THE EMAIL GROWTH SHOW EPISODE 155

If you’ve ever wondered when the right time is to start selling to your email list, or if you’ve felt a little icky or guilty about making an offer, you’re not alone… But here’s the thing: selling is a natural part of running a business, and your email list is actually the perfect place to do it – when done right.

Growing your email list is just the first step, but knowing how and when to start selling to your email list – without feeling pushy – is where the magic really happens. Imagine sending an email that not only nurtures your relationship with your audience but also gently introduces your offers in a way that feels natural and aligned.

Today, I’m going to share practical tips on how to subtly sell through email, how to avoid that salesy feeling, and finally get your offers in front of the people who need them most. So, if you’re ready to turn your email list into a powerful business tool and start making consistent sales without feeling gross about it, grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dive in!

Click play to listen to the episode in full below:

When To Start Selling To Your Email List

The question I probably get the most once someone has started to grow their email list. When should you start selling to your email list? Here’s the good news: you don’t need to wait until you have thousands of subscribers to start making sales. You can – and should – begin introducing your offers from the start, even if you have just a handful of people on your list.

But here’s where it’s important to set realistic expectations: with a smaller list, you may not see huge sales numbers right away, and that’s okay. It’s not about the size of your list; it’s about the quality of the connection you have with your subscribers.

Even a small, engaged list can be incredibly powerful.

Remember, each person on your list is a real person who has shown interest in what you offer. Focus on serving them well, and those sales will come – they may be small to start but they still count.

Now, it’s not about just jumping in with a sales pitch right away. The key is to build trust first. Your subscribers joined your list because they’re interested in what you have to say, so your first job is to provide value. Focus on nurturing your relationship with them, get to know them, and let them get to know you.

Think of it like a new friendship. You wouldn’t ask a new friend for a favour the first time you meet, right? You’d build that relationship first, before you felt comfortable coming in with an ask. It’s the same with your email list. Your goal is to create that trust and familiarity before anything else. If you’re wondering how do you know though – how do you know that you’ve done enough relationship building before you start to sell?

I love the rule of three for this: for every sales email, send three value-packed emails that educate, entertain, or inspire your audience. This balance helps you stay top of mind without overwhelming them with pitches.

How Do You Introduce Sales Into Your Emails?

So, how do you start selling to your email list, without feeling like you’re selling? Here are some of my favourite subtle ways to introduce your offers…

Casual Mentions:

One of my favourite ways to introduce an offer is through casual mentions within your content. Let’s say you’re sharing a tip or telling a story – mention how your product, service, or membership played a role. For example, ‘The other day, while working with a client inside The Email Growth Club, we discovered…’ This approach doesn’t feel like a sales pitch; it feels like part of the story (and of course, I hyperlink the offer to the sales or waitlist page for those that are interested in checking it out!)

Use The P.S or Email Footer Section:

The P.S. section of your email is gold and in my opinion, totally under utilised! It’s often one of the most read parts of your email, and it’s the perfect spot for a soft sell. You can add something like, ‘P.S. If you’re ready to take the next step, check out [your offer].’ It’s gentle, it’s not in-your-face, and it gives your audience a little nudge without too much pressure.

I also love those stylised 4 x 4 footers you’ve most likely seen around – originally created by Dama Jue – I am a big of fan of selling in the email footer like this as well. In case you haven’t seen it, imagine a grid of four at the bottom of an email, with a simple roundup of things – Dama teaches:

• What I’m working on
• Tech I’m testing
• Events I’m eyeing &
• Exciting biz ideas

You can create this with any four things you’d like your readers to know about though and this is a great way to subtly sell both offers you’re selling, but also earn affiliate income from tech or other creators that you promote and support. My one piece of advice with this, don’t use it in every single email. If you send a weekly newsletter, include it there – but if you’re sending more than that (promoting collaborations or doing market research etc) don’t include it every time.

Here’s a screenshot of a recent footer so you can envisage what this strategy looks like – and you can find my affiliate link to the training Dama sells on this strategy in the show notes of this episode too.

