Grow Your E-Commerce Business With Email Marketing

Discover how to use the power of email marketing to grow your e-commerce business. 

Your email list is one of your most valuable business assets. 

Email marketing builds loyalty and trust in your brand in addition to having an incredible return on investment. When done right, sending emails acts like an ATM for your business. 

Send an email to your list and get revenue back in the form of product sales. 

If you’re not sending emails to your list, you’re leaving money on the table. Your email CRM should produce more than 20% of your e-commerce sales every month. If it’s not, you’re not using it to its advantage.

The thought of coming up with even more content can feel overwhelming. After all, you’re already spending so much time creating and scheduling content for social media - the posts, the reels, the videos, the LIVEs… 

Email marketing does not have to be complicated. It does not need to be time consuming. It does need to have an important place in your overall marketing strategy.  

Getting Started with Email Marketing

When I started my brick-and-mortar store more than 10 years ago, I had a small social media following and no email list. As my business grew, I knew I needed to reach beyond my local area if I wanted to scale my business. The only way to broaden my reach was to take it online.

I started with a bi-weekly email. It was similar to a blog since I didn't have one of those yet. In that email, I would mention a few items from my store. I noticed that those items would outsell all my other products.

My audience responded best to emails where I highlighted some of the products in my shop, so I wanted to do more of that. At that time, I had been consistently doing Facebook LIVEs, so I started repurposing those into emails, too. I’d done the hard work by recording the LIVE. Putting together a quick email with a link to that LIVE video was easy. 

I only had my Monogram Box subscription and a few other items online at first. As I grew my audience online and increased my reach with email marketing, my online offerings continued to grow. Eventually, I added an online store and two more subscriptions - the T-Shirt Club and Tees4Teachers! 

The time and effort I’ve put into nurturing my email list have paid off. It is now my warmest audience.

5 Types of Email Marketing Content

I used five basic email types to kick off my email marketing strategy. Many years later, I still send these types of emails.

1. Email Opt-Ins/Welcome Sequence

Email opt-ins are one of the best ways to grow your email list. Offer something your audience will find valuable in exchange for their email address. Digital downloads, checklists, and tutorials can be effective opt-ins.

My products inspire women to treat themselves, and I often include inspirational quotes in my subscriptions that fit the box theme. I turn those prints into digital downloads or phone wallpapers and offer them to my followers. 

Your opt-in should be in line with your brand. This is a great opportunity to give a “taste” of what you offer to someone new to your world! Read this blog post for much more about opt-ins.

Instead of simply delivering your opt-in with a one-time email, make it part of a welcome sequence. This 3-5 email sequence is a great way to introduce yourself to a new audience, share some of your most valuable content, and tell them about your offers.

2. Weekly Engagement Emails

Did you think engagement was just for social media? Nope. Your weekly emails to your list (and yes, you should be emailing weekly) are another opportunity to engage with your audience. 

The goal of these weekly emails is to nurture your audience and build connections. Invite them behind the scenes, share some of your personality and even as much of your personal life as you’re comfortable with. 

These emails are a great way to talk about your subscription box, new products, and upcoming events or special promotions. Even if you’re not selling, use these emails to continue building your know/like/trust factor and to create community. 

Ask questions in these emails and invite your readers to reply. You’ll be surprised how many will!

Just starting your email list? Use these weekly emails to stay in touch and keep a small audience warm for when you are ready to send other types of emails.

3. Repurpose Facebook LIVEs

If you’ve been around for any time at all, you’ve heard me say it… Repurpose your content! 

You don't have to create new material for all your emails. Make it easy on yourself by recycling social media content. You provide value to your readers and save yourself a ton of time and effort. 

I take my weekly Facebook LIVE and turn it into an email. This email includes a brief walkthrough of the highlights, a few images with links to some of the products I mentioned, and a link to the LIVE to increase those views. 

Including the video allows my customers to see my products "in person" and continues to build the connection I have with my audience. 

Haven’t gone LIVE yet - or aren’t going LIVE consistently? Check out this blog post for tips, strategies, and encouragement!

4. Blog Announcements

You spend a lot of time creating blog posts filled with valuable content you know your audience will love. Your blog process should include sending an email to your list letting them know about the new post. 

These emails don’t have to be long - in fact, they shouldn’t be long. Share a bit about why you wrote the blog post and include enough information to make them want to click the link and read the entire post. The email itself should provide value.

If you have a podcast, send an email to share new episodes with your list. 

Any time you create new, valuable content, share it with your email list!

5. Product Sales

Are you using your email list to generate revenue? If not, it’s time to start. 

I recommend sending two types of product campaigns to your list.

1. Mini campaign

Mini campaigns have one focus, highlighting one product or product category. They consist of a single email and are short and sweet, including 3-5 images and very little copy.

Examples of mini campaigns I use in my business: 

• $20 Tuesday
• Best Selling Item of the Week
• Hot New Item
• Restock Alert 
• Browse Abandonment

2. Weekly campaign

Weekly campaigns are a bit more involved than mini campaigns. They contain three emails, have 3-6 images, and a bit more copy. They are a great place to tell a story and be more descriptive.

I use weekly campaigns to: 

• Repurpose a LIVE Box Opening or Reveal
• Share Subscription How-tos and Add-ons
• Reveal Best Sellers of the Week (3-5)
• Announce Special Promotions (i.e., Holiday Gift Guide)

Start With A Simple Email Marketing Strategy That You Will Stick With

My best advice for any small business is just to get started! 

• Keep your audience engaged by creating content they are interested in reading. Pay attention to what works and adjust your strategy as you go. 
• Build a simple email marketing strategy and follow it.  
• Pick one or a two of the email types that you know you can be consistent with, write a plan in your calendar, and get started!

Check out this blog post for even more about emails subscription box owners need to be sending to their lists.

Email marketing is an integral part of my overall marketing strategy. Every time I send an email, I get sales. Every time. Put email marketing to work for you!