Probably the most common question I get is along the lines of: “If I already have a podcast, why would I want an email list too?
And it’s not a bad question.
I just think you’re focusing on the wrong thing.
When I was interviewing for my first ‘real’ job in France, I remember feeling like I wanted a change.
I was done with au pairing and interning, I wanted a ‘real’ job and a springboard to something else. But in a way, I was overlooking what the job represented.
I had been living in France for nearly 18 months but for all that time, I had been ‘outside’ of the system.
I was a legal resident thanks to my British passport and it being a long time before Brexit, but I technically wasn’t legally residing in France.
I’d been staying in other people’s homes, paying in cash because I was paid in cash. I had no proof of address, no proof of income and no health insurance.
My infrequent doctors’ appointments concluded with the insertion of my card into a chip and PIN machine (which is a real shock if you grew up in the United Kingdom) because I wasn’t entitled to subsidised medical care. All that changed the moment I had a job.
I got a social security number (which I had to change immediately because my number was designated for a man, not a woman), started accruing a pension and got both state and private health insurance. I didn’t know what a difference it would all make until I realised how much easier my life had become.
That same job gave me a second form of social safety net that was, if anything, even more valuable: friendships.
The friends I made there have boosted my life immeasurably. We’ve gone on holiday together, I’ve looked after their children, they’ve helped me to find an apartment.
None of my life now would be possible without the twin pillars of legal residency and a good support system.
When I was job hunting, I wanted a job. But I actually needed stability, security and friendship.
So when a podcaster asks me why they should want an email list, I ask them what they need from their business.
If they need to make more money, then their email list is there to address their audience’s concerns and demonstrate how transformative their products or services are.
If they need more communication and a sense of community from their audience, their email list functions as a way to have a real conversation with the people who listen to their podcast and a way to reach them between episodes.
If they need more episode downloads and listens, then they should have an email list to advertise their podcast back catalogue.
It’s not about what you want; it’s about what your business and your podcast need.
If you’re ready to identify your needs, book a free Connection Call with me and I’ll build the strategy to get you there.
You won't regret the steps you take to get to the place you need to be.
Curious to get to know you,
~Sarah at CopyHop~
I'm Sarah Hopkinson and I write meaningful emails that help podcasters increase their revenue and build a community around their podcast.
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