Share Success Stories:

There’s nothing more powerful than sharing stories of transformation. Highlight your clients’ successes or testimonials in a way that feels like helpful advice rather than a sales pitch. For example, ‘One of our members, Sarah, struggled with growing her email list for months until she joined The Email Growth Club, and now she’s seen incredible growth.’ You’re showing your audience what’s possible without overtly pushing them to buy (and once again, whenever you mention your offer, make sure you link to the sales page!)

Promote Free Content That Leads to Paid Offers:

Another great way to introduce sales is by leading with free content that naturally connects to your paid offer. This could be a free webinar, guide, or challenge that ends with a pitch. You’re providing tons of value upfront, and the offer feels like the next logical step for your audience – a no brainer for them to say yes to. I talk about this a lot when I teach how to create a lead magnet – a freebie – that actually brings leads into your business – it’s all about reverse engineering this.

How do you do that?

You work backwards, start with the end in mind and create a resource that helps them with the very first step they need to take. Then you lead them to the main paid offer that you know will help them with the remainder of the transformation – or solve the rest of the problem that they have. For example, my lead magnet is a guide called Your Next 1000 Subscribers – which you can get in the show notes of course – this guide shares with the reader 11 different collaborations or ways that they can grow their email list without social media or paid ads. It helps them see the options that they have – that they don’t need to be dancing and pointing at the camera to build an audience… and then the next logical, no brainer next step, is to invite them into The Email Growth Club – my membership that dives in deeper to each of these strategies. I lead them there through the email sequence on the backend of the guide that goes out automatically.

Now, Let’s Dive Into Some Tangible Tips To Help You Sell – Without Feeling Salesy:

1. Focus on Benefits, Not Features:

Your audience wants to know, ‘What’s in it for me?’ So instead of just listing features, highlight the specific benefits of your offer. How will it change their life? For instance, instead of saying, ‘The Email Growth Club has over 20 trainings,’ try, ‘Inside The Email Growth Club, you’ll learn how to create a free resource that actually brings in leads, build a visibility plan that works, and access the ultimate collaboration database updated weekly to keep your list growing.’ See the difference – focus on the transformation and always ask yourself, what does this mean for them?

2. Ask Questions to Spark Curiosity:

Curiosity is a powerful tool. Use questions in your subject lines or email body that lead naturally into your offer. ‘Ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs grow their email lists so quickly? Here’s what they do differently.’ You’re opening a loop that makes them want to click and learn more. This goes for all of your content – blog posts, social, podcast episodes – but of course, includes your emails!

3. Provide Consistent Value:

Always lead with value. Share actionable advice, quick wins, or behind-the-scenes insights that build goodwill and trust with your audience. Remember, on the other end of an email address is a human that comes with their own baggage – good or bad. Perhaps they’ve been burnt before, perhaps they’re naturally risk adverse, perhaps they are excited and can’t wait to work with you (that’s the good baggage!) Regardless, when they see you consistently showing up for them, your sales emails will feel like a natural extension of the value you’re already providing – and they’ll feel the energy behind your intentions.

4. Use Soft Language:

And lastly, instead of aggressive sales language, use softer, more inviting phrases like ‘If you’re ready,’ ‘consider this,’ or ‘you might like.’ It feels less like a command and more like a friendly suggestion, which makes you and your audience feel more comfortable – especially when you’re just starting to sell to your email list! Of course, if you’re in a traditional launch period for a specific offer – let’s say you’re sending 8 emails over 5 days with an open and closed cart period, you’re going to want to be more direct, especially towards the end of the launch – but if it’s not that, and you’re just getting used to subtly selling to your email list, the soft language will certainly help you both.

What About Transitioning From Value To Sales?

So how do you transition from providing value to asking for the sale without it feeling abrupt?

Here are a few ways:

• Call to Action with Care:
  When it’s time to ask your audience to take action, keep it clear but gentle. Instead of ‘Buy now!’ try something like, ‘If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to check out The Email Growth Club.’ It’s inviting and puts the decision in their hands.
  

