Wondering how to start an email list as a photographer? Here are my tips for getting started to bring in more inquiries!

Over the years, growing your email list has become a valuable asset, and the incredible power of nurturing and expanding your email list has become important in today’s world. So, today, we will talk about the power of an email list with you, empowering you to make this year the one where you kickstart your email list journey. 

By building your email community, you’ll discover an authentic and reliable way to engage your audience, reducing dependency on social media alone. So, let’s dive in to unveil three actionable steps to launch your email list.

The three efficient methods to kickstart your email list are, starting with the first: 

1. Utilizing ConvertKit

As an email service provider, ConvertKit is my personal favorite for a variety of reasons. Often, people gravitate towards visually appealing platforms like Flowdesk due to the creative nature of our industry. However, this can lead to overwhelming emails with excessive content. With ConvertKit, you’ll find simplicity and effectiveness.

Moreover, the financial aspect is significant. Unlike other services that require monthly payments from the outset, ConvertKit offers a free plan for your initial 300 subscribers. This allows ample time to comfortably grow and nurture your list without any immediate financial burden. Later, if you wish to migrate your CSV list of subscribers to another platform, you can easily do so.

2. Create five potential lead magnets or freebies

To build an effective email list is to brainstorm five potential lead magnets or freebies that you can create. But before diving into the ideas, it’s necessary to have a clear understanding of your target audience and the kind of subscribers you want to attract. This knowledge will guide you in creating content that resonates with them and aligns with your future nurture emails. Consider what your audience is seeking from you and what value you can consistently provide in the long run to keep them engaged.

Once you’ve made the list of potential lead magnets, narrow it down to the five most aligned topics that align with your ideal clients and audience. Ensuring alignment will help you attract the right people to your email list, fostering a more meaningful and engaged community.

Additionally, when crafting your lead magnet or freebie, strive for simplicity and clarity. Many people tend to overthink and overcomplicate the process, delaying the creation of their valuable offering. Know that a lead magnet doesn’t have to be lengthy or exhaustive. Instead, focus on delivering a quick win or a valuable learning tip that your audience can easily consume and apply.

Don’t fall into the trap of spending too much time perfecting your lead magnet. Embrace a straightforward approach, and offer something that provides an immediate benefit to your subscribers. People appreciate and seek quick results, and this approach will help you build trust and credibility with your audience.

When it comes to lead magnets and freebies, the key is to capture your audience’s attention within a short timeframe, usually five minutes or less. Providing quick wins and immediate satisfaction is vital. Avoid spending excessive time or energy on elaborate lead magnets; instead, focus on tangible, action-oriented content like checklists or PDFs. To assist you further, I’ve curated a resource containing 15 freebies and lead magnet ideas. 

You can pick five aligned lead magnets and select the most suitable one. Create a landing page and form on ConvertKit, then share the link to gather names and emails. This step leads to building your email list and serving your audience effectively. Moving forward to the next step as this ties into the next important aspect.

3. Crafting nurture emails

After setting up ConvertKit and deciding on your lead magnet, it’s essential to prepare these nurture emails in advance. It ensures that once subscribers receive their freebie, ConvertKit will automatically send them the nurture content, saving you time and effort. Nurture emails are powerful messages sent weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on your preference. What matters most is the quality of the content, engaging and providing value to your audience.

Additionally, it’s important to create a welcome sequence to accompany your lead magnet. This sequence introduces you, your offerings, and the audience you serve. After the initial welcome, continue nurturing your subscribers with more valuable emails, guiding them toward your services, blog posts, or other relevant content. The welcome sequence serves a distinct purpose from the regular nurture emails, which focus on consistent engagement.

By having both nurture emails and a welcome sequence, you foster a stronger connection with your subscribers, building trust and familiarity. This paves the way for future offers, promotions, or invitations to events, ensuring your email list remains a valuable tool for growth and engagement. The key lies in providing meaningful content that aligns with your audience’s interests and needs.

It’s also essential to plan and write your nurture sequence and nurture emails in advance. This approach allows you to avoid the pressure of creating content in real-time or manually sending emails. Consider treating your nurture emails as valuable blog posts. Repurpose existing blog content or craft new topics that align with your audience’s interests.

For example, transform a blog post into a nurturing email by sharing valuable tips or three compelling reasons why a certain product or service is essential. Give away the first tip in the email and include a call to action directing readers to read the complete blog post for more insights. By approaching nurture emails as informative pieces, you provide your subscribers with valuable content, positioning yourself as an authority in your niche. This strategy not only nurtures your audience but also drives traffic to your blog, enhancing engagement and conversions.

In summary, if you’re already creating blog posts then that can be a bonus for you on nurturing your email list. – Utilize blog content to create weekly or monthly nurture emails, fostering trust, and authority, and driving traffic for improved SEO. Tap into various resources you might not have considered. To get started with your email list: 

• First, choose ConvertKit or a suitable email service provider. 
• Then, brainstorm five lead magnet ideas, select one, and set it up in ConvertKit. 
• Develop a welcome email sequence and prepare around four nurture emails to serve your subscribers effectively. 

Check here for a resource with 15 lead magnet ideas if you need inspiration. Don’t delay in building your email list; it’s a powerful tool that can benefit you and your business significantly.