In 2026, there’s one human desire that is more in demand than ever…
... and you MUST be using it in your email marketing.
We’re currently living in a pretty wild time.
Technology is evolving faster than most of us ever expected, AI tools are getting better every single week, and automation is everywhere.
And although a lot of this stuff is genuinely incredible and useful to us…
… it’s also impacting us in ways we don’t talk about enough.
Because there’s one thing every single human on Earth needs more than almost anything else.
And over the past few years, it has absolutely plummeted.
Y’know what it is?
Human connection.
This is easy to understand when we think about face-to-face conversations.
But this also applies to the digital world, too.
I know that can sound pretty broad, but I’m talking about reading something that makes you feel understood. Or where you trust the person on the other side of the conversation, even if it’s on the other side of an email.
Or the kind where you actually want to hear from them again.
A HUGE number of people (especially in the digital marketing world) are now using AI every single day.
And it’s not just for work or quick questions. People are using tools like ChatGPT for therapy-style conversations, emotional processing, clarity, reassurance… even comfort.
We’re literally turning to machines for connection. And honestly, I get it. I’m guilty of this myself.
If I’m stressed about something and want clarity, it’s often easier to open ChatGPT than it is to message a friend and wait hours for a reply. There’s no judgment, no back-and-forth and no weird feelings about being vulnerable.
Plus, the advice can actually be pretty solid if you prompt it correctly.
So yeah… is it amazing? Absolutely.
But it’s also a signal. A signal that more and more people are lacking real connection with real humans. And when something is a core human need, the more it’s missing… the more people crave it.
And right now, we are missing a real connection, which is why we crave it so much.
That creates a very real opportunity for people like you and me.
Especially if you’re a coach, course creator, or service provider who actually gives a shit about the people you serve.
Because right now is the perfect time to build a relationship-based email marketing ecosystem.
NOT a typical funnel. NOT a bunch of random emails. And definitely not some templates.
I’m talking about a real email marketing ecosystem that’s designed to create more happy customers for your business.
Here’s the problem, though.
Most people are doing the exact opposite.
They’re blasting out emails written by AI because they care more about speed and short-term results than actually helping anyone.
I’m not saying most people are doing this on purpose because they really don’t care about their audience. AI helps us get more done in less time. But for most people, this means the quality of work often goes down, especially in the context of email marketing for a personal brand.
And listen, years ago, you could get away with that.
Traffic was cheaper. Attention was easier to buy. People hadn’t seen the same copy frameworks a thousand times.
Crappy emails could still “work” because you had volume on your side.
That’s not the case anymore. Traffic isn’t cheap now (in terms of money OR time).
And because everyone is using AI to write emails, most inboxes are flooded with content that just doesn’t resonate.
If you rely on AI the same way everyone else does, you blend in immediately like wallpaper.
And when that happens, it doesn’t matter how often you email or how clever your subject lines are. Your audience just stops caring.
That’s why, in 2026 and beyond, human connection is the most important thing you can build into your email marketing as a foundation.
Because when people feel connected to you, they read what you send. They trust what you say. They buy what you sell. And they tell other people about you.
It’s not optional anymore. And if you’re not convinced, just take a look at your own inbox. Out of all the marketing emails you receive each week…
How many do you actually want to read?
Not the ones you open because the subject line pulled at your curiosity strings, and not the ones you skim before deleting.
I’m talking about the emails you actually take a mental note of and come back later to read if you don’t have the time right now.
If you’re anything like me, that list is tiny. A handful at most. Everyone else goes straight in the bin.
So the real question becomes…
How do we build human connection into our email ecosystem in a way that still maximises sales?
Listen - I can sit here and write about relationship-based marketing all I want…
… But we run businesses, and we need sales!
The good news is, those two things aren’t in conflict. In fact, when email is done properly, they support each other. Your email ecosystem needs to do two main things:
1. Train your audience to open, read, and click your emails
2. Optimise for happy customers
That’s it.
And the best part?
This has very little to do with you being a world-class writer. This is mainly about strategy rather than being a copywriter.
When you care about your audience and actually understand the system you’re building, the WHAT (what to write) becomes much easier.
The real work is the HOW.
How people enter your world. How you set context. How you train behaviour.
How you earn attention instead of demanding it.
That’s the part almost nobody teaches properly, and it’s the part I personally care about most.
I’m genuinely sick of seeing businesses treat their audience like a number on a dashboard.
So many people say they value their audience…
…but the way they email them tells a very different story.
Saying you value your audience isn’t the same as actually valuing them. And as you already know, showing is far more powerful than telling.
So here’s the deal. I want to show you this email ecosystem.
I want to explain why it works, how to implement it, and how to get started without overhauling your entire business.
But I obviously can’t do that properly on a single page.
So instead, I’ve put together a structured 7-part email immersion series that dives into all of this.
Just clear thinking, real strategy, and a better way of approaching email marketing that actually feels good to run for you and your audience.
If you want to dive deeper into building an email marketing ecosystem that serves your audience and your business, enter your first name and email address below.
You’ll receive Part 1 in just a couple of minutes. Each subsequent part arrives one day later.
And if it’s not for you? You can unsubscribe at any time.
Can’t wait to share it all with you.
Cheers,
Paul