Hey Reader!

This week for Tips Tuesday, I want to talk about building your email list.

As a nonprofit, blogger, or business owner, your email list is essential and not optional. And today we are getting into why.

Shall we???

Let's do this!

Listen… social media platforms are great, but have you noticed how they keep changing the rules on us?

And that's without even getting into the time suck that it ends up being a lot of times.

One algorithm update, and suddenly, your posts are reaching way fewer people than before.

Here’s the thing about building your business online - you need a direct line to your audience that YOU control.

Think of your email list as having a VIP backstage pass in your people's inbox. (ummm Hello, and thank you for my VIP access you gave me here 👋🏽)

But, no, really, there are no algorithms deciding who sees what (except those email filters, ugh), but mostly just direct communication with people who actually want to hear from you.

Quick version if you’re short on time:

(But you're gonna wanna come back and read the whole thing)

• Your email list is an asset you own (unlike social media followers)
• The right email marketing platform makes a huge difference
• Strategic opt-in placement can dramatically increase subscribers
• Your website needs to be set up correctly to capture leads

Still here? Let me break this down for you…

First, let’s talk about choosing the right email platform for YOUR business.

I have listed a few email marketing platforms that I have used or tested myself. Each has a full review you can check out if they seem like your jam.

Highlighted below each one is what makes them shine.

Brevo

• Powerful automation features
• Great for e-commerce and service businesses
• Includes SMS marketing capabilities

​Check out our full review of Brevo​

MailerLite

• Free up to 1,000 subscribers
• Clean, intuitive interface
• Great deliverability rates

​Check out our full review of Mailerlite​

FloDesk

• Gorgeous pre-made templates
• Flat-rate pricing
• Perfect for photographers and designers

​Check out our full review of FloDesk​

Moosend

• User-friendly automation builder
• Affordable pricing tiers
• Strong analytics features

​Check out our full review of Moosend​

Omnisend

• E-commerce focused features
• Multi-channel marketing capabilities
• Advanced segmentation options

​Check out our full review of Omnisend​

And here’s a little tea 🫖 - I recently made the switch to Kit (formerly ConvertKit), from Omnisend, and I’m loving it so far!

I’ll be sharing my full review soon, but I’m really excited about how they let me publish my emails to a custom page where people can see what I send before committing to signing up. You can check it out here to see what I mean!

Plus, sending campaigns like this Tips Tuesday series is super smooth, and I have so many options for customizing your reading experience.

Keep an eye out for my full review on Kit coming soon!

Now that we covered the services, let’s talk about WHERE to put those email sign-up forms on your website AND WHAT to offer for sign ups:

Where

Strategic Spots That Convert:

1. After valuable blog posts
2. In your website footer
3. On your about page
4. As a non-annoying popup (timing is everything!)

What

Things to Offer:

Don’t just say “join my newsletter” - give them a reason! Some ideas:

1. Quick start guides
2. Checklists
3. Templates
4. Exclusive tips
5. Early access to your offers

Pro Tip: The best lead magnet solves a specific problem your ideal reader or client faces RIGHT NOW.

Here’s why this matters for your business: When someone gives you their email address, they’re saying “I trust you enough to let you into my inbox.”

That’s huge!

And unlike social media followers, you can actually reach them when you have something important to share.

Does this all make sense?

I hope it has your wheels turning...

Next week, I’ll share my favorite strategies for nurturing your email list and turning subscribers into loyal fans. (Spoiler alert: it’s not about selling all the time!)

Need help setting up your email marketing or discussing a plan for your email list? Just hit reply - this is literally what we do!

P.S. Worried about what to send to your email list once people subscribe? While that’s exactly what we’ll cover next week, a good starting point is asking your existing subscribers what they want to learn from you. Their answers might surprise you!