You’ve most likely heard by now that your #1 priority as a business owner is building your email list, yea? If not, you need to get on it 👏👏 But, why? What’s the big deal? Can it really be a tool that helps you serve your clients and grow the bottom line?

Email has been around since the dawn of the interwebs. Unlike other communication streams that have come and gone, email has stayed the course. It’s simple to use and most people have an email address. Yes, social media is an essential tool in your arsenal, but it’s not the only one. The critical difference? You own your email list. Don’t build your house on a rented lot is how the saying goes… Your time is too precious to collect likes and comments (that don’t convert 💸), and battle with algorithms and all the other in-feed noise that distract your audience and dilute your message. Use your efforts in those social channels to encourage those who dig your vibe towards connecting with you in a more intimate and direct way.

Here’s 5 reasons to dive straight on to building your email list, like, now:

1 / You Control the Experience

You’re not wondering why that banger post isn’t having the impact you know it should. You’re not constantly having to adjust your approach or your style to appease the latest tweaks to the algorithms. You can show up in the ways that best serve your audience – when you want, how you want, just as you are. It’s important to have a space under your control, with an experience that only you can offer. Email is that space.

There’s not heaps of science to the what, when and how of email (definitely not any rocket science 😅). The main ingredient is connection, meaning that you can run with a quick anecdote, a long form story, a survey, even a short video if you really want to (but you might be all worn out from making all those reels those social media platforms thirst for). If you’re consistently making sure you’re showing up to serve, you’re in winning territory 🥇.

2 / You Get Higher Returns and More Engagement

You own a business, you care about the numbers, so let's run some…

It’s wild to think there’s that many people wielding email addresses and social media accounts. So. Many. People. It’s even wilder to think some more about the fact that more people are inclined to open your emails than read your Insta posts, be receptive to your message and take action ($44 return for every $1 spent kinda action 💰). Not to mention the fact that more and more people are becoming a little jaded and fatigued by social media. Got any friends that have decided to do a social media cleanse/fast/break?? Yup, me too. Social media definitely has its place, don’t hear me wrong. Just know that that place is for initial connection and then re-direction towards that space of deeper and longer-lasting relationship… your email list!

3 / You Can Craft and Curate What You Share

Crafting your content in ways that works best to serve your audience is another cool part about owning the email channel. You can guide people down more direct paths towards the actions they need to take. You can link directly to other resources that will further help them and compliment their journey with you. Even though socials have mechanisms for you to post a message and link to other content, they are very intentionally designed to keep users on the platform (instead of jumping over to yours). Rather than being in an active state and taking action, socials typically puts users into a more passive state of consumption (cue Limp Bizkit… “keep scrollin’, scrollin’, scrollin’, scrollin’”).

Your clients open emails ready to learn something, buy something, or become more informed. So, go on and give ‘em some email lovin’, then give ‘em some more! Open that email platform of yours (we love FloDesk here at The Story Keeper 🙌), craft a simple message that serves your audience, put a little polish on it, and hit that send button baby! What are you waiting for?!

4 / You Can ‘Say What You Want to Say’ (thanks Sara Bareilles 🎶)

You’ve heard it said: Content is KING. Well, it definitely still is, so don’t listen to anyone that says otherwise. Each person who has handed over their precious email address to be on your list wants to hear and learn from – you guessed it – you! The great news is that email gives you the space to explain things precisely the way that will work for you and your audience. You can take a bit more time, tease things out a bit more, make that special offer. People are willing to spend more time reading through an email that’s delivering them great value. Use socials as a meeting point, inviting users to jump into your list. Use email to provide great value, connect deeper and sell well.

5 / You Own Your Email List

How would you get in touch with your audience if social media disappeared off the face of the digital planet today? Would your connection to your audience disappear with it? Would your business survive? Like the Barefoots and the Buffets of the world tell you to diversify your financial investments, the same applies for your marketing efforts. One or two channels ain't enough, especially when you don’t own them. Sure, you need to show up where your audience is at, whether that be on Insta, Tiktok, Pinterest or Facey. But, when they get interrupted, break, go down, or even shut down (hard to imagine, I know), you definitely don’t want that to mean you get interrupted, break, go down or shut down too. Your email list is your direct line of communication to your most engaged audience.

Need some help kicking off your email list ?

If by now you’re not completely pumped to kick off building your email list and showing up for your audience members most interested in you and what you offer, I’m at a loss to know what’ll get you excited! Maybe, you might want or need a little extra help, or are keen to have an experienced eye offer some guidance on your next steps.