#1 Thing I Wish I Had Done Earlier In My Business

When I started my business I first on training and infrastructure.  As a coach this meant getting my International Coach Federation certification and learning how to use social media (yep, I was one of those weird millennials that didn’t join the social media fad until owning a business forced the issue!)  I also registered my LLC, figured tax stuff out and signed up for zoom and acuity.

And then I tried to build my business.  And I tried EVERYTHING.

  • Consistent posting on social media
  • Facebook groups
  • Challenges
  • Live webinars
  • Beta groups
  • Digital courses
  • Networking Groups

And on, and on, and on, and on.  Even though I did all these things, my business was still a hustle and the time and financial freedom I was seeking was still far from my grasp.

You know what I should have been focusing on from day 1?

Building an email list.

Have an email list of warm leads that are interested in what’s going on with me and my offers is by far the most important aspect of my successful, non-hustle, business.  But email isn’t flashy or sexy… it certainly isn’t trendy and for some reason I felt more vulnerable sending an email than posting on Instagram so I understand why I (and most people) wait too long to start building their list.

If you haven’t started building your list yet, here are a few reasons why you should.

  1. The emails you have on this list, you own those.  At any moment, Facebook or Instagram could shut down or cancel your account.  Your contacts and your content would vanish into thin air and there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING you could do about it.  (Think about all the time you spend on creating posts, videos, stories, reels etc. being for nothing!  But just for a moment because I don’t want you to get an ulcer.)  With an email list you maintain control of your contacts and content.  No one can take it from you.
  2. Your email list is a WARM audience. The people on your list have already opted-in, they have checked the box saying “I want to hear from you!”  You don’t need to worry about annoying them because they have told you up front you are worthy of the inbox. 
  3. There is no algorithm. If you send an email, it lands in their inbox.  It doesn’t matter how many people opened that email or clicked on the links, each and every email will always be delivered.  You don’t have to waste time trying to figure out how to make more people get your email, they all get it every…single…time!
  4. You reach more people with email. The average reach on social media is anywhere from 1%-5% depending on the platform and how you’re using it.  So, if you had 100 followers that means between 1 and 5 of those followers would see any given piece of content.  With email the average open rate hovers around 20%, meaning for those same 100 people, 20 of them would see your content.
  5. Email is not a fad…it is not going anywhere and everyone has it and everyone uses it. With social media trends, algorithms, and demographics change so quickly and it’s just a matter of time before something new and better comes along begging for attention.
  6. Email is the easiest way to repurpose content. When you send an email, it’s almost like you’re sending a blog post.  You can turn one email into a podcast, blog post, several pins, several posts, even a training.
  7. Email out performs all other channels…period. With a warm and engaged email list you will sell so much more than you ever could anywhere else.  In fact, most successful entrepreneurs these days say that their email list is where the majority of their profit comes from.  And I like profit!
  8. Email can live forever! There is no 24-hour shelf life or changing feeds that will remove an email from an inbox once it’s there.

So are you convinced that spending a little time growing and nurturing your email list is a smart business decision?  I sure hope so.  Here are a few resources to help you on your way.  Happy Emailing!

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