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If you don’t have an email list for your Silhouette or Cricut small business, you need to add one. While it may just seem like another ‘to do’, email lists are the easiest way to reach out to your existing customers.
Think of email lists in terms of algorithms. Algorithms are the behind the scenes formulas that run search engine results and social media sites. If you’ve been on social media for a while, you know that these algorithms are constantly tweaked and updated. When an algorithm is changed, you’ll have to learn how to best work the new algorithm. Of course, this takes time. In addition to time, your craft business may be seen less on the specific network.
Fortunately, when you use an email list, the algorithms don’t change. You don’t have to learn new systems. You can just keep on reaching your customers!
Maintaining mailing lists can be a huge chore. However, there are several services that make mailing lists easy. I use two different mailing list providers: MailChimp and ConvertKit. I love them both, but here are some facts to help you decide which one will work best for your craft business:
- Mailchimp
- Easy to use with lots of help and guidance right on the site.
- Free for up to 2,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month.
- ConvertKit
- More features and better workflow than Mailchimp.
- Better suited to those using incentives (like freebies) to get customers to sign up.
- Free trial for 14 days.
After you choose a mailing list provider, you’ll need to write content for your newsletter. If you are stuck on what to write about, here are some ideas.
15 Newsletter Topic Ideas for Craft Businesses
- New products or designs
- Upcoming public sales (Available to anyone that visits your store, shop, or site.)
- Exclusive sales (Available only to email list subscribers; usually promoted through a coupon code.)
- Free shipping promotions
- Company news and announcements (Have you expanded selling in other places lately? Are you closing for a vacation?)
- Upcoming schedule for craft shows, fairs, or other events
- Customer testimonials
- Question and answer sessions/FAQ (Example: How does a custom order work?)
- Contests or giveaways that you have running
- Behind the scenes at your company
- Short lists of best sellers that coordinate with the holiday/season/or common event (Graduation parties, Mother’s Day, Summer, Christmas)
- Spotlight a single product. Highlight the cost, the available designs, and showcase photos of the product being used in different settings.
- Share things that inspire you to create products
- Simple DIY projects or tutorials for your email subscribers
- Changes to your store or shop policies, newsletters, etc.
Before you go, I want to leave you with one more piece of advice: Be consistent. If you send out a newsletter each week, be sure it is sent each week. In contrast, if you sent out a newsletter every three months, don’t start sending it once a week unless you notify subscribers ahead of time.
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