Why You Should Have an Email List

Marketing

Sep 26

Do you own a business or offer classes or freelance services? Then you should have an email list.

Yes! YOU should have an e-mail newsletter list.

You may be thinking that email newsletters are spammy and ineffective- especially considering the mountain of emails that may be piling up in your inbox- but they’re actually the most effective online marketing strategy there is.

Email marketing statistics that will convince you to start your list.

• Email generates $38 for every $1 spent.
• People are twice as likely to sign up for your email list as they are to interact with you on Facebook.
• I’ve heard from numerous marketing gurus that for every 1 subscriber you have on your list, you will make an extra $1 per month. (I cannot find stats to back this up, though.)
• 73% of millennials prefer that communications from businesses come through email.
• 99% of consumers check their email daily.
• More than half of U.S. respondents check their personal email 10+ times a day, and it is their preferred channel to receive updates from brands.
• 59% of respondents say marketing emails influence their buying decisions.
• 80% of business professionals believe that email marketing increases customer retention.

Basically, not everyone is guaranteed to see your Facebook post, but most everyone is guaranteed to receive your email. Whether they open it or not is up to them.

Many business owners are surprised to discover that the average email open rate across all industries is 32%, but I find that any rate above 20% is fantastic.

Need more convincing?

1. You own your contact list. If Instagram goes out of business, you have no way of moving your followers to another platform. You have to start from scratch. If Mailchimp were to go out of business, all you have to do is export your contact list and upload it to a different email platform.

2. Your audience can get to know you more in email. In an email, you have more room for pictures, text, and links, which leads to…

3. Email is built for conversions, meaning you can link to your heart’s content! Facebook doesn’t promote posts with links, and Instagram only allows you the link in bio option. On email, you can add as many links as you’d like. (When someone clicks on a link and buys, that’s considered a conversion.)

Ain’t got time for email? This will help.

I get it- on top of maintaining your website, posting on social media, blogging, and everything else associated with actually running your business, email is one more thing to deal with.

But it doesn’t have to be time consuming.

Because more people are likely to see your email than your Facebook post, you can recycle content from social media and plop it into email.

E-newsletters are also the ideal platform to share upcoming classes and events, blog post links, and sales. And don’t worry about length, it’s actually best to keep emails short.

So how often should you send emails? I recommend a minimum of once a month, around the same time every month. If you offer frequent events, send reminders weekly.

Don’t know how to get started?

Mailchimp is free for up to 2,000 subscribers, and even on the free plan you can send automated welcome sequences.

I’ve used Mailchimp since the beginning of my business, but I find the design clunky and the software tricky to work with. That’s why I’m transitioning to Flodesk.

Flodesk is not only more intuitive, its templates are fresh, minimal, and modern- or “on brand” as they call it. I’ve found email design easier, statistics more clear, and their tutorials fantastic.

The software is $38/mo., however, you can start with a free trial. If you use the code MISSMEGABUG at check-out, you’ll receive 50% off your monthly subscription FOR LIFE! So for $19/mo., you’ll receive full access to the software, new features, and unlimited contacts on your list, unlike other e-newsletter software (such as Mailchimp).

How does 50% off your first year of Flodesk sound?

Get 50% off Flodesk →

Psst! This is an affiliate link. ;)

Important things to know:

• It is illegal to add anyone to your email list without their consent. I keep a subscription sheet at my studio and take it with me to all classes where people can write in their name, email address, and check which of my lists they’d like to be on (events, marketing & business tips, and/or photography tips).

Consent is also given if someone opts in to your email list via a form on your website.

• There must be an option to unsubscribe. E-newsletter platforms like Mailchimp and Flodesk always have this feature built in, which is why it’s better to send an email from them rather than from your actual inbox. (Plus you gain access to incredibly helpful statistics.)

• GDPR just passed in Europe, meaning European companies are required to have their subscribers double opt-in. How this works is after subscribing to a list, an email is sent to the subscriber having them verify that they want to join the list by clicking a button. Hence “double” opt-in.

While these policies haven’t been adopted by the U.S., if you have international subscribers, it’s a good idea to integrate GDPR. This is easy to do on Mailchimp and Flodesk.

LOOKING TO DIVE DEEPER INTO EMAIL MARKETING?

Check-out my comprehensive Expand With Email online mini course. You’ll learn my top tips for effective email marketing, from what to include on your emails and how often you should send an email to how to grow choose the right e-newsletter platform to how to grow your list.