Social media is a powerful tool for businesses, but here’s the hard truth: You don’t own your followers. That means your carefully cultivated audience can disappear in an instant if the platform changes its rules, pivots, or vanishes entirely. (I’m looking at you, TikTok. ????)
So, what’s the solution? Own your audience by building an email list. Here’s why that matters and how you can make email marketing work for you.
Why Email Marketing Is Your Superpower
When you rely on social media, your audience isn’t yours — the platform owns your audience. Let’s imagine you’ve built your account up to 500,000 Instagram followers. Then one day, Instagram is replaced by the latest social media sensation, and the platform shuts down. Poof — your followers are gone.
But with email? You own your list. You can connect directly with your audience, on your terms. Plus, email subscribers are usually warm leads — they’ve already interacted with your brand and are more likely to listen to what you’ve got to say.
How Email Marketing Can Work for You
Not sure how you can repurpose content? Let’s look at Nutty Delight, a fictional brand specializing in all things peanuts.
Here’s how they could turn one piece of content into several to use across platforms:
Email isn’t just about filling inboxes; it’s about creating opportunities. Here are some ways email marketing can get the job done:
- Drive Sales & Revenue: Send promotions, announce new products, or offer exclusive deals.
- Build Relationships: Share your story, introduce your team, and create a personal connection with your list.
- Increase Engagement: Send helpful tips or share customer success stories.
- Stay Top of Mind: Consistent, valuable emails remind people why they love your brand.
Building Your Email List
A strong email list is the foundation of your marketing strategy. Here are effective ways to grow yours:
Website Signup Forms
Add a prominent signup option to your homepage (and elsewhere on your site as well!)
Pop-Ups with Incentives
Offer discounts or freebies in exchange for email addresses.
Lead Ads
Run ads on social platforms to capture emails by offering something valuable, like entering them into a contest to win a gift card or a piece of merchandise.
Gated Content
Require an email to access premium content, like e-books or white papers.
Webinars
Host educational sessions and collect emails during registration.
Tailoring Emails to Your Business Type
For E-Commerce Brands
Many e-commerce brands worry about emailing too often, but when done right, your emails can provide value, not spam. Focus on:
- Promoting sales and discounts.
- Announcing new product launches.
- Highlighting product benefits and solving customer problems.
For Service-Based Businesses
Service providers should focus on building trust and educating their audience. Use emails to:
- Share industry news and updates.
- Highlight your services.
- Offer educational content like blog summaries or case studies.
- Share testimonials from happy clients.
How Often Should You Email?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here’s a framework:
- Start Small: Begin with weekly emails.
- Analyze Data: Monitor open rates, click rates, and unsubscribes. And then adjust accordingly.
- Scale Strategically: During busy seasons like Black Friday, increase your cadence.
Remember, most people will simply delete emails they’re not ready to engage with. What matters is being in their inbox when they are ready to act.
Audience Segmentation: The Secret to Personalization
Segmenting your email list ensures your audience receives content that resonates. For example:
By Interest
If you run a pet brand, create sublists for dog, cat, or bird owners.
By Geography
A spring email in March about warm weather might make sense for South Carolina but not Michigan. So, make sure you’re speaking to the right people at the right time.
Segmenting allows you to send relevant, personalized emails, making your audience feel seen. It also increases engagement.
Nail Your Subject Lines
Your subject line determines whether your email gets opened or ignored. Follow these tips:
- Keep it short and intriguing.
- Use emojis sparingly for a playful touch.????????
- Personalize by audience or segment, e.g., “The Only Collar Your Dog Will Ever Need”.
- Test different formats to see what resonates.
Personalize by audience or segment, e.g., “The Only Collar Your Dog Will Ever Need”. Test different formats to see what resonates.
For extra help, tools like Subjectline.com can provide feedback on how compelling your subject line is.
Drive Traffic to Your Website
The ultimate goal of email marketing is to guide your audience to your website, where they can purchase your product or service. Offer just enough information in your email to pique interest and make the next step irresistible.
With email, you control the narrative, nurture relationships, and ensure your audience stays yours — no matter what happens on social media. So, start building your email list and create a direct line to your most engaged fans.
About the Author:
Lauren Spagnoletti is co-Founder and Marketing Strategist of the boutique marketing agency Little Men Roaring, LLC that she co-owns with her husband in Charlotte, NC.
In addition to leading accounts at an ad agency, she has led marketing efforts for startups, major universities, family-owned businesses, international clientele, and everything in between. You can access Lauren’s Marketing Momentum Bootcamp for Business Owners here to level up your own marketing.
For more information or to contact Lauren, you can reach her at Lauren@littlemenroaring.com
About the Publisher:
Jeff Hamm is the creator and producer of The Best of LKN. He’s a licensed real estate broker and digital marketing professional who helps real estate agents nationwide generate high quality leads.
When he isn’t working, you can usually find Jeff boating, running & cycling local greenways, and taking walks with his dogs Sam and Maisy.
Jeff Hamm
Allen Tate Realtors®
Lake Norman
www.LKNreal.com