The Mindful Marketing Podcast: “The Art of Intentional Email” with Noah Vertefeuille

Host: Andréa Jones
Guest: Noah Vertefeuille (Founder, Timber Marketing)
Date: October 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers around reimagining email marketing as a tool for quiet, intentional connection rather than loud, high-frequency broadcasts. Andréa and guest expert Noah Vertefeuille discuss how to use email authentically to build trust, tell compelling stories, and humanize your brand in an increasingly AI-driven world. The conversation moves from foundational mindsets to actionable strategies, offering practical advice for both seasoned marketers and those returning to dormant lists.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Quiet vs. Loud Email Marketing (01:30 - 02:26)

• Noah reframes email as conversation, not broadcast:
  “What people tend to do when it comes to email marketing is they feel like they need to broadcast... It's more about having a conversation instead of it being kind of a broadcast. It's about pulling up a chair at someone's kitchen table.” — Noah Vertefeuille (01:47)

• Emphasis on designing emails that feel personal, even when sent to many, shifting the mindset from “shouting from the stage” to deepening relationships.

2. The Power of Intention and Simplicity in Strategy (02:26 - 04:04)

• Avoid overwhelming, focus on what matters:
  Noah notes that many business owners feel pressure to do everything—ads, endless emails, social blasts—but “intentionality is something that's really missing in the digital marketing space... Especially for content creators, small business owners, etc.” (02:58)

• Intentional messaging cuts through noise; speaking to each subscriber as an individual helps prevent diluting your message.

3. Trust-Building through Email (04:04 - 07:18)

• Trust requires time and authenticity:
  “It's much easier to sell something if you've had a friend... say, 'I had a great experience.' That's a personal connection and that trust is built because of that personal connection.” — Noah (04:33)

• Noah stresses the importance of solving real problems, offering value before pitching, and establishing yourself (or your company) as genuinely invested in helping.

4. Welcome Sequences & First Impressions (06:00 - 07:18)

• Key components of an effective welcome email:
  • Show personality, introduce yourself/business, and state your motivation.
  • Provide quick wins—downloadables, helpful info, social proof/stories.
  • “It’s why, why you should care about who I am, who the business is and a welcome to them.” — Noah (06:11)

5. Tangible Trust Builders (Even if You Aren’t the Face of Your Brand) (07:18 - 08:28)

• Share business or product origin stories, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or team highlights to personalize the experience.
• “You don't even need to show your own face... It's coming up with the history, what are the different pieces behind the business and why it's important.” — Noah (07:39)

6. Reviving a Quiet List (08:28 - 10:10)

• Be honest about your absence:
  • Directly acknowledge the silence and give a brief explanation if needed.
  • Immediately offer value—a cool tip, an update, or fresh insight—to re-establish the relationship.
  • “You don't really need to go to a deep explanation, just acknowledge it first and foremost. Then how can you then reestablish that trust?” — Noah (08:49)

7. The Best Emails: Story-Driven & Human (10:10 - 14:15)

• Noah’s favorites are story-driven:
  “It's like writing a letter to someone... You're writing like a love letter for lack of better way of putting it.” (10:16)

• Mix in short, actionable tips (“quick wins”) amidst longer stories.

• Personal stories spark real replies:
  “The emails for me that get the most responses are the ones where I share the personal background, the personal experiences. People feel like when they respond they're talking to me.” — Andréa (11:41)

• Countering AI blandness:

  • Be more human—use simple, conversational language, real anecdotes, and personal voice.
  • “Having a conversation like that versus... going on and on about the nitty-gritty—AI sometimes goes a lot more factual. How would you talk to your best friend?” — Noah (12:36)

8. Segmentation: How Complex Should You Go? (16:38 - 20:06)

• Start simple, don’t overcomplicate:

  • Segment by frequency (monthly vs. regular updates)
  • Segment by broad interest areas (e.g., email vs. ads)
  • Tools like HubSpot let you customize parts of an email by segment
  • “You don't necessarily need to not send every email to all those people. It might just change how you get the flow to work.” — Noah (16:38)

• Gather data via surveys:
  “One of the things I do, especially when I first come into managing a new email account, is send out a simple survey... Like, even if it's a one to two question survey: 'How often do you want to hear from us?'” — Noah (18:42, 20:06)

• Over-segmentation leads to paralysis—start with broad buckets and add granularity as you learn.

9. The True Role of Email in Marketing (20:31 - 22:17)

• Email as a conversation hub:
  • It’s not just legacy tech—“email is one of the few places you can have a real, private, personalized conversation.”
  • “Social, ads—they amplify. Email is where you actually build the relationship. It's a core piece where all other pieces... come together.” — Noah (20:31)

10. Getting More Subscribers: Value First, Ads As an Entry Point (22:17 - 23:46)

• Noah shares his free resource:
  • “From Overwhelm to Optimize: Practical Guide for Running Ads That Drive Real Business Growth”
  • Email is for nurturing those who’ve opted in, not cold outreach; focus on delivering value at every step.
  • Details at onlinedre.com/379

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Conversation is not meant to be like campaign—campaign is meant to be a conversation.”
  — Noah Vertefeuille (01:47)

• “You don't have to be loud to be effective. You don't have to send a million emails a week to stay top of mind.”
  — Andréa Jones (00:00)

• On AI-sounding emails:
  “There are certain words you see—unlock, uncover, launch, growth—AI gravitates towards those... It feels very fake. Be more simple. Talk as you would really talk.”
  — Noah Vertefeuille (12:36)

• “Lean into the stories over the facts... As humans, that's what we crave.”
  — Andréa Jones (14:40)

• Best email advice:
  “It’s like writing a letter, almost like a love letter... talking individually, in a more personalized way, than you would on social media.”
  — Noah (10:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:30–02:26: Why “quiet” email works and isn’t a broadcast
• 04:04–06:00: How trust is built in email (and not with “buy now” pressure)
• 06:00–07:18: Elements of a warm, personal welcome sequence
• 08:28–10:10: What to send after “crickets”—restarting a dormant list
• 10:16–11:41: Story-driven emails and their impact
• 12:36–14:15: Staying human and conversational in the AI era
• 16:38–18:35: Segmentation: how to start, and not let it overwhelm you
• 20:31–22:17: Why email is still crucial in the marketing ecosystem
• 22:32–23:46: Noah’s free resource for list-building (ads guide)

Additional Resources

• Timber Marketing: Noah Vertefeuille’s company helping businesses with intentional email and digital ad strategies.
• Fidelis Terra Farm: Noah’s personal project, showing the power of story-driven content (Instagram: @fidelisterrafarm). (14:31)
• Free Guide: “From Overwhelm to Optimize: Practical Guide for Running Ads that Drive Real Business Growth” — onlinedre.com/379

Conclusion

In an era of noisy, automated marketing, this episode spotlights the value of intentional, human-centric email marketing. Noah Vertefeuille demystifies the process—from welcome emails to segmentation—emphasizing personal touch, honesty, and the power of storytelling. Whether you’re dusting off a neglected list or dialing up your first campaign, the actionable insights here will help you connect more authentically and effectively with your ideal audience.