141: How to Build an Email Funnel That Sells, with Allison Hardy

Six months pregnant, Allison Hardy got called into HR and lost her job as a tenure-track college art professor. The business she built after that layoff runs on email, and today she teaches founders an email funnel strategy that sells their offers while they’re busy serving clients. If you have a few hundred people on your list and haven’t written to them in months, this conversation will have you opening a blank email before it’s over. Allison and I met at a podcasting conference, where I signed up for her membership on my phone halfway through her breakout session. We talk about why email still outperforms social media for reach, what belongs in a funnel versus your regular mailing list, how she uses AI to write email sequences without flattening your voice, and the online business trends she’s watching for 2027. What You’ll Learn Why a 20% open rate on a list of 1,000 puts your message in front of more people than 1,000 Instagram followers will (and why Allison’s clients often see 40 to 50%) The two buckets of email marketing and what each one is supposed to do How to map the gaps between someone downloading your freebie and being ready to hear your pitch Why a subscriber going through the same funnel three times before buying is perfectly normal What AI can do for your email copy, and what to feed it so the output still sounds like you Email Funnel Strategy Highlights Timestamps are estimates from the raw recording. Verify against the final edit. [00:58] Allison’s layoff at six months pregnant, and the personal training business that pushed her into email [03:55] Jenna Kutcher’s six-month nurture sequence, and why you don’t need one [05:35] The case for email: it changes slower than social, reaches more of your audience, and lets you link out without penalty [08:39] Funnel versus mailing list, and why the goal of your list is getting people back into a funnel [09:36] Filling the gaps between the lead magnet and the pitch [11:36] The ten AI bots inside Emails That Sell, including Polly (pitch sequences) and Nelly (nurture sequences) [14:38] Why Allison is moving her bots off ChatGPT and onto a new platform called Wave [17:47] Can you trust AI output without the education behind it? [22:05] Are digital courses still worth creating? [25:17] Trends for 2027, including the webinar Allison has run monthly for two years [26:47] The founders who will pull ahead next year Worth Screenshotting “I’ve had people that go through the same gosh darn email funnel like three times and then they finally buy.” — Allison Hardy Resources Mentioned Emails That Sell membership: allisonhardy.com/emails-that-sell 14-day trial for $24: allisonhardy.com/emails-that-sell-trial Allison on Instagram: @allison_hardy My recent episode on how AI is making people average Before You Send Your Next Email Every sequence Allison described ends the same way, with a click to your sales page or website. If that page is confusing, outdated, or buries the next step, the email did its job and the website lost the sale. Grab the free Brand Audit Scorecard at jantouchberry.com/scorecard to grade your site’s conversion path before you build the funnel that points to it. What's Next If this episode had you doing math in your head about your own prices, start with the Brand Audit Scorecard to see where your pricing and positioning actually stand right now. Ready for a deeper, personalized look? The $27 Brand Clarity Audit breaks down your site, your messaging, and your search presence in one report. Grab The Visibility Vault - a 5 module training with workbook for a clearer path to consistent sales. Interact Quizzes - What I use to build all my quiz lead magnets on.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my link when you sign up.* Get 25% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my business.* Tired of freebies that flop - grab this resource and level up your game. Get more clear on who your brand serves: Ideal Client Workbook *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. CONNECT WITH JAN: Here are all the best places and FREE stuff 👇🏻 Grab your ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE DOWNLOAD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠S Subscribe to the newsletter FIND ME HERE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - JanToucberry.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - @jantouchberry JOIN THE CONVO: We’d love to hear your thoughts on the episode and its impact on your journey. Use the hashtag #thebetterbrand and tag us for a chance to be featured in our next episode. ABOUT THE HOST: Jan Touchberry is a brand strategist, marketing consultant, and founder of The Brand Collaborative. She helps women entrepreneurs build profitable businesses with clear messaging, strategic funnels, and aligned visibility.