This is an important reminder I think we all need to hear from time to time. We tend to only really focus on growing our email list right before we’re getting ready to launch something. But believe it or not, doing this is actually a mistake. 

Your email list is one of the most powerful tools you own as a business owner. Which is why it deserves consistent time and attention, not just attention right before a launch. 

The fact of the matter is that your email list is the only platform you own. In terms of marketing channels that you consistently use to promote your offers, your email list is the top tool! 

While it’s unlikely that social media will disappear, you really have no control or ownership over any of the social platforms and pages you’ve created. We see changes in social media all the time, and any success you have on that platform could disappear with a simple algorithm change. (Wild to think about, but true.)

This is why email lists are so important! You have a way to directly communicate with your followers and sell to them.

It doesn’t matter what you sell — it could be services or products — but it’s always important to have an email list. Having your email list as a way to communicate with your fans and followers is key.

Note: My favorite platform of choice is Flodesk, it’s inexpensive and you don’t have to pay more when your list grows. I highly recommend you check it out! (Affiliate link)

There are two common arguments I often hear when it comes to email marketing:

1. The first hangup is that it takes a lot of time or a lot of effort to grow your email list. I’m here to tell you this is completely not true as long as you have the right messaging and strategies in place. It’s important to remember that there is an exchange happening between you and the person subscribing to your emails. When you engage the audience properly, your list will grow so much faster!

2. The second hangup I hear often is that email marketing doesn’t have a personal feel. This is so false! If you do it properly, email marketing actually does allow you to build personal connections the same way social media platforms do. As long as you have the right approach to your email copy, you’ll be able to build real and genuine relationships with your audience.

Let’s rewind back to my PR days and talk about this concept of one-way vs. two-way communication:

• One-way communication is disseminating information. You have something that you want to say, you need to get it out there, and it doesn’t really matter how or if people respond to it. 
• Two-way communication is when you send information out into the world in a way that invites a response or a conversation. 

A lot of people approach their email marketing as a means of one-way communication. 

Think of these as the email statements you get from the bank that have a “no reply” email address on them, or even the promo emails you get from your favorite stores. It’s all about getting information in your hands — and typically with the goal of getting you to buy something. 

On the other hand, two-way communication is the best way to write email copy that will make people want to open, read and binge emails. 

Usually, we love to open these kinds of emails because they invite us in and open up some sort of dialogue. It can be explicit, such as where the writer asks us to reply to the email and share feedback, or it can even be subtle, like an invitation to imagine ourselves in a particular situation or test something out.

When it comes to writing email copy, remember that there is a real person on the other end of the screen reading that email with their own life and experiences going on. If we want people to care about what our emails have to say, we have to write them as if we’re talking to people, not robots or numbers.

Here are three of my top tips for writing emails people actually want to read:

1. Whenever possible, tell a story! Some of my favorite emails start with a real life story that pulls me in. One of the easiest ways to do this is to just have general awareness as you go through your life. You may stumble across something and think to yourself, “This would make a great email!” If you can tap into relatable stories, you’ll hook your audience and make them feel more connected to you. Make sure when you do this it’s genuine, don’t try and force it!

2. Make it conversational. Something I like to do whenever I’m struggling with writer’s block is to write my email copy like I would write to a best friend. This helps me think about how I would phrase the email to sound more interesting and capture their attention. You can do this by asking rhetorical questions like, “Does it ever feel like you waste hours each week just figuring out what to watch on Netflix?”, or “The best part of working from home is that we can wear whatever we want, right?” Be sure to read your email out loud. If you stumble, if the copy feels stuffy, or if you find yourself sounding unnatural, scrap it and try to make it sound more conversational.

3. Make it yours. Everyone has a different voice. Make sure you’re writing your emails the way you want to actually communicate. Think about the ways you speak with your friends. Are there any phrases or sayings that you commonly use? Think about whatever best reflects your voice and the way you naturally communicate, and be sure to weave that into your emails. Don’t try to be anything or anyone you aren’t. For example, I love gifs and emojis but I don’t have the best jokes… anytime I try to inject humor into my emails it just falls flat. So, I would avoid that in my own copy. When you can tap into your authentic voice, you will build deeper relationships with your audience and will keep the right people coming back!

For this week’s coffee break exercise, I want you to read the most recent email you sent to your list out loud. Make note of any stumbles or anything that feels unnatural. Highlight it, and think about how you could have said it differently to sound more authentically you.

If you want to write email copy that people actually want to read, it’s important to understand the reasons behind why email marketing is so important and why it’s one of the best ways you can communicate with your audience. 

I see people trying to grow their email list right before a launch hits and this is doing a huge disservice to their email list growth. The truth is, it’s important to work on your email copy to grow your email list consistently. Email marketing can be such a beneficial tool for your business, when done right.

If you love what you learned, be sure to connect with me over on Instagram and share your biggest takeaways. I’d love to hear from you! See you back here in the next post — and remember, I’m rooting for you, always.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Flodesk

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