Why Every Creative Needs an Email List (Especially Now with Meta's AI Changes)
Using email lists to build a community for your creative business is more important than ever, especially with Meta's AI expansion using images from Instagram and Facebook. Many artists are concerned about this, and rightly so, and many are jumping ship, opting to join Cara instead - BUT if you’re not ready to sign up to yet another social media app there may be a better way or another part of your creative workflow that you should be focusing more of your energy on. There’s a powerful tool you can use to maintain ownership over your audience and nurture those valuable connections (oh and BTW you don’t need to learn a new algorithm to thrive using it): your email list.
If you’re ready to claim back your creative power, here’s a few reasons why an email list is a must-have as a creative business owner right now and some actionable steps to grow or revive yours this month.
Why you NEED to revive your email list (like right now!)
We all remember the 2021 Instagram upheaval when changes in algorithms and app interfaces made it difficult to reach our audiences. This showed us how little control we have over social media platforms. Your email list, however, is a space you own. Every time you send an email, it gets in front of your audience, unlike social media posts that might get lost in the feed.
Email lists allow you to build a community, provide value, and establish connections that could turn into sales or collaborative opportunities.
4 Ways to Grow (or Revive) Your Creative Email List:
1. Get Clear on Your Audience and Purpose (who & why?)
Before you start sending out emails, think about who you want to connect with and why. Are you targeting customers who might buy your art? Other creatives who could become collaborators? Past clients who could hire you again? Knowing your audience and purpose helps you craft emails that provide value and nurture these connections effectively AND will help you get really clear on who you are speaking to when you invite people in to join your email list.
2. Make a Plan
Decide how often you want to send emails and what value you’ll provide. Will you send weekly newsletters, bi-monthly updates, or monthly digests? Your plan should align with your audience’s needs and your goals. For example, if you’re targeting clients, a monthly newsletter showcasing your latest projects might be best. If you want to warm up customers, weekly ‘bestseller spotlights’ or behind-the-scenes or what products/projects you working on next might help build connection to your brand.
3. Create a Lead Magnet
A lead magnet is a freebie offered in exchange for signing up to your email list. It could be a resource, tip sheet, or free download that provides value to your target audience. Ensure it’s something that speaks directly to the people you want to attract to your email list (alway keep that who and why front of mind) and then share it on your blog, website and anywhere else your ideal customer/client might see it. You can also use multiple lead magnets to attract different segments of your audience.
4. Share Your Sign-Up Everywhere (and OFTEN)
Promote your email sign-up link in your social media bios, website footer, blog posts, and Instagram stories, clearly communicating the value of joining your list. Remember, not everyone will click sign up on the first share OR someone in your audience who is ‘just right’ might not be on socials that day, so don’t just share it once, share it OFTEN (at least once a week) and keep calling in the right people in your audience to a space where you can really connect with them.
Bonus Tip: Use Flodesk
If you’re looking for a way to manage your email list and create beautiful, branded newsletters, I highly recommend Flodesk. It’s customizable and offers a flat monthly fee, no matter how large your list grows. I’ve personally been using Flodesk for YEARS and honestly can’t recommend it enough. Sign up with this link* to get a free trial and 50% off your first year.
*affiliate link
Listen to or watch the Podcast episode
Reviving or starting your email list can be a game-changer for your creative business, especially in light of recent social media changes. If you want even more tips, listen to me talk through the topic on more details in E72 of Create Your Way Podcast (or watch the video episode on Patreon).
