How (and why) to grow your email list as a Creative Business Owner
Scary truth bomb time…
Social media is amazing BUT you don’t own it.
Meta can shut you down at any time and what then? You’ve lost your free marketing outlet!
(BTW it's the same with Etsy)
But don’t worry. I have got you with this blog!
So why email?
With email, you have so much more control and the conversion rates are miles better.
Everyone in there has opted in and that’s a big deal because - let’s face it - people get a lot of emails these days so committing to being on your list is a real show of trust.
On average, only 10% of your audience see your social posts - and that’s the people that have chosen to follow you.
My email list has an open rate of around 50% and they’re the people that buy the most.
Top tips to get started with email as an artist or maker:
Choose a platform - It’s so easy to put together a mailing list now. I started with the free version of Mailchimp and it was a great place to start. They gave me space for up to 2000 subscribers So easy to use and I knew I was GDPR compliant.
There are loads of providers to choose from and I now pay to use Kit because of the automations and audience growth tools. My business is growing and building my email list and email funnels is a massive part of that.
Decide what your subscribers get out of it - Are you sending them inspiration? Discounts? VIP tickets? Think of 3 perks that add value and tell people about it. Remember, a lot of people will associate emails with work so what happy mail are you sending them that makes it worth their while.
Invite people - Whether it's at events, in your social content or when you're interviewed, invite people to enjoy those perks. DO this at least once a week. People aren’t coming looking for your mailing list - you need to share it.
And with that in mind - here’s my mailing list link. Join for weekly tips on levelling up your artistry business.
4. Nurture them - Send weekly (not monthly) emails with exciting news, fab photos and all that value you promised (not all at once). Your emails don't need to be long but you do need to be in regular contact.
I talk to a lot of people who just send monthly emails but think about it - if people are now needing around 27 touchpoint before they buy and you’re only send 12 emails, you’re missing out on opportunities to nurture them and turn them into buyers.
5. Celebrate - This may sound weird but celebrate the unsubscribes as well as the growth. If they unsubscribe then they're not your ideal client and that's okay. Focus on who is!
People who don’t open your emails affect how platforms like gmail view them and can cause them to be thought of as spam so cleaning those people off your list is GREAT!
How I can help you
As an artist maker mentor, I support you to build your audience so that you can sell to an excited audience. One of the many things I can support you with is building, nurturing and selling to your mailing list.
Book a call to see how I can help you.