Social media can help you find an audience. An email list helps you build a relationship with that audience.

If you're selling digital products, one of the most valuable things you can build isn't another eBook, course, template, or workbook. It's an email list.

I know email doesn't always sound as exciting as social media. Everybody talks about followers, views, likes, shares, and going viral. Those things can certainly help your business, but there's something I want every Resell Circle creator to understand: a follower and an email subscriber are not the same thing.

When somebody gives you permission to communicate with them directly through email, you've created a connection that can become extremely valuable over time. You're no longer hoping an algorithm decides to show that person your next post. You have a way to reach them directly.

Social Media Audiences Don't Really Belong to You

You can spend years building thousands of followers on a social media platform, but ultimately you're building that audience on somebody else's property. The platform controls how many people see your posts, what content gets promoted, and sometimes whether your account remains active.

Algorithms change. Platforms change. Reach goes up and down. We've all seen businesses with thousands of followers publish something and only reach a small percentage of their audience.

An email list gives you something different. When people voluntarily join your list, you have a direct way to continue communicating with them regardless of what happens on a particular social media platform.

That's why I look at an email list as a business asset, not simply another marketing tool.

Don't Wait Until You Have Something to Sell

A common mistake is waiting until a product is finished before thinking about building an audience. I would rather see you start building the audience while you're creating the product.

Suppose you're developing a digital guide about starting a cleaning business. While you're working on the guide, you could offer a free "10 Things You Need Before Starting Your Cleaning Business" checklist in exchange for someone's email address.

Now you're accomplishing two things at once. You're helping somebody immediately while also building a list of people who have already demonstrated an interest in your subject.

When your complete guide is ready, who would you rather introduce it to: complete strangers or people who already asked you for information about starting a cleaning business?

That's why audience building should begin early.

Give People a Reason to Join Your List

Most people aren't going to give you their email address simply because you put a box on your website saying "Join My Newsletter." You need to give them a reason.

One of the easiest ways to do that is by offering something useful for free. This is often called a lead magnet, but don't let the terminology make it complicated. You're simply exchanging something valuable for permission to continue the conversation.

You could offer:

• A checklist or cheat sheet
• A short guide
• A template
• A resource list
• A mini training
• A discount or special offer
• A free sample from a larger product

The free resource should relate directly to the products you eventually want to sell. If you sell business products, attract people interested in business. If you sell fitness products, attract people interested in fitness. You don't just want a large email list. You want the right people on your email list.

Don't Make Every Email a Sales Pitch

Once somebody joins your list, don't immediately bombard them with offers.

Think about the relationship you're building. If every time somebody hears from you you're asking for money, they're eventually going to stop paying attention.

Send useful information too. Teach something. Share a quick tip. Answer a common question. Tell a story about something you learned. Point them toward a helpful resource. Let your subscribers become familiar with you and the value you provide.

Then when you do recommend one of your products, the offer doesn't feel like it's coming from a stranger.

Trust makes selling easier.

Your Email List Can Help You Launch New Products

Imagine you've spent several weeks creating a new digital product. The day finally comes when you're ready to release it.

Without an audience, you publish the product and wait.

With an email list, you can tell hundreds or even thousands of interested people, "I just created something new that I think can help you."

You can even involve your subscribers before the launch. Ask what they're struggling with. Ask what they would want included in a product. Share behind-the-scenes updates while you're creating it.

By the time you launch, some customers may already be waiting for it.

That's a completely different position to be in as a creator.

One Customer Can Become a Repeat Customer

This is another reason email is so important for digital product businesses. Your relationship with a customer shouldn't necessarily end after one purchase.

Someone who bought your beginner's guide might later need your workbook. Someone who purchased your checklist might eventually want your full course. A customer who bought one template might be interested in your complete template bundle.

Email gives you an opportunity to continue serving that customer.

Instead of constantly starting from zero and looking for another stranger to buy something, you begin developing a community of people who already know your work.

That's where repeat business can begin.

Start Small and Build Consistently

Don't worry if your email list has 12 people on it.

Those 12 people matter.

Then get to 25. Then 50. Then 100. If you're consistently creating useful content and giving people reasons to stay connected, your list can continue growing alongside your product catalog.

I would rather have 500 people who genuinely care about what I'm offering than 50,000 random names who never open anything I send.

The goal isn't simply collecting email addresses. The goal is building relationships with people you can continue helping.

Build Something You Can Take With You

This is what I want Resell Circle creators to remember. Social media is powerful, and you should absolutely use it if that's where your audience is. But don't build your entire business on rented ground.

Use social media to get discovered. Use your content to demonstrate value. Use your products to solve problems. And use your email list to keep the relationship going.

Over time, that list can become one of the most valuable assets in your digital product business because every new product you create has an audience you can introduce it to.

You don't need thousands of subscribers to begin. You need to start collecting the first one.

Build your audience now, take care of the people who trust you enough to join it, and give them reasons to stay connected. Your future products—and your future business—will be stronger because you did.

— Bishop Al
Founder, Resell Circle