An Introduction to Mailing Lists (pt. 3 - Maintaining Your List)
If you’re going to all the trouble of getting people to sign up for your list you’re also going to want to put a good amount of energy into maintaining that list. And this is the really fun part!
Rule 1
make each
campaign
valuable
Stuff each of your email campaigns full of content that your readers will benefit from.
Give them things that will make their lives better - tips, tricks, free resources, links to paid resources or fresh new offerings, discount codes, exclusive deals… give them anything that makes it feel worth it for them to be subscribers and keep them wanting more. Link roundups are a great way to offer value - it exposes your audience to a wide range of content, gives them opportunities to expand their worlds, and makes you more relatable as a human - you’re sharing things that you like, things that interest you and that makes you more relatable, more human, and more trustworthy. Another great way to pack value in is by offering exclusive deals and services to your mailing list. If people on your list know they’re getting in on things that no one else has access to, they feel special. And we all like to feel special.
Rule 2
be creative
with your
content
Make your content relevant to your niche but also have fun with it.
Email campaigns give you an opportunity to stretch beyond your domain and give you the freedom to be both the expert at your craft and allow you to get personal with your audience. This demands creativity and authenticity.
Let’s look at an example. Say you’re a couples therapist who also has a passion for still life oil paintings. The bulk of your monthly newsletter may focus on relationship resources and offer links to relevant podcast episodes but it might also always include a photo of a beautiful still life oil painting. Or maybe even a link to an upcoming art show!
The most important thing to remember here is that your mailing list people are your people. They care what you have to say, they want to know who you are, and they want to feel like they’re in your inner circle. Give them the gift of knowing you beyond your offerings.
Rule 3
Stick to the
80/20 rule
The general rule for social media is that 80% of your content should be of value, 20% should be selling.
The same rule applies in your email newsletters. 80% of your content should be of value, the other part should be selling. Not in a gross skeezy kind of way, but in a way that feels natural, authentic to you, and in a gentle way that lets people know what’s on offer from you so they can support you.
This also means that not only should 80% of the content in your email be of value it also means that 80% of your campaigns should be of value. The other 20% of your campaigns should be focused on selling. By creating newsletters that are primarily of pure value it makes it more powerful when you do come out with a more salesy blast.
Let me remind you again: your mailing list people are your people! They care about what you’re doing and unlike Instagram where they’re being inundated with information from the hundreds of people they follow, they’ve selected to be part of something directly from you so that they CAN be in the know when exciting things happen for your business. They want to see you succeed and they want to contribute to that success.
so that’s a little
crash course
on mailing lists!
Whether you keep your mailing list as your primary “off the ‘gram” owned space or use it as a starting point for creating your even more engaging and dynamic community, your mailing list should be considered an essential part of your creative business.
Now go forth and build that list!
“Your mailing list people are your people.
They care what you have to say, they want to know who you are, and they want to feel like they’re in your inner circle.
Give them the gift of knowing you beyond your offerings.”
