Listen on → APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY
Start Your Email List Before You Think You’re Ready
Start Here → The Email List Growth Fix
Have you ever heard someone say, “You need to grow your email list,” and immediately thought, “Okay… but how?”
Maybe you’ve had that little newsletter sign-up box on your website for years. Maybe a few people have joined here and there. Maybe you’ve collected emails at markets, events, pop-ups, or in your shop.
And yet your list is still sitting there.
Quiet.
Untouched.
Maybe even making you feel a little guilty.
I get it, because that was me.
For years, I had an email list in the most technical sense. The form existed. People could sign up. I was doing the thing everyone told me to do.
But was I actually using it?
Not really.
Today, I want to talk about why I still believe one of the best things you can do for your small business is start growing your email list before you feel ready.
Not when your business feels perfect.
Not when your website is fully polished.
Not when you have a giant product line.
Not when you know exactly what you’re going to say every week.
Now.
Because your email list is not just another marketing task. It is one of the few things in your business that you actually own.
And if you’re building something that’s meant to last, you need a way to connect with your people that does not depend entirely on social media, algorithms, trends, or whether Instagram decides to show your post today.
Start Here → The Email List Growth Fix
Why You Should Start Your Email List Early
If you’re building a product-based business, handmade business, creative brand, or online shop, your email list can become one of your most valuable business assets.
Even if it starts small, if you don’t know exactly what you’ll send yet, and if your products, website, brand voice, and rhythm are still evolving.
Start collecting email addresses now.
Give people a way to stay connected outside of social media. Build the list while you build the business.
And if you already have a newsletter list?
Keep growing it.
Keep inviting people in.
That part does not end.
The list you grow today can support the business you are becoming later.
My Very Imperfect Start With Email Marketing
I remember being told early in business, “Grow your email list. Grow your newsletter list.”
So I did.
I had a sign-up form on my website. I had a sign-up form at in-person events. I even entered people into drawings when they signed up.
Technically, I was doing the thing.
But here’s the funny part: I barely sent emails.
I would even encourage people to sign up by saying, “I almost never send emails, so go ahead and sign up.”
At the time, I thought that was a selling point.
Like, “Don’t worry, I won’t bother you.”
But looking back, what I was really saying was, “Please join this list that I do not know what to do with yet.”
Maybe that sounds familiar.
Maybe you have the sign-up form. Maybe you have the discount code. Maybe people have joined after buying from you, or you’ve collected emails at markets.
But then you don’t send anything because you don’t know what to say.
Or you’re afraid to bother people.
Or you’re not sure if email still works.
Or you feel like you need some big official strategy before you begin.
You don’t.
You do not need a perfect strategy to begin building your list.
You just need to start giving people a reason to stay connected.
Your Customer Journey Is Not Always Immediate
One of the biggest reasons email matters is because people do not always buy the first time they find you.
Someone might meet you at a market, love your work, but not buy that day.
Someone might land on your website, think your products are beautiful, but not be ready to purchase yet.
Someone might find you on Instagram, browse your shop, and then get distracted by life.
That does not mean they are not interested.
It means they are human.
Email gives you a way to continue the relationship.
And for a small business, that relationship is everything.
People do not only buy products. They buy stories. They buy connection. They buy trust. They buy from people and brands they remember.
That is one of the reasons email matters so much for small businesses.
Social Media Is for Discovery, But Email Is Yours
I’m not anti-social media.
Social media is amazing for discovery. It helps people find you. It lets you show behind the scenes, connect in real time, and give people a quick peek into your world.
But social media is rented land.
You do not own your followers.
You do not control who sees your posts.
You do not control the algorithm.
You can spend so much time making something thoughtful, post it, and then only have a small percentage of your audience see it.
That is so frustrating.
Your email list is different.
When someone joins your list, they are saying, “Yes, I want to hear from you.”
That is direct permission.
And sometimes we forget how powerful that is.
We get caught up in followers, views, and likes, and we forget that an email subscriber is someone who raised their hand.
They are part of your warm audience.
Even if your list is small, that matters.
If you have 50 people on your email list, imagine 50 people standing in a room saying, “Tell me more.”
That is not nothing.
Not every person will open every email. Not every person will buy. And that’s okay.
But the relationship is there.
You have a direct line of communication.
The Day Social Media Went Down
Years ago, Facebook went down.
Maybe you remember one of those days when social platforms just stopped working and everyone who relied on Instagram or Facebook for work suddenly felt stuck.
A mentor sharing that when Facebook went down, instead of panicking or closing up shop for the day, she sent an email to her list with a discount.
Business went on as usual.
And I thought, “Oh, that is so smart.”
So I did the same thing.
People were not spending time on social media that day because they couldn’t. So email got more attention.
I was there.
I was seen.
And I made sales.
That moment stuck with me because it showed me the power of having another way to reach your people.
If Instagram is down, you can email.
If your reach drops, you can email.
If you have new products, you can email.
If you need to move inventory, you can email.
If you want to tell a longer story, invite people into something, or share what’s happening behind the scenes, you have email.
Email gives you options.
And in small business, options matter.
What If You’re Afraid of Annoying People?
Let’s talk about something that keeps a lot of business owners from growing their list or sending emails: the fear of annoying people.
I hear this all the time.
