these 3 elements into your business is that it creates an automatic system which:
>>> Is completely custom-tailored to your needs and business objectives
>>> You don’t have to do ANYTHING technical yourself in order to set it up
>>> Is based on the highest ROI trends in digital marketing and web development
This system allows you to always generate enough qualified leads without spending an arm and a leg, and convert those leads into paying (and repeat) customers (boosting your ROI).
Listen, there are people who I simply cannot help, however, I see some real growth potential for your business.
If you’re open to it, we can schedule a 30-min private strategy session where we can see whether I’m the best person to help you get the results you want or you need something else.
This session is completely FREE, and in either case, you’ll receive some extremely valuable insights and personalized tips on how you can grow your business.
Go ahead and reserve your spot right now on the link below:
[insert link to Calendly or another scheduling service]
Speak to you soon,
-[YOUR NAME]
[consulting website link]
***
This is basically the pitch email.
However, we're still not selling anything that requires money.
We're only selling the prospect on a FREE consultation call - which is essential for most consulting funnels.
However, if you DO want to sell things more directly, check out this in-depth email copywriting case study about the anatomy of a profitable sales that catapulted a Kickstarter campaign to $100k+.
...But anyway, back to your consulting email sequence...
Even though this is technically free for the prospect, they still have to invest 30+ minutes of their time talking to a stranger...
That's definitely a risk.
So DO keep this in mind and respect it.
So this email starts out with some slight positive reinforcement but then gets to the point very quickly - offering 3 hyper-specific tips that my prospect should be interested in.
Now, at this point, the reader already received value from my email, and even if we end up not working together, they can still use this information on their own - which is totally fine.
In fact, that's exactly the point of this email:
Give value, while expecting nothing in return.
This is in stark contrast to how many others do it: just look at the example bad email above.
However, your prospects appreciate value-filled emails immensely.
After presenting the 3 specific tips, I continued with describing the features and benefits of implementing these into the prospect's business.
First, there are 3 features, which - although definitely important to this target market - are still relatively 'abstract'...
...and that's where the benefits come in to save the day:
"This system allows you to always generate enough qualified leads without spending an arm and a leg, and convert those leads into paying (and repeat) customers (boosting your ROI)."
And THIS is the crux of the whole equation....
...Mentioning the things that are actually important to the prospect. Namely,
Generating qualified leads without spending an arm and a leg, and converting them into customers!
Bingo.
At this point, the prospect should DEFINITELY be interested.
So it's time to go in for the close, right?
Well, almost.
We could definitely do that, and it would be okay, however, at this point I introduced a small amount of scarcity - just enough to make them think 'oh, what if he can't help ME?'
This is a subtle, but very important mindset shift that gives you the upper hand.
Also, notice how the end of the email isn't 'needy'.
It doesn't have that 'please, please, please work with me' feeling to it.
Instead, you're offering them a way to find out whether you can help them or not - and believe me when I say that people really appreciate this.
There are so many sleazy salespersons out there, and people are sick and tired of them.
So whenever they encounter someone who isn't pushy but actually CARES about them, it's like a breath of fresh air.
This concept is essential in any successful sales conversation, and a pitch email is no different.
And even if we're not a good fit, the prospect STILL receives awesome tips and value from the call.
It's a win-win!
But what happens if you don't get a response?
You continue the funnel, of course...
IF they don't reply to EMAIL #3 THEN send them...
EMAIL #4 - REMINDER FOR THE CALL
--- 1 day later ---
Subject line: [NAME], Call me maybe?
Hi [NAME],
Hope you’re doing well.
I just wanted to check in with you about working together to grow your business.
Are you still looking for help with marketing automation and setting up the client-generating system?
If so, you can conveniently reserve a spot with me for a FREE, 30-min 1on1 strategy session on the link below:
[insert link to Calendly or another scheduling service]
Talk to you soon,
-[YOUR NAME]
[consulting website link]
P.S. My schedule is currently pretty tight but I’m holding a spot for you for 2 days because you’ve shown some genuine interest before.
Looking forward to meeting you: [insert link to Calendly or another scheduling service]
***
As always, be prepared for inactivity on your prospect's part.
Even if you send the best cold email ever...
Even if you hook them emotionally and they're totally interested in what you have to offer...
...They can still go silent.
There are many reasons for why this could happen but you still shouldn't take it personally.
Chances are, your prospect is just living his or her own life, in a bubble of their own.
Now, if their stage of awareness is high, they'll probably be more receptive... however, if they don't fully realize the weight of their problems yet (and the value of your fix)...
...They simply won't prioritize you over something else.
By the way, if you want to learn more about the 5 stages of customer awareness, I've created an in-depth article (+video) explaining each one through plenty of real-life examples and tips that you can use to optimize your own funnels quite easily. Go ahead and check it out.
But getting back to being busy - This is totally 'normal', and a fact of life for consultants.
Become comfortable with the fact that landing a new client is a gradual process, and it doesn't happen instantly.
