Do you need an email list? You’re on social media, but suddenly, they change an algorithm and you’re reach drops. It’s a domino affect - next your page views drop, and then your income…

You need a better plan.

I am a huge proponent of having your eggs in more than one basket, but especially in building a proprietary email list.

Today, let’s talk about list building, or more specifically WHY you need to build a list in the first place.

No matter what your business is: blogging, creating video content, running an online store or growing a social media presence - EVERY online business can benefit from having a list and focusing on growing your subscriber base. These are your hyper interested people. These are your loyal fans.

What makes an email list so special? Here are the

3 Reasons You Need an Email List

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1. Permission

A list gives you permission to talk directly to a pre-vetted, interested audience. You don’t have to wait for them to come to your blog or login to Instagram or Facebook to see your content, your message, and your offers. Instead you have been invited to go to them … directly into their email inbox and their life.

2. Personalization

While blog posts, videos, and social media posts lend themselves to talking to your entire audience at once on a grand scale, Email allows you to address each reader individually. While your blog posts for example are written to a whole segment of your audience, you can be more personal, transparent and vulnerable with your list.

Plus, you have a chance to get to know your readers better. You can build a relationship with them through the daily or weekly emails you send to them (as well as their replies). As they get to know you, they start to like you and you begin to build trust with your audience.

Why is trust important? Because once you have earned that trust, they will gladly take you up on the recommendations you sent them via email. And, if you treat your list well and share things with them that solve their problems and add value to their lives and experiences, it’s sustainable. You can share opportunities with them for things they want and need over and over again.

3. Profits

Most importantly though, email marketing converts better than any other form of marketing and this is the main reason all your marketing efforts should ultimately focus on growing and expanding your list.

In other words, the list allows you to make a living from your online business. And it’s also a safety net, as I alluded to at the beginning.

Things happen. Facebook decides to freeze your account, your website gets hacked and much of the content is lost, search engines decide they no longer love you and stop sending you free traffic… Murphy’s Law holds true, even on the web…. Anything that can go wrong will eventually go wrong. But, if you’ve focused on building a list, you will always have a way to recover, a way to still reach those who are most interested in what you have to offer.

Next Steps:

If you’re new to the list idea or haven’t yet started growing your list, you’ll want to check this post for our top recommended email service providers. But, there is a lot more to emailing than just the content. There are certain legal things that must be included (we’ll cover this is another post), and you’ll want the ability to segment the list (like I do with ConvertKit) based on reader interest and actions to serve your people better.

We cover all of this and more in our Stop Bothering Your List! Email Course and registration is open right now!