Most education brands know email should be their strongest channel and yet it rarely delivers on its potential. Between inconsistent sends, generic copy, and the pressure to sound “professional,” messages that could build real connection often end up sounding like noise.
Email strategist Liz Wilcox joins Elana to share how education organizations can shift from transactional messaging to meaningful communication. She breaks down why simplicity outperforms polish, how to build trust through steady, human touchpoints, and what the best senders are doing differently in 2025.
She outlines her “follower, friend, customer” framework, a 20-minute approach to writing newsletters that actually get read, and the mindset shift from selling to serving. Liz also explains how a strong onboarding sequence sets the tone for every future interaction—and why owning your mistakes in email can make people trust you more, not less.
If you’ve ever hesitated to hit send or wondered what to say next, this episode will reset how you think about email.
What You’ll Learn
Why email should be the backbone of your marketing strategy—not an afterthought
How to turn your list into a community through consistency and simplicity
The “follower, friend, customer” model for long-term trust and engagement
The 20-minute newsletter framework that makes authentic communication sustainable
How to balance professionalism with personality (and why both matter)
Why transparency, even in mistakes, builds loyalty faster than polish
Quick Wins from the Lightning Round
Short, conversational subject lines outperform everything else
The best send time is whenever you’ll actually send—consistency matters most
Always use a P.S., it’s prime real estate
Keep stories short and useful
Stop overcomplicating; simple emails build trust faster
Why It Matters
The difference between noise and connection isn’t design or frequency; it’s trust. Liz reminds us that effective email marketing comes from showing up consistently, sounding like a real person, and making every message worth opening. When we stop chasing perfection and start focusing on relationships, email becomes less of a tactic and more of a long-term advantage.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Liz Wilcox.com
Explore free resources, including a ready-to-use welcome sequence, 52 subject line ideas, and sample newsletters that demonstrate her approach to simple, human-centered email marketing.Email Marketing Heroes Podcast
Referenced during the discussion on subject line trends and what’s working across industries in 2025.The 20-Minute Newsletter Framework
Liz’s repeatable process for writing emails that balance authenticity, brevity, and clear calls to action—ideal for busy marketing teams who want to stay consistent.
Elana Leoni, Host
Elana Leoni has dedicated the majority of her career to improving K-12 education. Prior to founding LCG, she spent eight years leading the marketing and community strategy for the George Lucas Educational Foundation where she grew Edutopia’s social media presence exponentially to reach over 20 million education change-makers every month.
Liz Wilcox, Guest
The Fresh Princess of Email Marketing, Liz Wilcox is an Email Strategist and Keynote Speaker showing small businesses how to build online relationships + make real money with emails. She’s best known for selling a blog, turning a $9 offer into multiple six-figures (without ads), and helping you untangle the email “knot” with her simple framework, the Email Staircase. She loves the 90s, headbands, and the beach.
About All Things Marketing and Education
What if marketing was judged solely by the level of value it brings to its audience? Welcome to All Things Marketing and Education, a podcast that lives at the intersection of marketing and you guessed it, education. Each week, Elana Leoni, CEO of Leoni Consulting Group, highlights innovative social media marketing, community-building, and content marketing strategies that can significantly increase reach, relationships, and revenue.
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