Day 12: Building an Email List & Basic Newsletter Strategy for Etsy Sellers
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Why it’s important
Social media platforms come and go, and algorithms can shift overnight—but an email list is something you own. Having direct contact with people who’ve shown interest in your products gives you a channel for announcing new listings, special offers, or seasonal sales without relying solely on Etsy’s internal traffic. Even with a small list, an email blast about a limited edition or holiday promotion can drive a noticeable spike in sales. Email also helps you nurture relationships beyond single transactions: by sharing updates, stories, or behind-the-scenes tidbits, you keep your audience connected to your brand. Today, you’ll learn to create (or enhance) your email list strategy, aided by ChatGPT for crafting sign-up incentives or newsletter copy.
How to use ChatGPT
ChatGPT can help you plan your email marketing approach. Ask it for ideas on sign-up incentives (like a small discount code or a PDF gift guide). You can also have ChatGPT write an email welcome sequence: messages that automatically go out after someone subscribes. The AI can draft content for each email—introducing your brand story, showing bestsellers, or explaining how your products are made. If you want to run a monthly newsletter, ChatGPT can generate outlines for it, including section ideas or recommended calls-to-action. Then you adapt it to your voice, add any personal touches or brand details, and send it via your chosen email platform (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, etc.).
Prompt to use
Below is a structured “one-shot” prompt that clarifies your goals, context, constraints, and desired output. For best results, remember to use both search and reason mode so ChatGPT can search the internet and do the best reasoning. You can copy-paste (and customize the bracketed parts) to get maximum insight from the free ChatGPT plan.
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“Help me create an email list strategy and draft a basic newsletter or welcome sequence that resonates with my Etsy audience.” Context & details (replace bracketed text): Constraints & requirements:
Desired output:
If any part is unclear, list what extra info you’d need so I can refine the prompt or respond. Format the response in numbered or bulleted sections for clarity. |
Step-by-Step Action Plan for Day 12
1 Decide where to collect emails
Think about how you’ll gather sign-ups. Maybe you have an Etsy shop banner inviting them to join your list for updates or a link in your “Thank you” message. If you have a standalone website, you might embed a sign-up form. ChatGPT can suggest ideas like “Link an external landing page” or “Offer a small discount code for sign-ups.”
2 Use the prompt above
Ask ChatGPT to create a sign-up strategy: short welcome email, basic monthly newsletter template, and any sign-up incentives. If you already have an email platform in mind (Mailchimp or another), mention that. The AI might propose a series of automated emails—for instance, a “thank you/welcome” email, a “brand story” follow-up, and a “best sellers or next steps” final email.
3 Set up your email platform
If you don’t have one, sign up for a free plan on a service that suits you. Implement any recommended incentives from ChatGPT (like a code for free shipping). Put your sign-up link in your Etsy shop’s “Announcement” or in your buyer messages. Also consider a link in your About section or personal social media.
4 Draft the first emails
Based on ChatGPT’s recommended structure, create your initial messages. Possibly a “Welcome to my candle family!” email telling your brand story, then a second that shares top picks or new arrivals. The AI can also help with subject lines that encourage opens, e.g., “Your Cozy Candle Awaits” or “Crafted with Care, Just for You.”
5 Plan an ongoing schedule
If you want a monthly newsletter, schedule time to gather photos and product updates around the same date each month. ChatGPT can help brainstorm topics. For instance, “behind-the-scenes candle-making day,” “upcoming seasonal scents,” or “customer spotlight.” Keep it short but relevant so subscribers enjoy reading.
6 Promote sign-ups
Remind your buyers in your shipping confirmation or review follow-up: “Want to see how these candles are made or get first notice of new scents? Join my email list.” Over time, your subscriber count should grow from actual customers and fans, leading to a more engaged audience.
7 Monitor results
Watch your email open rates (aim for ~20–30% or higher, though it varies), click rates (maybe 2–10%), and unsubscribes. If unsubscribes spike, you might be emailing too often or content is off-topic. Also track if you see extra orders after an email send. Over time, refine the content based on what resonates: do “sneak peeks” or subscriber-exclusive deals drive more conversions?
Metrics to Track
• Subscriber growth: how many sign-ups do you get per week or month? Track how each sign-up method performs (Etsy link, your personal site, social links).
• Open rate: measure how many people open your email. Varies by niche, but ~20–30% can be typical.
• Click-through rate (CTR): how many who open the email actually click to your shop? The more targeted or interesting the email, the higher the CTR.
• Conversion after email: do sales jump after sending a promotion or new product announcement? You can track via coupon codes or by timing.
• Unsubscribes: keep an eye. A sudden spike might mean your emails aren’t relevant or too frequent.
Outcome
By the end of Day 12, you’ll have a starter plan for building or improving your email list, plus a basic newsletter or welcome email sequence. This ensures you can reach out directly to past customers or interested fans, announce new products, share stories, and run targeted promotions—all without relying solely on Etsy’s internal traffic. Over time, a growing, engaged email list can become a steady source of repeat sales and enthusiastic brand advocates.