4 Essential Tips for Building and Nurturing an Email List

Building an email list is an incredible way to connect with your audience in a space that is yours. And let’s be honest: It’s an honor to be invited into someone’s inbox. So it’s crucial to provide value to your email subscribers and build a relationship based on trust. With a few simple steps, you will be on your way to building and blessing your new email tribe with your words! Here are four helpful tips to help you build and nurture your email list:

1. Take the Time To Do an Audience Audit. Before you start building your email list, you need to understand your target audience. Ask yourself: What age range am I writing to? What do they find valuable? How often do they want to hear from me? How can I serve them best?

Understanding your audience means knowing their season of life, interests, pain points and preferences. What kind of emails would they have time to read and find meaningful in the midst of their life right now? The better you know your audience, the more effectively you can tailor your content to meet their needs.

2. Draw In Your Audience. Now that you know who your target audience is, you want to draw them in by offering them something valuable, encouraging or helpful for free in exchange for their email address. You may have heard others refer to this incentive as a freebie! This is a free resource you create yourself: an e-book, a checklist, a Bible study plan, a devotional or even a mini webinar. (For help creating a freebie, check out this previous COMPEL Pro blog!) Whatever you choose, be sure your freebie addresses a specific need or problem your audience has.
   
3. Make a Plan To Nurture Them. Once they give their email address in exchange for a freebie, the next step is to nurture them now that they are yours! This means building a relationship through consistent and valuable communication. Develop a welcome email series to introduce yourself and set expectations. Share your story, explain what kind of content they can expect, and let them know how often you’ll be in touch with them.

Consistency is key in nurturing your email list. One tried-and-true way to stay consistent is to create a content calendar to plan your emails ahead of time! Mix up your content to keep it interesting — share blog posts, behind-the-scenes insights into your life, a free resource now and then, and, of course, personal stories are always a hit!

4. Find Your Email Service, and GO FOR IT! Now that you have a plan in place, it’s time to get practical and find the right platform to help you build your email tribe. One way to begin is with a free Mailchimp account. This is a program many use when first getting started with building an email list. If you are worried about the technical aspects of setting up your email list, have no fear! There are plenty of tutorials online to help you get started and walk you through the process. As your list grows and your needs change, you may consider upgrading to more advanced platforms like Flodesk, Mad Mimi, or ConvertKit, which offer additional features and customization options.

Building and nurturing an email list takes time, prayer and planning, but the rewards are so worth it! Your email tribe will get to know you and look forward to your name popping up in their inbox with ready-to-read encouragement. By understanding your audience, offering valuable content and using the right tools, you’ll create a loyal and engaged community that you will absolutely love writing to. Happy emailing!

Kaitlin Garrison

What is the most intimidating part of building an email list? What is your next step in growing your email tribe? We’d love to hear!