8.6 KiB
Email Welcome Sequence
Platform: Self-hosted Mautic Trigger: Download of "The PDA Reframe Cheat Sheet" (free lead magnet) Goal: Nurture toward $12 Survival Sheets, then $49 Full System Tone: Warm, direct, no pressure, no countdown timers, no "limited time" urgency
Email 1: Immediate (Welcome + Deliver)
Subject: Your PDA Reframe Cheat Sheet is here
Body:
Hey,
Thanks for grabbing the cheat sheet. It's attached to this email (in case the download didn't work).
Quick story: I made this because I spent years thinking I was broken. Every planner failed. Every productivity system made things worse. Turns out, my PDA brain just needed a different approach.
The reframes in that cheat sheet are the ones that helped me most. They're not magic — just shifts in how I talk to myself that make starting things feel less impossible.
Over the next week or two, I'll send you a few more things that have helped me:
- How I plan without triggering my demand-avoidant nervous system
- The "energy-based" approach that actually works (time-blocking definitely didn't)
- What to do when everything feels like a demand
No pressure to read any of it. No guilt if these emails pile up. I know how that goes.
But if this stuff resonates, I'll be here.
— Jason
P.S. If the reframes help and you want more, I put together a bigger collection of planning sheets [here]. No rush — just wanted you to know it exists.
[Link: PDA Survival Sheets — $12]
Email 2: Day 3 (Personal Story + Value)
Subject: Why "just do it" never worked for me
Body:
"Just do it."
"Break it into steps."
"Set a deadline."
"You just need more discipline."
I heard variations of this for decades. And every time, I'd try. I'd really try.
And then my brain would say "nope."
Not because I was lazy. Not because I didn't want to.
Because I have PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), and my nervous system interprets demands as threats.
The more something felt like an obligation, the more impossible it became.
What changed:
I stopped trying to force my brain to work like everyone else's.
Instead of "I have to do this," I started asking: "What if I just...?"
Instead of scheduling every hour, I started sorting tasks by energy cost — what could I do with the energy I have right now?
Instead of fighting the demand avoidance, I started working with it.
This isn't about "trying harder."
It's about recognizing that different brains need different approaches. And that's okay.
I put together 5 planning sheets that use these principles — the ones I actually use every day. If you're curious, they're [here].
But honestly? Even if you never buy anything, I hope these emails help. That's why I'm writing them.
— Jason
[Link: PDA Survival Sheets — $12]
Email 3: Day 6 (Tangible Value)
Subject: The planning technique that changed everything for me
Body:
Here's something that actually works for my PDA brain.
I call it "energy-based planning" — which is just a fancy way of saying: I stopped scheduling by time and started matching tasks to my energy level.
Traditional planning:
- 9 AM: Work on project
- 10 AM: Answer emails
- 11 AM: Meeting prep
My planning:
- What energy do I have right now?
- Which of my tasks match that energy?
- Do one of those.
Low energy? I do quick admin stuff, answer simple emails, organize things.
Medium energy? I handle writing, problem-solving, routine work.
High energy? That's when I tackle the hard stuff.
Why this works:
- No more guilt when I can't follow a schedule
- I can always find something to do (maintains momentum)
- I'm not fighting my nervous system
- High-energy moments get used naturally instead of being "scheduled" and then missed
The traditional approach assumes your energy follows the clock. Mine definitely doesn't.
This approach meets you where you are, not where the schedule says you "should" be.
— Jason
P.S. The Energy-Based Daily Page is one of the 5 sheets in the [PDA Survival Sheets] if you want a template that's set up this way.
[Link: PDA Survival Sheets — $12]
Email 4: Day 10 (Soft Pitch — Survival Sheets)
Subject: The 5 sheets I actually use every day
Body:
Quick question:
Do you ever buy planners or productivity tools and then... not use them?
Yeah. Me too. More times than I can count.
That's why, when I finally figured out what worked for my PDA brain, I didn't make a complicated system.
I made 5 sheets. Just 5. The ones I actually use.
