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Skip to content Rhonda had built an email list, but she wasn’t mailing consistently.
And when she did? Open rates were low. Engagement was meh. She hadn’t built a real relationship with her list—one rooted in personal stories, insights, and those juicy aha moments that make emails feel unmissable.
For a while, she’d been sending basic podcast promo emails. But when she took a break from recording, she was stuck. What do you send when you don’t have a new episode? How do you keep people engaged when there’s no “new thing” to promote?
✅ Find the Right Stories – Rhonda was brilliant at telling stories out loud, but struggled to translate them into writing. So she would send me her drafts, which I then shaped into engaging narratives.
✅ Rework the Structure – The gold was already in her words, but it was buried. I pulled the action forward, built momentum, and structured each email to pull the reader in—starting in the middle of the action rather than with a long, slow intro.
✅ Encourage Connection – Every email included an invitation to reply. Because here’s the thing: people don’t connect with businesses. They connect with people.
“I was super stressed out last week. The house was a total mess and the BBC were supposed to be coming to film. I was doing a workshop and there would be quite a few people in my house. I recently had a baby, too, so the house was extra messy.
My brother was here helping and he was using my chopsticks to mix a can of paint. Don’t use my f*cking chopsticks! I shouted (nobody’s perfect, sue me). I was annoyed because they were a gift, and I told him so. Honestly, there’s so many sticks everywhere. There’s a forest outside!
We apologised later, which is great because if that had happened ten years ago, we’d be angry at each other for days. I know better now. And I know that my reaction was pure stress.
I didn’t really care about the chopsticks. I put that down to the daily inner work I do, taking responsibility for my actions and being honest. I still get it wrong but that’s okay. It can be hard, but it’s worth it. How about you? What do you find challenging but worth it? Let me know. – Rhonda”
“Don’t use my f*cking chopsticks to mix the paint! I yelled.
Yes, I swear sometimes.
I can also under-function, over-function, and lose my cool when stressed out. I’m not perfect. No one is.
Last week was super stressful. The BBC came to film one of my workshops. It’s the first in-person workshop I’ve held in a long time. Covid and having a baby put a stop to those for a while.
And this isn’t just one of the many random BBC channels coming to film.
It’s BBC 1—their flagship channel 😬
Millions will see this workshop and interview. Millions will see yours truly (and her house) on their TV screens.
I was nervous.
The house was not even remotely in a state where I could allow a film crew into it. I don’t apologize for that. There are six adults, two toddlers, and a seven-year-old who live here.
It gets messy.
So when I walked into the kitchen to find my brother mixing paint with one of my good chopsticks, I lost my cool.
They were a gift! I cried.
In my defence there were other options. Like, a million of them. We live next to woodland, for crying out loud 😂
In my brother’s defence, I hadn’t seen or thought about the offending chopsticks in years—he found them at the back of a drawer.
Neither of us handled the situation very well, leading to shameful apologies later in the day.
But at least we could apologise.
There was a time when that would have been impossible for either of us. A time when we’d have given each other the silent treatment for days.
There was also a time when I wouldn’t have recognized that my reaction to the chopsticks had nothing to do with the chopsticks…
…and everything to do with me feeling very, very nervous.
The work I do daily—looking inward, figuring out my stuff, and taking responsibility for my actions and reactions—has helped me to become who I am today.
It can be hard sometimes, but it’s worth it.
How about you?
What inner work are you doing that is challenging, but the payoffs are more than worth it?
Hit ‘reply’ and let’s talk. (Yes, I mean it. I want to hear from you)”
Blessings,
Rhonda
↠ Dropped readers straight into the action – Instant engagement (Don’t use my f*cking chopsticks)
↠ Raised the stakes – This wasn’t just a messy house; it was the BBC.
↠ Changed the structure – People don’t like reading large blocks of text. Mixing up paragraph length keeps it visually interesting.
↠ Made it more conversational – Like a chat with a friend.
↠ GIFs make it more entertaining – Let’s be honest, who wants their inbox to feel like work? Try to shine a little light in that overcrowded digital letterbox and your subscribers will love you for it.
↠ Brought out her natural personality – The warmth, humour, and relatability that make people want buy from Rhonda in the first place.
We also tested several subject lines to ensure the emails got opened:
The champion subject line was “Chopsticks, pink paint & arguments”
✅ Use curiosity effectively: Leave just enough unsaid to make readers eager to open.
✅ Tap into emotions: Whether it’s frustration, excitement, or nervousness, emotions drive engagement.
✅ Keep it conversational: These subject lines feel personal and informal, which improves open ratesSubject line formatting.
✅ Add contrast & surprise: Unusual word combinations or unexpected emotions stand out in a crowded inbox.
These subject lines follow best practices by blending intrigue, emotion, and personality, making them highly effective.
“Loved this 😊 Sounds like it’s all happening in your world, how exciting! I’ll keep an eye out for you on the TV!”
“Your mail came like a fresh breeze to my mailbox. Indeed sometimes these trying moments are just there as a milestone, just so we can celebrate our growth by recognizing it.”
“I’m so happy I took the time to read your email! I’m in a bad place right now and I’m trying my best to keep my head above water while still keeping everyone’s best interests in mind.”
“I’m feeling quite protective of you right now. The BBC. It’s a big deal. So much exposure. I hope it goes well for you.”
“Thank you for this! Just goes to show we’re all human and we all get overwhelmed. Keep doing the wonderful things you do 😊”
“I could definitely relate to this… Will now try and say chopsticks when I feel the world is treating me like the underdog”
“This is Soooo cool! Congratulations on being interviewed on channel 1!”
“I so understand the struggles.. Thank you for being you, you are great!”
“Love this and you😘”
“Thank you for the reminder of our humanity and sometimes we lose our cool. It’s how we bounce back to center that matters—owning what’s ours and course correcting. You are real and authentic and I appreciate this in a world that always feels that way.”
✅ Subscribers now look forward to her emails, not just tolerate them.
✅ Sales? Stronger. Because people buy from people they feel connected to.
In their words:
“I very much resonated with her approach, her authenticity, her grounded-ness.”
“Rhonda is amazing at what she does. She has a wealth of knowledge in shamanism and is a lovely soul.”
“I felt a real connection to Rhonda. I love the down-to-earth approach.”
“I’ve been looking for something for years and tried everything, but nothing resonated until I met Rhonda.”
They buy from her because she’s real.
Because she’s grounded. Because she shows up as a human—flaws, humour, messy emotions, and all.
Her audience isn’t looking for a distant authority figure who never gets it wrong. They want someone who understands what it’s like to be them. Someone they can actually relate to. Someone who has walked the same path and still chooses to show up with honesty and heart.
And that’s why it’s important for a values-based business to connect with their customers—they are humans seeking connection, not just numbers. They are your brothers, sisters, wives, friends, and neighbors. Story brings us together. It builds trust, injects levity and fun into the inbox, and makes people rush to open your emails.
And Rhonda responds back to them. It takes less than an hour a week, but my goodness, it makes people feel special, seen, and heard.
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