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Recently I discussed what you should add to your newsletter, but it struck me that there’s an additional question-what do we send to our email list? Are they different or the same. Newsletters and Email lists feel the same on the surface. But there are some key differences in the ways that we can use them. Similar to what I brought up in the newsletter episode, the tool that you decide to use is especially important to consider. I’m sharing some quick and dirty tips on what to email your list and how to stop overthinking the process.
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Show Notes
Before I share my thoughts about newsletters vs. email marketing, we need to talk about the tool that you’ll use to email your list. I’ve used a number of different email service providers and currently use Flodesk. It’s not a perfect tool (none are) but I like the following things about it:
- You can segment your list-For example if you are a food content creator and are building a list of Gluten-free recipes, you can add a “tag” that moves people who’ve signed up for your list to a gluten-free recipes list.
- Aesthetically pleasing-I love the look of the landing pages and the emails that I can send out.
- You can create simple sales pages and sell products
- If you sign up with my affiliate link, you’ll get 50% off of your subscription for the next year. Please note that as an affiliate I may be financially compensated if you sign up using my link.
I do want to share a couple of other email service provider options:
- MailerLite
- Kit (formerly Convertkit)
- Aweber
I’ve used Kit before and I feel like Aweber as well. Any of these four options should be easy to use. What’s so important about these tools and how is this different than using a platform such as Substack, Ghost or Beehiiv.
- You can design marketing campaigns with an email service provider-These could be 50 short emails that you’ve written earlier and have scheduled to be sent to your list at certain times. One or two emails for the next 25 weeks.
- A simple email is different from a branded newsletter experience. It’s typically a written communication.
- Emails can be a little more transactional in feeling and design compared to a newsletter.
- Newsletters are similar to podcasts in the way that they can warm your audience up.
- Emails compliment newsletter content
What to Send to Your List
I have a really interesting experience building a 3,000 person email list for my romance pen name. Those readers were awesome! I would send out a newsletter and they would respond within 30 seconds. Some of what I did to make receiving an email a positive experience vs. annoying.
- I was very clear about the expectations of my subscriber. If they opted into a romance email list, they want all things romance as it relates to the books and romance world that I was building. Avoid jarring surprises and being random.
- Emails are by nature a sales and engagement tool-Are you sending content that makes the recipient intrigued, excited and interested in reading what you’ve sent.
- There should be a nice mix of topics covered specific to your personal brand and what other folks are doing.
- I tend to send more “of the moment” tips, just so you know and other information in my emails. However, I will backlink to podcast episodes and newsletters that compliment what’s in the email.
- Be careful about repurposing content from a Newsletter to an Email. Maybe I would add a teaser to direct people from one place to another vs. sharing everything in both spaces. I know of people who run LinkedIn newsletters who do something similar.
- You can build in a launch sequence where you’re focused on selling a certain product and you’re sharing:
- A free workshop or webinar (pre-recorded or live)
- Helpful resources such as a pdf, tips on how to use a certain tool
- Insights into a helpful strategy
- Creatives could send a behind the scenes teaser, a piece of art that only goes to the list, etc.
There’s also the tried and true items such as:
- Coupons
- Special trainings
- Invitation to something special
- Psst, here’s a secret (only told to the list)
Both your newsletter and email lists are great tools for selling to your community. However, email service providers are better designed for an ongoing sales funnel to your products.
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