• Overcoming Objections Naturally:
  Address objections in a way that feels conversational. For example, if you know a common objection is price, you could say, ‘I get it, investing can feel scary, but think of how this could pay off when you have an email list of 500, 1000, 5000 of your ideal clients that could be waiting on the other side.’
  

• Show the Journey:
  Take your subscribers behind the scenes. Share your why, your process, and the value behind your offer. Let them see what goes into it – this transparency builds trust and makes them more receptive to your sales pitches. Especially when this is so different to everything else they see online!

So there you have it – everything you need to know about when to start selling to your email list and how to get started in a way that doesn’t feel salesy or gross.

Remember, selling is all about helping your audience with a solution you believe in. It’s not about being pushy; it’s about sharing what you know can make a difference. So with everything that we’ve shared today – it has to start with an offer YOU believe in.

Make sure you have that sorted before you start trying to sell it my loves.

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Full Transcript:

Kylie Kelly [00:00:00]:
Growing your email list is just the first step, but knowing how and when to start selling without feeling pushy is where the magic really happens. Imagine sending an email that not only nurtures your relationship with your audience, but also gently introduces your offers in a way that feels natural and aligned. That’s exactly what we’re going to be talking about today. Are you a female business owner frustrated with battling the algorithm and looking for growth strategies that don’t involve awkwardly pointing or dancing online or throwing cash at paid ads? Welcome to The Email Growth Show. I’m your host, Kylie Kelly, visibility and email marketing strategist. I grew my email list from 0 to almost 10,000 subscribers in less than 2 years, and the same is possible for you too. Are you ready to build your email list and start making more money in your online business? Let’s head into today’s episode. Hey there.

Kylie Kelly [00:00:58]:
Welcome back to The Email Growth Show. I’m your host, Kylie Kelly, and today we’re diving into a topic that I am so excited about: selling to your email list. If you’ve ever wondered when the right time is to start selling, or you felt a little icky or guilty about making an offer, I wanna tell you you’re not alone. But here’s the thing, Selling is a natural part of running a business and your email list is actually the perfect place to do it when it is done right. I’m going to share some practical tips on how to subtly sell through email, how to avoid that sales y feeling, and finally get your offers in front of the people who need them most. So if you’re ready to turn your email list into a powerful business tool and start making consistent sales without feeling gross about it, Grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dive in. So the question I probably get the most once someone has started to grow their email list is when should I start selling? Here’s the good news. You don’t need to wait until you have thousands of subscribers to start making sales.

Kylie Kelly [00:02:05]:
You can and should begin introducing your offers from the very start, even if you just have a handful of people on your email list. But here’s where it’s important to set realistic expectations. When you have a smaller email list you might not see huge sales numbers right away. And that’s okay. It’s not about the size of your list, it’s about the quality of connection that you have with your subscribers. At the beginning it’s not about the number of sales that you make. At the beginning it’s not about the number of sales that you make. Think about this as building a muscle.

Kylie Kelly [00:02:29]:
You’re going to be building your sales muscle to be nice and strong. So as your list gets bigger you’re going to feel comfortable and be ready to go. Even a small engaged list can be incredibly powerful. Remember, each person on your list is a real human who has shown an interest in what you offer. Focus on serving them well and those sales will come. They may be small to start with, but they still count. And as that sales muscle of yours gets stronger over time the sales will grow as well. So how do we start selling? Now, it’s not just about jumping in with a sales pitch right away.

Kylie Kelly [00:03:11]:
The key is to build trust first. Your subscribers joined your list because they’re interested in what you have to say. So your first job is to provide value. Focus on nurturing that relationship with them, get to know them, and let them get to know you. Think of this like a new friendship. You wouldn’t ask a new friend for a favor the first time you meet, right? You’d build that relationship first before you felt comfortable coming in with an ask. It’s the same with your email list. Your goal is to create that trust and familiarity before anything else.

