The email list is often seen as a necessary evil by entrepreneurs. You know you need one, but building it can be a real pain! Why go to all that trouble when you could just use social media to reach your audience?

The email list does have some big advantages over other marketing channels. Here are seven great reasons for growing an email list:

1. First of all, you own your email list. You're not at the mercy of algorithms or advertisers. If one day your favorite social media platform somehow disappears from the face of the earth, you’ll still have your trusty email list to turn to.

2. Secondly, email is more personal than other forms of communication. When someone signs up for your email list, they're saying they want to hear from you. They're giving you permission to enter their inbox, which is a pretty big deal. Just by giving you their email address, they are automatically more likely to purchase from you.

3. Thirdly, email lists are incredibly targeted. You can segment your list however you want, meaning you can send highly relevant messages to specific groups of people. In this way, you can send people what they want and are interested in. 

4. Fourth, email is more intimate than other forms of communication. People tend to read and click through email messages more carefully than they do when scrolling through social media posts or ads. Your readers will get to know you, and if they like what you send them, they are more likely to purchase from you.

5. Fifth, email is a great way to build loyalty and trust with your audience. By consistently sending emails week after week, your readers will start to look forward to opening your emails if you provide them with valuable information.

6. Sixth, email lists are a fantastic way to drive traffic to your website or blog. As soon as you post on your blog, you can notify your list that there is new content available.

7. Finally, email lists are an excellent way to generate revenue directly from your audience. Whether you're selling products or services or looking for support through crowdfunding or donations, email lists provide a powerful way to reach out to potential customers and supporters. 

So don't write off email lists just yet - they might be exactly what your business needs to thrive. However, there's a lot that goes into starting and maintaining an email list. Here are four important things you might not know about email lists for small businesses:

1. You need to have a plan. Before you start adding people to your email list, it's important to know what you want to use the list for. Are you going to send weekly newsletters? Promote new products? Share exclusive deals? Once you know how you want to use your email list, you can start crafting a plan for how to grow it.

2. You need to offer something in return. People are much more likely to sign up for your email list if you offer them something in return, such as a free e-book or access to exclusive content. This incentive will help you attract new subscribers and keep them engaged with your emails.

3. You need to be consistent. Once people subscribe to your email list, they expect to receive regular communications from you. If you go too long without sending an email, they may unsubscribe from your list entirely. To keep people engaged, it's important to be consistent with your email communications.

4. You need to track your results. Just like with any other marketing effort, it's important to track the results of your email campaigns. By looking at things like open rates and click-through rates, you can get a better idea of what's working and what isn't. This information will help you fine-tune your email strategy and ensure your campaigns are as effective as possible.

If you’re wondering exactly what a strategy that uses email marketing to make money online looks like, you’ll want to grab a copy of my new free guide, “Path to Profits Online.” Inside you’ll find a complete map that includes a step-by-step process and lots more.

Click here for a free copy of "Path to Profits Online."

If you're not already using email marketing as part of your online marketing strategy, now is the perfect time to start!