Podcast Summary: The Email Sound Booth with Liz Wilcox

Episode: SALES EMAIL SUMMIT Sanjana Behera – acknowledging skepticism with radical honesty and empathy
Date: August 19, 2025
Host: Liz Wilcox
Guest: Sanjana Behera

Overview

In this episode, Liz Wilcox sits down with launch email strategist Sanjana Behera for an insightful dive into building trust and boosting conversions by meeting subscriber skepticism with radical honesty and empathy. The discussion centers around the real results from one of Sanjana’s most effective sales emails, her strategies for addressing audience objections, and the importance of emotional safety in sales messaging for online course creators.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Promise Keeper” Email — Why It Worked

[01:00 – 04:25]

• Purpose:
  Sanjana shares her favorite client email, “The Promise Keeper,” sent on day two of a course launch—a time when initial excitement fades and skepticism grows.
• Framework:
  • Inspired by Caitlin Collins’ models.
  • Structured as a conversational FAQ, it acknowledges common audience fears: “Will this work for me?” and “Is this too good to be true?”
• Content and Empathy:
  • Starts by validating worries about “too good to be true” offers.
  • Walks readers through the real value and support included in the course.
  • Shares relevant case studies to build trust.
  • Crucially, explains honestly what the student needs to bring (time, energy, follow-through)—but without blame or condescension.
• Balanced Accountability:
  • The email avoids making success seem like a “magic bullet” or placing all responsibility on the student—positions both parties as collaborators in success.
• Impact:
  • Fostered emotional clarity and safety, resulting in standout metrics:
    • 64.87% open rate
    • 9.55% click-through rate
    • 28 course sales on day two of a first-time launch

“It created a really thoughtful balance between the offer promise and the personal responsibility of the students. That emotional safety...is what helped people say yes to this offer. And the numbers backed it all up.”
— Sanjana Behera [03:49]

2. The Reality of Launches: Navigating Skepticism

[04:25 – 05:15]

• Liz emphasizes the importance of addressing the dip in momentum after launch day and recognizes Sanjana’s skill in holding both the buyer and the seller accountable.
• Liz highlights the value of “emotional safety” in email marketing.

“We need to take responsibility as the course or product owner...this isn’t a magic pill. We both have to work together to have this transformation happen.”
— Liz Wilcox [04:25]

3. Crafting Effective Subject Lines for Skeptical Audiences

[05:15 – 08:28]

• Sanjana’s Approach:
  • Subject lines must directly address the live fears and objections uncovered through prior customer research—especially surveys.
  • For “Promise Keeper,” the subject line mirrored skepticism about the offer’s promise, which drew in those on the fence.
• Why It Works:
  • The open rate result was not just from a clever subject line during launch week, but from months of research, A/B testing, and list nurturing pre-launch.
  • Keeping the email list healthy and engaged (“scrubbed”) was also essential for high engagement.
• Big Picture:
  • Success in launches depends on consistent audience research, attention to deliverability, and demonstrated value—long before sales emails are sent.

“I don’t think that crafting a good subject line…is necessarily wedged into this vacuum of a launch week. It’s all the research, testing, and consistency that actually keeps the momentum going during the launch phase.”
— Sanjana Behera [07:52]

4. Where to Learn More from Sanjana

[08:39 – 09:02]

• Follow Sanjana:
  • Instagram: @copywithsanjana
  • Newsletter: Rooted in Conversion—weekly launch email strategies, prompts, and real campaign examples.

“If you want weekly advice on maximizing the conversions of your launch email funnel, I’d love to invite you to my newsletter, Rooted in Conversion.”
— Sanjana Behera [08:44]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Acknowledging their skepticism and validating their fear of being burned by too good to be true courses out there...”
  — Sanjana Behera [01:42]

• “What we also did is that we got super honest about what the student needs to bring to the table to succeed...without shaming or blaming the readers.”
  — Sanjana Behera [02:22]

• “If you are the note-taking type...you are taking notes on that because that’s so important.”
  — Liz Wilcox [04:31]

Key Timestamps

• 01:00 – Sanjana introduces herself and the “Promise Keeper” email concept.
• 01:42 – How the email addresses skepticism head-on.
• 03:19 – Emotional safety and balanced accountability in sales messages.
• 03:49 – Results and why emotional clarity drives sales.
• 04:25 – Liz recaps the importance of responsibility on both sides.
• 05:15 – Liz asks about subject line strategy for skeptical subscribers.
• 06:12 – Sanjana explains subject line tactics and research.
• 07:52 – The role of pre-launch research and list management.
• 08:39 – Where to find and follow Sanjana for more strategies.

Episode Takeaways

• Successful launches depend on honest, balanced communication—not hype or blame.
• Addressing audience fears with empathy and radical transparency increases engagement and conversions.
• Open rates and sales are built on a foundation of prior research, consistent nurturing, and understanding your subscribers’ real concerns.
• Use surveys, clean your list, and keep listening to your audience—not just during launch week.

For more actionable tactics, follow Sanjana Behera at @copywithsanjana or subscribe to her newsletter, Rooted in Conversion.