Kylie Kelly [00:03:43]:
If you’re wondering how to do that though, how do you know that you’ve done enough relationship building before you start to sell? This is where the rule of 3 comes in. And I love this rule. It’s really great to stick to this when you’re first getting started. What is the rule of 3? It’s for every sales email send 3 value packed emails that educate, entertain or inspire your audience. This balance will help you stay top of mind, feel really good about what you’re sending and not overwhelm your email list with pictures. So how do you start selling without feeling like you’re selling? Right? Here are some of my favorite subtle ways to introduce your offers. Firstly, casual mentions. One of my favorite ways to introduce an offer is through casual mentions within your content.

Kylie Kelly [00:04:31]:
Let’s say you’re sharing a tip or telling a story. Mention how your podcast, service, or membership played a role. For example, the other day while working with Sarah inside of the Email Growth Club, we discovered This approach doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. Right? I’m just mentioning the offer, tying it in with the story that I’m telling. It feels like it’s a part of the story. And of course, I hyperlink the offer to the sales page or wait list page for those that are interested in checking it out in the email. Done very intentionally, but very casually, so it just feels natural. The next one I wanted to mention was using the p s or the email footer section.

Kylie Kelly [00:05:09]:
So the p s section of your email is gold and in my opinion is totally underutilized. It’s often one of the most read parts of your email. Who else is a fellow email scroller? Scrolls right to the bottom. And it’s the perfect spot for a soft sell. You can add something like p s, if you’re ready to take the next step, check out your offer. P s, if you’re ready to grow your email list, check out the email growth club. Right? It’s gentle, it’s not in your face and it gives your audience a little nudge without too much pressure. I also love those stylized 4 by 4 footers you’ve most likely seen around.

Kylie Kelly [00:05:43]:
Originally created by Darma Ju I believe, I’m a big fan of selling in the photo like this as well. In case you haven’t seen it, imagine a grid of 4 at the bottom of an email with a simple round up of things. Dharma teaches a what I’m working on box, a tech I’m testing box, events I’m eyeing, and exciting biz ideas. Now Now you can create this with any 4 things that you like your readers to know about. And this is a great way to subtly sell both offers you’re selling, but also earn affiliate income from tech or other creators you promote and support. My one piece of advice with this. Don’t use it in every single email. If you send a weekly newsletter, include it there.

Kylie Kelly [00:06:21]:
But if you’re sending more than that, promoting collaborations or doing market research, any other emails throughout the week, don’t include it every time. Now I’ve included a screenshot of a recent footer so you can really visualize what this strategy looks like in the blog post associated with this episode. The link is in the show notes below. And you can also find the affiliate link to the 4 by 4 footer training that Dama sells on this strategy in the show notes of this episode too. But a really fun way to try if you do want to experiment with having more things clickable in the footer of your email, I would highly recommend giving that a go. The next thing I wanted to mention was sharing success stories. So there’s nothing more powerful than sharing stories of transformation. Highlighting your client successes or testimonials in a way that feels like helpful advice rather than a sales pitch.

Kylie Kelly [00:07:08]:
For example, I could say in an email, one of our members, Rosemarie, struggled with growing her email list for months until she joined the email growth club. And now she’s seen incredible growth. You’re showing your audience what’s possible without overtly pushing them to buy. And once again, whenever you’re mentioning your offer, make sure you’re linking to the sales page for that offer. Now the last thing I wanted to mention here was promoting free content that leads to paid offers. So another great way to introduce sales is by leading with free content that naturally connects to your paid offer. This could be a free webinar, a guide, a challenge. The container itself doesn’t matter so much but you want to provide tons of value upfront so that the paid offer feels like the next logical step for your audience.

Kylie Kelly [00:07:51]:
It’s a no brainer for them to say yes to it. Now I talk about this a lot when I teach how to create a lead magnet. A free resource that actually brings leads into your business. It’s all about reverse engineering this. So how do you do that? You work backwards. So you need to start with the end in mind and create a resource that helps them with the very first step that they need to take. Then you lead them to the main paid offer that you know will help them with the remainder of the transformation or solve the rest of the problem that they have. For example, my lead magnet is called your next 1,000 subscribers, which you can get in the show notes, of course.

