Thinking about starting a newsletter or regular email campaign but worried your email list is too small? Is it too limited to make an impact? Should you wait to grow before unleashing your marketing plans on your email list?
Read on to find out whether you should wait and grow your list or dive right in…
What Is Email Marketing?
Email marketing is an undeniably powerful tool for direct communication with people who’ve willingly chosen to hear from you. It’s a means to inform, engage and build rapport with your ideal audience base.
Ultimately, your primary goal in email marketing is to deliver valuable content to your subscribers, which in turn can lead to higher sales and brand loyalty.
Despite its potential, I see plenty of business owners making the mistake of thinking email marketing is just sending out copy-and-paste emails. It involves metrics, strategy and a whole lot of brand personality. With those things, your email campaigns will genuinely resonate with your audience, no matter how big that audience is.
Your Little Email List
From tiny acorns, mighty oaks grow. Or so the saying goes. Your tiny acorn of a list can grow to be strong and impressive, but in order to do that, you need to have something to offer.
If you have that all-important special something, whether it’s personality, incredible ingenuity or value, you can get started even with a small email list. In fact, there are a few reasons you definitely should begin your email marketing journey with the audience you have right now.
Firstly, it prevents leads from going cold. When someone signs up, and you wait around for more subscribers before starting your first email campaign, there’s a risk of them losing their initial interest. By engaging with these early birds promptly, you can build a connection that’s that much stronger.
Secondly, working with a small email list lets you experiment and get faster feedback from a more responsive pool. You can test out various email content, subject lines and sending times. This immediate feedback loop lets you fine-tune your email strategy from the get-go.
But remember, it’s all about quality over quantity. A few engaged leads are more valuable than a large list of disinterested recipients who’ll drag your emails into spam without a second thought.
As You Grow
As you grow, you’ll start to see a shift in how you do things. With a larger list, you’ll have to focus on better organisation and practical management if you want to maintain the same levels of efficiency.
Consider segmenting your list as it grows. This allows you to tailor your emails to specific reader groups, providing more personalised and relevant content. In my experience, personalisation often leads to higher engagement and conversion rates.
So, to grow your email list, you’ll need to leverage various touchpoints and channels. First off, don’t be afraid to use social media, both your own and others, to promote your email sign-up. Your blog is always an excellent platform for converting website visitors into subscribers.
And don’t forget about the power of podcasts , as well as guest writing for other blogs, all to expand your reach and attract new subscribers. Anything that gets you and your message out there is valuable for growing your email list.
Making The Most Of Email Marketing
Once you begin your email marketing endeavours, there’s one golden rule – be agile with it. Regardless of your list’s size, consistency will build trust and reliability with your subscribers. Even with a small list, seize the chance to get experimental with your campaigns.
Test out different design elements, tones and send-out timings. Smaller lists allow you to make adjustments more easily and refine your email marketing skills without the added pressure of an enormous audience watching.
As your list grows, be mindful of segmentation. Are you using it to its full potential? Because most businesses aren’t.
Tailoring your emails to specific reader groups can significantly increase the effectiveness of each campaign. One size does not fit all when it comes to email content. You can get started with this by making a list of the different types of customers you have and the different products or services you have to offer, then go through your email list and find out who fits into those different categories.
And while you’re planning your next segmented email campaign, don’t skimp on the metrics. Stats are your best friend in email marketing. Track key metrics like open rates and click-through rates to gain insight into what’s working and what’s not.
Analyse your data to make fact-driven decisions and refine our email campaigns. This invaluable feedback will help you continuously improve and ultimately get more out of your email list, whatever its size.
Use Your Small But Powerful Lists Wisely
Even tiny lists have value. You’ll have more time to engage personally, build relationships and get feedback to learn and adapt. Ready to kickstart your email marketing journey with the list you have now? Feel free to contact me if you’d like some guidance on your small-list email marketing strategy. I’m here to help you make the most of this valuable audience.