And honestly, I’ve felt it too.
We think:
“What if they don’t want to hear from me?”
“What if I send too many emails?”
“What if they unsubscribe?”
So let’s talk about unsubscribes.
Yes, people will unsubscribe.
And that is okay.
More than okay, actually. Sometimes it is a good thing.
I know it can sting a little. You send an email, you’re proud of yourself for showing up, and then someone unsubscribes.
Your brain immediately wants to make it personal.
Did I say something wrong?
Was I too salesy?
Am I annoying?
Do they not like me?
But unsubscribes are not always bad.
Unsubscribes are clarity.
You only want people on your list who align with your business.
If someone is no longer interested in your products, if your products are not for them, if they joined years ago and have moved on, it is okay that they unsubscribe.
It is not personal.
It is business.
And honestly, they might be doing you a favor.
Depending on your email platform and list size, you may be paying for each subscriber. If someone never opens, never clicks, never engages, and never buys, they are not helping your business by staying on your list.
A healthy list is not just a big list.
A healthy list is an engaged list.
I would rather have a smaller list of people who open, click, reply, buy, and care than a giant list of people who ignore every email.
So when someone unsubscribes, bless and release.
They are making room for the right people.
The goal is not to be for everyone.
The goal is to serve the people who are actually your people.
How to Start Growing Your Email List
Now let’s keep this simple, because this is where people tend to overcomplicate things.
The first thing you need is a clear reason for someone to sign up.
That reason can be simple.
It might be:
- A discount on their first order.
- First access to new collections.
- A restock alert.
- A limited-edition drop list.
- A simple guide that helps them choose or care for a product.
The key is answering this question:
Why should someone join?
Simply saying “Join my newsletter” is not enough anymore.
“Join for 10% off your first order” is clear.
“Join for first access to new collections” is clear.
“Join the restock list for our bestselling bag” is clear.
People are busy. They do not need another email just for the sake of getting another email.
So when you ask someone for their email address, ask yourself: what am I giving them in return?
It is a trade.
Their email for something useful, helpful, exciting, or worth being part of.
So make the reason good.
Make Your Sign-Up Easy to Find
The second thing you need is visibility.
Your sign-up form should be easy to find, not hidden.
Put it on your website.
Add it to your footer.
Consider a pop-up if that makes sense for your site.
Add it to your Instagram bio link.
Use a QR code at markets or in-person events.
Add it to packaging inserts.
Mention it when you have something coming soon.
Just because you created the sign-up form does not mean people will magically find it.
You have to invite them.
Regularly.
That does not mean being pushy. It means being clear.
If your newsletter is worth joining, tell people.
Attract the Right Subscribers
The third thing is to keep your opt-in aligned with your business.
You do not want random subscribers just for the sake of list growth.
You want the right subscribers.
If you sell handmade bags, you want people who are interested in your products, your process, your story, your style, your values, and who you are as a brand.
That is why your freebie, discount, waitlist, or incentive matters.
It should attract the kind of people who might actually want what you sell.
Because again, a healthy list matters more than a huge list.
Actually Send Something
The fourth thing is to actually send something.
I know this episode is about growing your list, but growing and sending work together.
You do not have to send a lot.
You do not have to send every day.
But if people join your list and never hear from you, the connection gets lost.
Start simple.
Send once a month.
Send a short note.
Share what you’re working on.
Share a story behind a product.
Share a helpful tip.
Share a new release.
Share something you’ve learned.
A good email does not have to be long.
It does not have to be fancy.
It does not have to look like a magazine.
It just needs to sound like you, feel authentic, and give your people a reason to stay connected.
And if you already have a list but haven’t emailed in a while, remove the shame from that too.
Just restart.
You do not need a big apology.
You can simply say, “It’s been a while since I’ve been in your inbox, and I’m so glad to be back.”
Then give them something useful, interesting, or personal.
That is enough.
Nobody is tracking your email schedule as closely as you are.
Your Email List Can Grow While Your Business Grows
Once you start growing your list, there will be other layers to think about.
Eventually, you’ll ask: what happens after someone joins?
That is where welcome emails, email flows, abandoned cart reminders, post-purchase emails, and nurture emails can come in.
But for today, stay focused on the first step.
Start the list.
Grow the list.
Keep inviting people in.
Do not wait until everything is perfect.
Do not wait until you know exactly what you’re going to send for the next six months.
Your list can grow while your business grows.
And the list you build now can support the business you are becoming later.
Ready to Start Growing Your Email List?
If you’re thinking, “Okay, I know I need to finally start the list, but I don’t know where to start,” I created something to help.
It’s called The Email List Growth Fix, and it’s a beginner-friendly guide for small product-based business owners who want to grow an email list full of people who actually want to buy from them.
Inside, I walk you through how to choose a simple opt-in, what to offer in exchange for an email address, where to place your sign-up forms, and how to create a clear path from someone discovering your business to joining your list.
No ad budget.
No complicated strategy.
No overthinking.
Just a simple, doable system to help you start growing a healthier email list.
So if your newsletter list is tiny, or maybe still just an idea in your head, I’d love to invite you to check out The Email List Growth Fix.
Final Thought
Your next step is simple:
Give people a reason to join.
Put that reason where they can see it.
And start building the list that can support the business you’re creating.