Kylie Kelly [00:08:26]:
But this guide shares with the reader 11 different collaborations or ways that they could grow their email list without social media or paid ads. It helps them see the options that they have to choose from, that they don’t need to be dancing and pointing at the camera to build an audience. Who wants to do that? And then the next logical no brainer next step is to invite them into the Email Growth Club. My membership that dives in deeper into each of these strategies. I lead them there through the email sequences on the back end of the guide that goes out automatically. So you can do this with any of your free content. You can make sure that it is actually a funnel, that it’s helping them with that very first step that they need. And then the emails that they receive afterwards leads them to that main paid offer that’s connected.

Kylie Kelly [00:09:08]:
Right? If you wanna dive deeper into this specific training, it’s called level up your lead magnet where I teach this exact thing, how to reverse engineer your lead magnet so it brings leads into your business that connects with your main offer. There’s a link in the show notes below where you can grab the replay of that training as well. Okay. So let’s just wrap up this little section. So how do you introduce sales into your emails? 1, casually mentioning it in your content. Linking that casual mention to your sales page, but weaving it in to the stories or the tips that you’re sharing. Next up was using the PS or email footer section. So even just adding a soft sell into the PS or playing with a 4 by 4 photo or something similar where you can be sharing exactly what you’re working on, subtly promoting your offers, or also tech or creators that you also promote and support.

Kylie Kelly [00:09:57]:
The next one was sharing success stories. So highlighting your client successes or testimonials in a way that feels like helpful advice rather than a sales pitch. And then the last one was promoting free content that leads to paid offers by reverse engineering that free content to make sure that it’s intentionally leading them to a paid offer. So now we’ve thought about that, I wanted to share with you some really tangible tips to help you sell without feeling sales y. Because nobody wants to feel sales y. Right? So tip number 1. Focus on benefits not features. Your audience wants to know what’s in it for me.

Kylie Kelly [00:10:32]:
So instead of just listing features, highlight the specific benefits of your offer. How will it change their life? For instance, instead of saying, the email growth club has over 20 trainings. I could say, inside the email growth club, you’ll learn how to create a free resource that actually brings in leads, build a visibility plan that works, and access the ultimate collaboration database that’s updated weekly to keep your email list growing. See the difference? By focusing on the transformation and what’s in it for them rather than the benefits, means that it’s going to connect with them so much deeper and it won’t feel salesy. It’ll feel like you’re actually doing them a favor by telling them what they’re going to get out of it. Tip number 2 is to ask questions to spark curiosity. Curiosity is a powerful tool. So use questions in your subject lines or email body that naturally lead into your offer.

Kylie Kelly [00:11:24]:
Ever wondered how successful business owners grow their email list so quickly? Here’s what they do differently. You’re opening a loop that makes them want to click and learn more so they can close it. This goes for all of your content. Blog posts, social, podcast episodes, but of course includes your emails. Now if you want to learn more about writing winning email subject lines, scroll back a couple episodes to episode a 153. I spoke about this in detail and we covered curiosity and how to weave that into your subject lines so that your emails get opened in-depth in that episode. So, So again, that’s episode 153 and I’ll link that in the show notes for you as well. Tip number 2 is provide consistent value.

Kylie Kelly [00:12:06]:
Always lead with value. I want you to share actionable advice, quick wins or behind the scenes insights that build goodwill and trust with your audience. Remember, on the other end of an email address is a human that comes with their own baggage. Good or bad. Perhaps they’ve been burnt before. Perhaps they’re naturally risk adverse. Perhaps they’re excited and can’t wait to work with you. That’s the good baggage.

