EP [114] — Your Email List Is Your Most Powerful Visibility Tool for Organic Marketing
Her Faith at Work with Jan Touchberry
[OPEN]
Okay friend, real talk. Have you ever posted something — a reel, a story, a caption — and somebody commented or DM'd you and said something like, oh my gosh, I needed this, or, this is exactly what I have been going through?
And it felt amazing, right? Like yes, this is why I do this.
And then what happened? They scrolled away. You scrolled away. The algorithm buried it. And that person who needed exactly what you have to offer — she is gone. You have no way to reach her again unless she happens to see your next post. Which, if we are being honest, she probably will not — because that is just how the ever-elusive algorithm works.
That is the hole in the bucket. And today we are going to talk about how to fix it. Let's get after it.
[TRANSITION INTO EPISODE]
Hey there friend, welcome back to the podcast. So glad you are here today because we are talking about something that I feel like does not get nearly enough airtime in the online business space — and when it does, it is usually buried under a pile of advice about Instagram and TikTok and whatever platform just launched this week.
We are talking about your email list.
And I know, I know. You have probably heard a hundred times that you need to build your email list. And you nodded along and thought yes, I really should do that — and then you went back to figuring out your Reels strategy.
I get it. I have been there.
But here is what I want you to understand by the end of this episode. Your email list is not just another marketing tactic. It is not something you get to eventually. It is the foundation that makes every single other visibility strategy you are using actually work.
So if you have been treating your list like an afterthought, today we are going to change that. And if you do not have a list yet, that is okay too — we are going to talk about where to start.
[SECTION 1 — The bucket with a hole in it]
Let me go back to that image I opened with. The bucket with a hole in it.
Here is what I see happening over and over again with brilliant, capable, called women in business. They are working so hard to get visible. They are showing up on social media, they are guesting on podcasts, they are doing the SEO thing, they are networking, they are collaborating — and people are finding them.
People are interested. People are clicking.
But there is nowhere for those people to land that locks in the relationship.
Social media is borrowed ground. I have said this before and I will keep saying it because it is true. You do not own your Instagram following. You do not own your Facebook page. You do not own your TikTok audience. Those platforms can change their algorithm, shut down your account, or disappear entirely — and I am not being dramatic, we have watched it happen — and overnight you can lose access to every single person who was following you.
Your email list is different. Those people said yes to you specifically. They typed in their name and their email address and they hit subscribe. That relationship belongs to you. You can take that list with you anywhere. You can switch email platforms, you can change your website, you can rebrand your entire business — and your list comes with you.
That is power. That is stability. And in a season where platforms are shifting faster than ever, that stability matters.
[SECTION 2 — The list is not the reward. It is the engine.]
Now here is the mindset shift I really want you to make today.
A lot of us treat our email list like it is the reward for getting visible. Like once I have a big enough following, once I have more traffic, once I have more credibility — then I will focus on my list.
But that is backwards.
Your list is not the reward for visibility. Your list is the engine that makes your visibility work.
Think about it this way. Let's say you guest on a podcast and it goes really well. The host has a great audience, people are resonating with what you said, and a handful of them go check out your website.
If you have a strong opt-in — a compelling reason for them to give you their email address — some of those people join your list. And now you have a way to follow up with them. You can nurture that relationship. You can share more of who you are and what you do. You can invite them into your offers when the time is right.
But if you do not have that opt-in? They visit your website, they think oh this is nice, and they leave. And you never hear from them again.
Same thing with SEO. If your content is showing up in search results and bringing people to your site — which is amazing, that is the goal — but there is nothing to capture their information, you are just getting traffic. Traffic does not pay your bills. Relationships do.
The SEO, the AEO, the partnerships, the podcast guesting, the collaborations — all of it gets exponentially more powerful when you have a list to send people to.
Because visibility without a follow-up mechanism is just noise. And friend, you were not called to make noise. You were called to make impact.
[SECTION 3 — What your list actually does for your business]
Let me get really practical for a minute and talk about what a healthy email list actually does for your business.
Number one — it warms people up before they buy.
