The Importance of Building an Email List

The importance of building an email list cannot be overstated. As an artist, you might think that your main goal is to create and share your work with the world not building an email list. But how do you reach your audience and keep them engaged? How do you turn your fans into loyal customers and supporters? One of the most effective ways to do that is by building an email list.

An email list is a collection of email addresses that you have permission to contact with updates, offers, and other information related to your art. Unlike social media platforms, where you have to compete with algorithms and ads, email allows you to communicate directly and personally with your subscribers. You can also track and measure the performance of your email campaigns and see what works best for your audience.

Building an email list has many benefits for artists, such as:

• It helps you grow your fan base and increase your exposure. By inviting people to join your email list, you can expand your reach and attract more potential customers. You can also use email to share your story, showcase your portfolio, and highlight your achievements.
• It allows you to build trust and loyalty with your audience. By sending valuable and relevant content to your subscribers, you can establish yourself as an authority and a source of inspiration in your niche. You can also use email to show your personality, express your gratitude, and ask for feedback.
• It enables you to generate more sales and revenue. By using email to promote your products, services, events, or crowdfunding campaigns, you can increase your conversions and income. You can also use email to segment your audience based on their interests, preferences, or behavior, and send them personalised offers and recommendations.

So how do you start building an email list as an artist?

Here are some steps to follow:

• Create a website or a landing page that showcases your work and invites visitors to sign up for your newsletter.
• Gather email addresses at every opportunity from visitors to your events such as open houses, exhibitions and art trails.
• Have business cards and advertising material available to hand out showing your email address and website address.
• Offer a freebie or a lead magnet that provides value to your audience and entices them to submit their email address and join your email list. For example, you could offer a free ebook, a discount code, a behind-the-scenes video, or a printable art piece.
• Promote your email list on your social media platforms and encourage your followers to share it with their friends. You could also run contests or giveaways that require people to sign up for your email list to enter.
• Network with other artists and influencers in your niche and collaborate with them on cross-promotion campaigns. You could also guest post on their blogs or podcasts and include a link to your email list in your bio.
• Segment your email list based on your subscribers’ interests, preferences, and behavior. This will help you send personalised and relevant emails that increase engagement and loyalty.
• Provide valuable and consistent content to your email subscribers that educates, entertains, or inspires them. You could also ask for feedback, testimonials, or referrals from your subscribers to build trust and rapport.

The Importance of Building an Email List Cannot be Overstated

Building an email list is one of the best ways to grow your art business and connect with your fans. By following these steps, you can start creating and sending emails that will help you achieve your goals as an artist.

As you grow your followers sign up for MailChimp or ConvertKit or similar to start organising your email lists.