Kylie Kelly [00:12:28]:
Regardless, when they see you consistently showing up for them your sales emails will feel like a natural extension of the value that you’re already providing. And they’ll feel the energy behind your intentions. So make sure whenever you are sending an email to your email list you are providing consistent value. It’s helping them on their journey, it’s giving them a little mini win, a little transformation, it’s helping them answer a question, solve a problem that they have. Always be providing value. And tip number 4 is use soft language. So lastly, instead of aggressive sales language use softer more inviting phrases like, if you’re ready consider this or you might like. It feels less of a command and more like a friendly suggestion, which makes you and your audience feel more comfortable, especially when you’re just starting to sell to your email list.

Kylie Kelly [00:13:16]:
Of course, if you’re in a traditional launch period for a specific offer, let’s say you’re sending 8 emails over 5 days and you’ve got an open and a closed cart period, like a super traditional launch, you’re going to want to be more direct. Especially towards the end of the launch. But if it’s not that and you’re just getting used to subtly selling in your emails with your list, the soft language will certainly help you both. So again, those 4 tips to help you sell without feeling salesy. Focus on the benefits, not the features. Ask questions to spark curiosity. Provide consistent value and use soft language. So now how do we transition? So let’s say we’re sending out some really value packed emails.

Kylie Kelly [00:13:55]:
We’re playing around with subtly selling in the footer and the PS. We’re casually mentioning our offers in our emails. How do we go from that to actually a sales email? Right? How do we transition from providing value to asking for the sale without it kind of feeling abrupt? So here’s a few ways. I want you to think about when it’s time to ask your audience to take action, keep it clear but gentle. I call this a call to action with care. So instead of saying buy now. Right? Try something like, if this resonates with you, I’d love for you to check out the email growth club. It’s inviting and it puts a decision in their hands without kind of yelling at them.

Kylie Kelly [00:14:33]:
Right? Without it feeling like a pressurized scenario. Then I also want you to think about overcoming objections naturally. So address objections in a way that feels conversational. For example, if you know a common objection is price, you could say, I get it. Investing can feel scary. But think of how this could pay off when you have an email list of 500, a 1000, 5000 of your ideal clients that could be waiting on the other side. Right? You’re painting the picture. You’re letting them know that you get it.

Kylie Kelly [00:15:02]:
You understand the objection, but this is why I think it’s worth it. You’re doing it in a way that feels conversational. And the last one here I think is really important. I want you to take your subscribers behind the scenes. Share your why, your process and the value behind your offer. Let them see what goes into it. This transparency builds so much trust and makes them more receptive to your sales emails especially when this is so different to everything else they see online. Imagine getting an email that is transparently sharing something behind the scenes showing them exactly what you’re working on and connecting with them on this real intentional place.

Kylie Kelly [00:15:40]:
And then they open up Instagram and it’s another one of these glossy income statements or something that you just know is not true. It’s really gonna make you stand out so that they know that they can trust you. It’s gonna build that trust and it’s gonna help grow your relationship so that when they are ready to invest in something that you’re selling, they’re not gonna think twice about it. So there you have it. Everything you need to know about when to start selling to your email list and how to get started in a way that doesn’t feel sales or gross. Remember, selling is all about helping your audience with a solution you believe in. It’s not about being pushy. It’s about sharing what you know can make a difference.

Kylie Kelly [00:16:21]:
So with everything that we’ve shared today, it has to start with an offer you believe in. Make sure you have that sorted first before you start trying to sell it, my loves. Now if you’re ready to dive deeper into email marketing strategies that drive results, be sure to subscribe to the show. It means the world to me when you tune in every week. Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you in the next episode. Until then, keep growing, keep connecting and happy subtle selling. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of The Email Growth Show. I hope you found valuable insights into the next steps you can take to grow your email list and boost your business without relying on social media or paid ads.

Kylie Kelly [00:17:00]:
If you enjoy this episode please take a moment to rate and review the show and share it with others. Your feedback helps me reach more female entrepreneurs just like you, who are ready to say goodbye to social media and leverage email marketing to grow their business and make a bigger impact. Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you in the next episode.