Walls of text convert like crazy. You aren't targeting the Big Business Corporate Dickhead Department. You're targeting someone sitting in their underwear at their computer. The wall of text serves to draw them in, confuse them, set them straight, give them an ah-ha moment, then say "there's more of this delicious feeling of mastery for only a few hundred dollars..."

Basically, zinga of marketing. Also see: 30 minute infomercials. "This towel will change your life!"

He did something right. I read it start to finish without pause.

I am in the target demographic, we've just started implementing lifecycle emails at my company.

I'm not agreeing with the op. Just looking cross eyed at the wall of text statement.

But, are you in charge of a lifecycle email campaign? For whatever reason, it didn't feel like a wall of text to me.

But if the topic wasn't of intense interest, maybe it would have.