Is email marketing still a good way to promote a product or service?
There are many ways to reach an audience today, but we think email is still at the top of the food chain. Social media algorithms shift, ads get expensive, and attention spans get shorter but an email list gives you direct access to people who asked to hear from you. That’s powerful.
We’ve seen this firsthand. We helped a local organization grow from a list of just 50 subscribers to more than 15,000, with an average open rate of 50% (the industry average is around 23%). One of their recent campaigns hit a 62% open rate, and most of those opens happened within the first two hours. You simply can’t compare that kind of engagement to any form of paid advertising.
Email is affordable, targeted, and reaches the right audience at the right time.
A strong list doesn’t happen by accident. It takes time, strategy, and permission. You want people who want to hear from you. Buying a list or scraping emails not only damages your reputation, it also tanks your deliverability.
Your current customers should already be on your list. Beyond that, your goal is to build a list of people who willingly opt in. There are two types of permission:
- Implied permission: customers, clients, event attendees
- Express permission: people who subscribe, sign up, or check a box saying “yes, add me”
Always include clear language that they’ll be added to your list and can opt out anytime. Transparency builds trust.
Before you start growing your list, make sure you have a plan:
- What kind of content will you provide
- What’s in it for them
- How often you’ll email
- What subscribers can expect (events, updates, schedules, coupons, special offers, giveaways, etc.)
Most people don’t want daily emails. For many businesses, once or twice a month is perfect. For others, like restaurants with daily lunch specials,, more frequent updates make sense. Set expectations clearly on your landing page or sign‑up form.
5 Ideas to Help You Grow Your Email List:
1. Host an Event (Online or In‑Person)
Events are one of the easiest ways to build a list with people who are genuinely interested.
Offer a free Zoom workshop, a mini‑training, a behind‑the‑scenes tour, or an in‑person info session.
People register to attend and you get their email, and they get value.
2. Run a Contest With a Relevant Prize
Contests work, but the prize matters.
If you sell coffee, give away something coffee‑related.
You want to attract people who are likely to become customers, not random prize hunters.
3. Add a Sign‑Up Sheet or QR Code at Your Physical Location
If you have a storefront, front desk, or waiting area, make it easy for people to join your list.
A clipboard, a tablet, or a flyer with a QR code works beautifully.
Offer updates, special offers, or insider perks.
4. Ask During Phone Calls
Train yourself and your staff to ask:
“Would you like to be added to our email list for updates or special offers?”
It’s simple, it’s personal, and it works.
5. Put a QR Code on Your Business Card and Print Materials
Your business card, brochures, flyers, and event materials should all make it easy to join your list.
When you’re networking, ask if they’d like updates and if you can add them.
People appreciate being asked rather than added without consent.
You can try Constant Contact for FREE at https://www.constantcontact.com/partner-offer?pn=hutdogs&cc=invite. We’ve been using Constant Contact for our own business and for the clients we serve since 2008. It’s one of the platforms we specialize in because we’ve seen firsthand how effective it is at helping businesses reach their audience consistently and professionally.
If you’d like to explore it yourself, you can start a free trial at EmailTrial.com and see how it can support your email marketing strategy.
If you want to talk about your email marketing strategy, we offer 30‑Minute Quick Consults. It’s a focused session designed to give you clarity, direction, and practical next steps and advice from our real world experience.
Book here: