Spec Assignment: BrightPath Learning Email Sales Funnel for “Career Catalyst” Online Platform
The assignment for this piece was to create an engaging email sequence for a high-ticket online course. We were tasked with creating 5 emails that would ultimately encourage a reader to sign up for an online “boot camp” that would teach students a new skill in order to change careers. In this scenario, the audience was brought into the email sequence via a “career change readiness quiz” that was offered for free in exchange for the reader’s email address.
Knowing that potential customers in this case are interested in change but understandably hesitant to fork out $1,500 for an online course, we chose a nurturing and encouraging approach throughout this funnel. We focused on realistic hesitations and concerns in an attempt to build trust with the reader. Our goal throughout this sequence was to anticipate concerns and address them, while keeping the approach conversational and helpful.
Despite realistic concerns and hesitations, we wanted to keep the focus on what a career change would mean for someone in this situation. We asked the reader to dream about what their life could look like if they were to make the purchase, provided a testimonial from a student who actually succeeded, and provided stats to back the course up and show that success is possible with BrightPath Career Catalyst.
Company: BrightPath Learning (fictional EdTech startup)
Product: "Career Catalyst" - An online platform offering 6-week intensive bootcamps that teach in-demand skills (data analysis, UX design, digital marketing, etc.) to help mid-career professionals transition into new fields.
Price Point: $1,497 per bootcamp
Target Audience: Professionals aged 28-45 who feel stuck in their current careers, have 5-10 years of work experience, and want to pivot without going back to school for years. They're skeptical of online courses because they've bought some that didn't deliver, but they're motivated by the possibility of real change.
Your Assignment: Create a 5-email nurture sequence that takes someone from downloading a free lead magnet (a "Career Change Readiness Quiz" with personalized results) to purchasing a bootcamp.
Key Challenges to Address:
Overcoming skepticism about "another online course"
Justifying the price point
Creating urgency without being pushy
Building trust quickly
Deliverables:
All 5 email subject lines and body copy
Recommended send timing (Day 1, Day 3, etc.)
A brief strategy doc explaining your approach
