When there are so many ways to market your business, it can be hard to decide what’s worth your time. Email lists are incredible business-building tools. Many people find it intimidating, though. For some, it feels oddly personal to be speaking directly into someone’s inbox, but cultivating an email list can be a gamechanger for creative businesses. Not convinced? Check out our top three reasons to create an email list. Then, once you’re convinced, read on to learn how to get yours started!

3 Reasons Creative Businesses Need an Email List

1. Cultivate longer relationships and get repeat clients (instead of constantly chasing new ones).

By regularly checking in with clients through an email list, you build meaningful connections. Instead of leaving it up to a fickle social media algorithm whether former clients see you again, you make sure you show up regularly in a more personal way. The more people are exposed to your brand, the better the chance that they’ll move from gaining familiarity to making a purchase. That is the whole point of content marketing.

This is one of the ways that an email list improves the overall lifetime value of your customers. Just imagine the possibilities for repeat customers. If you’re launching products, your email list, including those who have previously purchased from you, is a warmer audience than the one on social media.

2. Your business is bulletproof regardless of unpredictable changes to social media and search engines.

Remember when Instagram went down for a day, and half the world had a meltdown? So many business owners rely on social media for marketing when social media is unreliable. Keeping up with trends and changes to algorithms feels like building a house on shifting sand. Your email list can insulate you from some of that uncertainty.

Changes to search engines, such as Google, are less chaotic, but really understanding their impact on SEO can require you to sift through hundreds of factors after each annual update. Email stays blissfully constant in comparison. Take what control you can with your marketing, and consider email like an insurance policy for your business. 

3. Save money and time on customer acquisition with an automated process.

Quite simply, if you’re turning clients into repeat customers, you don’t have to spend all of your resources finding new ones. It takes pressure off of your other marketing. In terms of time savings, think of it this way. You write an email, schedule it to go out, and make dozens of personal connections with clients that you wouldn’t have time to make any other way. It feels really good to open your email, see the message you sent to clients, and think, “Oh yeah! I did that!”

How to Create Your Email List

Getting started isn’t as hard as some creative entrepreneurs think it is. Do you ask for an email address on your lead inquiry forms? Add them to your list! You can strategically place opt ins around your website, including your blog. Even social media features can be handy here. If you’re gearing up for a launch, for example, you can use the Questions sticker in your Instagram stories to collect email addresses.

Once you have the email addresses, there are so many platforms to manage your email list. Each offers different aesthetics and features. The ease of use also varies from platform to platform. Whichever you choose, make sure that it will make your life easier, not harder. In the long run, your list should be saving you time. 

Do you want more tips on growing your creative business? Sign up for The Business Conservatory program to get continual education on growing your business!

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