Think about Social Media (Instagram, TikTok) like a busy street. It is loud. People are shouting. There are billboards everywhere. You walk by quickly.
Now, think about your Email Inbox. This is your Living Room. You only let your friends and family in here. It is private. It is quiet.
When someone gives you their email address, they are handing you a key to their front door. They are saying: “I trust you enough to invite you into my home.”
Most affiliate marketers ruin this. They run into the living room with muddy shoes, screaming “BUY THIS BLENDER!” And they get kicked out immediately (Unsubscribed).
The secret to email marketing isn’t “selling.” It is being a good guest.
I used to ignore email. I thought, “I have followers on Instagram! Why do I need email?”
Then, the algorithm changed. My posts stopped getting likes. I felt like I was speaking to an empty room.
I learned a hard lesson: You do not own your social media followers. Mark Zuckerberg owns them. Elon Musk owns them.
But you own your email list. If Instagram disappears tomorrow, you still have your list. You can still talk to your people. It is the only true insurance policy for an online business.
Nobody wakes up and says, “I want more emails!” If your sign-up box says: “Subscribe to my Newsletter,” nobody will click it. That sounds like homework.
You need to offer a gift. In marketing, we call this a Lead Magnet.
Think of it like a neighbour moving in. You don’t just knock on the door, you bring a plate of cookies.
- Boring: “Sign up for tips.”
- Fun: “Get my Free Checklist: 10 Things You Must Pack for Your First Camping Trip.”
Give them something valuable for free and they will happily give you, their email address.
You can sign up to me because I will share my stories with you. Right? š
You might be thinking, “Do I send these emails from my Gmail?” No! If you try to send 500 emails from Gmail, you will get banned. You need a professional tool.
For years, I used a popular tool that charged me per subscriber. I remember the day I hit 522 subscribers. I was celebrating with a donut until I got the email, my monthly bill had just tripled. I felt punished for succeeding.
That panic led me to find Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and I haven’t looked back.
- The “Unlimited” Contacts: Most tools charge you based on how many subscribers you have. Brevo is different. Their free plan lets you have Unlimited Contacts. You just have a limit on how many emails you can send per day (usually 300). This means you can grow a huge list without worrying about hitting a paywall overnight.
- The Drag & Drop Builder: Like other tools, it has a simple drag-and-drop editor. You don’t need to be a designer to make it look professional.
- The Automation: Brevo includes automation features even on the free plan. You can set it up so that the moment someone signs up, they get your “Cookie” (Lead Magnet) delivered to their inbox automatically.
It is the budget-friendly partner I wish I had started with.
Brevo (Formerly Sendinblue)
I used to dread getting new subscribers because it meant my email bill would go up. Then I found Brevo. They offer Unlimited Contacts on their free plan. Now, I celebrate every sign-up without worrying about the cost.Ā
Disclaimer:Ā I earn a small commission if you sign up, at no cost to you.
We all have that one friend who only calls when they need money. Don’t be that guy.
To keep your subscribers happy, follow the 80/20 Rule:
- 80% Value: Stories, helpful tips, funny jokes or life advice. (No selling).
- 20% Sales: “Hey, I found this cool product that helps with the problem we talked about yesterday.” (Affiliate links).
If you feed them good stories for four days, they won’t mind if you sell to them on the fifth day. In fact, they will probably thank you for the recommendation.
How do TV shows get you to watch the next episode? They end with a Thrill.
You can do this in emails too. Instead of writing boring “updates,” tell a story across a few days.
- Email 1 (The Hook): “I tried to build a website and deleted everything by mistake…” (Stop there. Tell them to wait for tomorrow to see how you fixed it).
- Email 2 (The Solution): “Here is the tool I used to save my site.” (This is where you put your affiliate link!).
This keeps people opening your emails because they have to know what happens next.
Itās a Conversation, Not a Broadcast
When you sit down to write an email, don’t imagine you are talking to a stadium of people. Imagine you are writing to one specific friend.
- Use the word “You.”
- Ask questions.
- Tell them about your coffee or your dog.
When people feel like a real human wrote the email, they trust you. And when they trust you, they click your links.