In fact, according to Salesforce, it takes between 6 to 8 interactions (or points of contact) to convert a cold lead into a paying customer.
6 to 8!
So don't worry if they don't all respond on time - this is a number's game.
Regarding the email itself, it stays casual and it feels like a friendly reminder, not a demand.
Be extra careful to avoid language that might seem passively aggressive, wounded, or needy.
Even if you think it's disrespectful for them not to respond to you, keep it to yourself because unnecessary drama will only make the situation worse.
Simply re-state the value proposition and the benefits, and try to convert them again.
PRO TIP: Introducing extra scarcity or FOMO (fear of missing out) can also help because it's great at dealing with indecisive people who are on the fence.
By saying...
"My schedule is currently pretty tight but I’m holding a spot for you for 2 days because you’ve shown some genuine interest before."
...you're effectively communicating that your time is also valuable, and you won't keep waiting for them forever.
Also, phrasing it like this positions you as someone who genuinely cares - instead of someone just using a 'cheap' scarcity tactic.
No, in this case, there IS a reason for why you're holding a spot for them:
Because they've shown interest before.
Plus, including another call to action in the P.S. section is a good way of getting extra attention to it.
At this point, you've done almost everything you could. If they come back to you, great. If not, there's still one last step before fully letting them go.
IF they don't reply to EMAIL #4 THEN send them...
EMAIL #5 - 'THE BREAKUP'
--- 2 days after Email #4 ---
Subject line: Goodbye from [YOUR NAME],
[NAME],
I was looking forward to helping you fix the easily fixable, yet critical mistakes with your website, but I haven’t received a response from you so far.
That means this will be my last email to you and the last chance for you to find out how you can easily 2X or even 3X your sales (some of my clients even 5X their results after working with me!)
I’d hate to see you leave so much money on the table though, so I’ll leave this opportunity open for 12 more hours. After that, it’s gone.
Book your FREE 30-min strategy session with me right here to fix these critical mistakes:
[insert link to Calendly or another scheduling service]
-[YOUR NAME]
[consulting website link]
P.S. Here’s what X had to say about me after a recent project: [insert benefit-heavy testimonial]
I’d love to help you become my next success story.
Book your FREE 30-min strategy session with me here: [insert link to Calendly or another scheduling service]
***
This is the final email you send in this consulting email sequence, hence its name...
'The Breakup'.
At this point, you've really done everything you could -
So chances are, they're simply not interested and they're going to ignore this email as well.
However, interestingly, this last-ditch effort often works surprisingly well at converting indecisive (or unattentive) prospects into actual clients.
Why?
Simple: because it uses several persuasive tactics to stimulate the fear of missing out, plus its tone is slightly different since you don't have anything to lose by sending it.
It removes all neediness from your tone.
Just keep in my that IF you convert new clients with this, there's a higher chance that they're not going to be your ideal clients...
And that's because the best clients are rapid action takers and make decisions quickly.
I'm not saying this will always be the case, but do keep this in mind.
The email uses the tried and tested PAS framework: Problem, Agitation, Solution.
First, it highlights critical mistakes that are costing the prospect money.
Then, it agitates the pain of not making more (who doesn't want to 2-3X, right?)
And finally, it offers a solution to fix the problem.
Plus, it also gives a warning that this offer is only available for 12 more hours - and the only reason it's still there is that we don't want to see the prospect lose any more money due to the problem.
Notice how this email also uses extra social proof to build more credibility, in case the prospect still doesn't trust us.
'some of my clients even 5X their results after working with me!', 'Here’s what X had to say about me after a recent project: [insert benefit-heavy testimonial]'
Finally, there's an additional call to action after the P.S., and that's it.
It's your last ditch effort that I'd say works in about 20% of cases - so send it out with the mentality of letting this particular prospect go.
If they still don't want to work with you, it's their loss, not yours.
You move on.
But what if someone comes back to you after 3 days, let's say? What do you do?
It's a tricky question, and people disagree over the best course of action, but I recommend you DON'T work with them (unless maybe it's your absolute dream client or something).
And that's because you'd intentionally degrade the value of your word and deadlines, lowering your credibility and losing respect in the eyes of the prospect.
You're free to act however you'd like and every situation is different, however,
...I'd draw the line here.
In any case, you've done an excellent job and sending out this consulting email sequence will definitely land you some new clients earlier than you think!
Well done.
CONCLUSION
Building out a stable pipeline of new leads as a consultant can become challenging.
It requires constant hustling and never-ending vigilance.
And once you stop doing lead generation, it's only a matter of time before you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you're out of clients, and you have to seemingly start over again.
So why not build a consulting email sequence that takes care of the hard work for you, with minimal effort on your part?
You only have to set it up once and then it'll keep working for you in the background forever.
Use this 5-part template to take the guesswork out of it, and have a solid sequence within an hour.
Interested in more great content on copywriting? Check out my Copywriting Resource Hub where you'll find in-depth guides, interesting case studies, and practical resources that will help you boost your conversions and sell more, without being salesy or aggressive.
