As a blogger myself I always have had an email list. It helps people stay up to date on new posts and content. This is important, so people come back to my blog and are engaged in my content. Small business owners can benefit from having email lists too, just like my blog email list it can bring customers back and generate more sales.
What is an Email List?
An email list is the email addresses of people, visitors or customers that would like to receive information, updates, discounts, or other information from your business in their inbox.
I will list some reasons why I think it is so important for small businesses to have an email list.
It is a Safety Measure that you Control
Think of your email list as an external hard drive. You may have one for your computer. It serves as a copy of your computer files if your computer stops working. It is a backup of your computer files. It is a good thing to have just in case. It is a good idea to have an email list in case your business shop shuts down.
This is especially significant for people who use platforms that are NOT controlled fully by you, but another bigger company (like Etsy or Shopify) If they suddenly shut down unexpectedly you will lose contact with your customers. How would you be able to keep them coming back to your business if all the information on them was in your E-commerce platform?
You should also know you have no control in your social media accounts either. They are run by a bigger corporation, which can shut down your accounts at any time. Additionally, they control the algorithm and not every one of your followers always sees your posts.
So, if you lose both your E-commerce platform and social accounts, do you have a way to reach out to customers to continue doing business with them? If you don’t, I suggest starting your email list.
It can Transform Email Subscribers into Sales
A quick email is great to send out to inform customers about sales, discounts, and even upcoming launches or sneak peaks of future launches. This will help get your customers excited for what to expect next. People decided to sign up for your email list, so when you send out emails you are sending them to people who truly like to hear from you. They are invested in your business and your products!
Build Brand Recognition
A brand is more than a logo, a brand also needs to showcase the purpose behind your business and why you do what you do. When you consistently send out emails with content that speaks to customers, it builds up the over image of your business. It enhances what you stand for, how you do it and most importantly, how that benefits the recipient of your email with a problem or question they may have.
Build Customer Relationships
Email gives you a way to connect with your customers one on one. Your clients can ask questions or voice their concerns if they have any. This is a great way to build relationships that are based on trust.
Email Has Been Reliable
Almost 89% of Americans check email at least once a day; nearly 21% check their email more than 5 times a day. On the other hand, people can go days, weeks, or even months without checking your website, Etsy shop, or social media. Even if they do go on social media everyday they won’t always see your posts. Email platforms are a direct connection.If you send someone an email, they will receive it. Email continues to be the most useful way to stay in contact with your shoppers, and with 3.9 billion email users worldwide, it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon.
Having an email list is a reliable way to secure your customers' contact info stored somewhere in case your primary way of communication shuts down but it also helps people recognize your brand , which can build customer relationships and eventually turn your email list followers into customers. So if you haven’t made one yet then I suggest making one! It definitely cannot hurt.
Keep on Creating & Best of luck on your content journey!
-Brianna Marie
