When I first started my business in 2007, people told me to build my email list but I didn’t really understand why, so I simply put a “Sign up for my newsletter” button on my blog.

I would occasionally send newsletters about what I was up to, but I wasn’t sending them with intention or strategy.

It wasn’t until 2016 that I really started to seriously build my email list, and I quickly realized my largest form of communication and to build trust was by regularly popping in people’s inboxes.

Over the past decade of building my email list, I have learned the following best email marketing practices for business owners!

1. Keep it consistent

I don’t care how often you’re sending a newsletter but whatever it is, pick a number and stick with it! The best way to build trust with your audience is predictability and consistency. Let your audience grow to expect when you will email them and they are far more likely to trust you with their credit card.

2. Keep it different

Look at what other people are doing in your industry and do something different because THAT is what will make people engage. When you make your newsletter not all about you and your business, your audience will love to open them and see what surprise is inside.

3. Keep it valuable

Ask yourself: *What does my audience want to hear?* Then send THAT. The most important email marketing practice I can share is to offer value. And yes, that means to not always be selling something! Businesses that only sell to their email list have a much higher unsubscribe rate than ones that take the time to educate, entertain, and empower them.

4. Keep it thoughtful

A common myth about email marketing is that you cannot send long emails. But I would challenge that and say that there is no email too long, there is only one too boring! I am a believer that your emails should have a beginning, middle, and end, and then it doesn’t matter how long they are because they are thoughtful and intentional.

Friend, if you use these 4 best practices to craft your email marketing strategy, you will be a LOT better off than I was in 2007.

If you have yet to build your list, I have another blog post that would be perfect for you to check out: How To Build Your Newsletter List With A Freebie Your Audience Actually Wants. See, I gotchu, boo!

Best of luck list-building and business-growing,

j*