What's in the PDA Survival Sheets:
- Energy-Based Daily Page — Plan by energy, not time
- "What If I..." Brainstorm Sheet — Turn demands into curiosities
- Tiny Next Step Capture — When a project feels impossible
- Weekly Reflection — Celebrate what you did, not shame what you didn't
- "Nope, Not Today" Tracker — Postpone things without the guilt spiral
Plus a short guide on how to use them without turning them into another demand.
It's $12.
Not because it's worth less than fancy planners — but because I want it to be an easy yes.
If you've spent money on planners you never used, I get it. This is different. Smaller. More flexible. No strict schedule to fail at.
If it helps, great. If not, I'm only out $12, not $50.
— Jason
[Link: Get the PDA Survival Sheets — $12]
Email 5: Day 14 (Long-Term Value + Full System Mention)
Subject: What to do when your brain says "nope"
Body:
Some days, everything feels like a demand.
Your brain goes into defense mode. Even things you want to do feel impossible.
I have those days too.
Here's what helps me:
1. Stop fighting it
Pushing through doesn't work for PDA brains. It just creates more resistance. Some days, the kindest thing is to accept: "My brain needs a break today."
2. Do something tiny
Not "be productive." Just... one tiny thing. Open a document. Write one sentence. Put one dish in the dishwasher. Tiny counts.
3. Lower the bar to the floor
What's the ugliest, most minimal version of what you need to do? Do that. "Perfect" is a demand. "Ugly but done" is an invitation.
4. The "Nope, Not Today" list
Instead of carrying guilt about the things you didn't do, write them down. Acknowledge them. Put them somewhere you can find later. Then let yourself off the hook for today.
This isn't about "accepting mediocrity" or "giving up."
It's about recognizing that your nervous system has limits, and pushing past them doesn't actually help.
Tomorrow is a new day. Different energy. Different capacity.
— Jason
P.S. If you've been finding these emails helpful and want to go deeper, I put together a complete system with guides, templates, and the full framework. [The PDA-Friendly Planning System] is $49 — but no pressure. The Survival Sheets or even just these emails might be enough for now.
[Link: PDA-Friendly Planning System — $49] [Link: PDA Survival Sheets — $12]
Ongoing Nurture (After Welcome Sequence)
Frequency: Weekly (optional biweekly if energy is low)
Content Types:
- Reframes — New demand-to-invitation shifts
- Tiny wins — Celebrating small steps (no toxic positivity)
- PDA moments — Relatable things PDA brains do
- Q&A — Answering common questions
- Behind the scenes — What I'm figuring out in my own system
- Product updates — New sheets, improvements, etc. (occasional)
Tone Reminders:
- No "you got this!" empty motivation
- No "limited time only!" artificial urgency
- No "why haven't you bought yet?" guilt trips
- It's okay to acknowledge that things are hard
- Some emails can be short. Not everything needs to be profound.
Mautic Setup Notes
Segment Tags:
lead-magnet-downloaded— Downloaded free cheat sheetsurvival-sheets-buyer— Purchased $12 productfull-system-buyer— Purchased $49 productengaged-opener— Opens emails regularlydisengaged— Hasn't opened in 30+ days
Automation Logic:
Download trigger → Email 1 (immediate)
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Email 2 (Day 3)
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Email 3 (Day 6)
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Email 4 (Day 10)
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Email 5 (Day 14)
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Add to Weekly Newsletter segment
If They Buy Survival Sheets:
- Remove from "lead magnet" pitch sequence
- Add to "Survival Sheets → Full System" nurture (gentler pace)
- Tag as buyer
If They Buy Full System:
- Remove from all sales sequences
- Add to "Customer" segment
- Send product delivery + occasional customer-only updates
Unsubscribe Handling
If someone unsubscribes: that's okay. No "wait! are you sure?" guilt trips.
People's needs change. Maybe they're overwhelmed. Maybe this isn't for them. That's fine.
The goal is to help people who want help, not guilt people into staying.