Most people are not going to find you and immediately pull out their credit card. That is just not how it works. They need to get to know you, trust you, see that you deliver value consistently, and feel like you understand their problem. Your email list is where that happens. It is the relationship before the sale.
Number two — it gives you a direct line to your people.
When you have something to share — a new offer, a podcast episode, a free resource, a flash sale — you do not have to hope the algorithm shows it to the right people. You send an email and it lands directly in the inbox of someone who already said they want to hear from you. That is not something social media can give you.
Number three — it tells you what your audience actually cares about.
When you pay attention to what emails get opened, what links get clicked, what topics generate replies — you start to learn so much about what your people actually need. That is market research you cannot buy.
And number four — it converts.
I am just going to say it plainly. Email converts better than social media. The data backs this up across the board. People who are on your email list are more likely to buy from you than people who follow you on Instagram. Full stop. Because they have already taken a step toward you. They are not passive observers — they are engaged.
[SECTION 4 — The faith angle]
Okay I want to take a minute here and bring this back to the heart because this is Her Faith at Work and we do not just talk strategy — we talk about the why behind the strategy.
Your email list is stewardship.
Every single person who gives you their email address is trusting you with something. Think about your own inbox for a second. It is personal. It is one of the few spaces online that still feels like you can somewhat control it. People are selective about who they let in there. (Well, at least I am.)
When someone subscribes to your list, they are saying — I trust you enough to let you into that space. That is not nothing. That is actually a significant act of trust.
And I believe that how you steward that trust says a lot about the kind of business you are building.
It does not mean you have to be perfect or that every email has to be some profound piece of content. It just means you show up with intention. You do not abuse the access. You deliver value. You treat your list like the gift that it is.
The right clients, the right opportunities, the right subscribers – they are a gift. And we have to steward what the Lord puts in our hands.
Your list is part of that stewardship. Build it with intention. Tend it with care. And trust that God is going to send the right people to it.
[SECTION 5 — Practical: what you actually need]
Alright, let's get really practical. Because I do not want you to walk away from this episode feeling inspired but overwhelmed. So here is what you actually need to start building your list — and it is simpler than you think.
Number one — a reason for people to subscribe.
This is your opt-in offer, your lead magnet, your freebie — whatever you want to call it. It is the thing you give someone in exchange for their email address. And it does not have to be complicated. It does not have to be a 30-page PDF or a five-day challenge. It just has to solve one specific problem for one specific person.
Think about the most common question your ideal client asks you. What is the thing she is always struggling with, always Googling, always asking in Facebook groups? Build a simple resource around that. A checklist, a guide, a private podcast playlist, a short video training. Something that gives her a quick win and makes her think, okay, this person gets me.
Number two — a place for people to opt in.
You need a landing page. A dedicated page on your website where people can sign up to get your freebie. It does not have to be fancy. It just has to be clear — what is it, who is it for, and what do they get when they sign up.
Number three — a way to deliver it.
This is your email platform. Flodesk, ConvertKit, MailChimp, ActiveCampaign — there are a lot of options out there and honestly the best one is the one you will actually use. I use Flodesk and you can grab a coupon at the link in the show notes.
Pick one, set up an automated delivery, and make sure your freebie actually gets to them when someone signs up. I know that sounds basic but you would be surprised how many people have a broken delivery funnel and do not even know it.
Number four — a welcome sequence.
What is a welcome sequence? This is the series of emails that goes out automatically after someone subscribes. And this is where so many people drop the ball. They get someone on their list and then they just... go silent. Or they send one welcome email and then jump straight into selling.
Your welcome sequence is your first impression. It is your chance to tell people who you are, what you are about, what they can expect from you, and start building the relationship before you ever make an offer. You do not need a ton of emails. Three to five is a solid start. But you need something.
Email 1 — Deliver the goods and introduce yourself Send immediately after someone opts in. Give them what they signed up for, tell them who you are in two or three sentences, and let them know what to expect from you going forward. Keep it short and warm.
Email 2 — Your story Send 1-2 days later. This is where you build the connection. Why do you do what you do? What did you go through that led you here? People buy from people they relate to — this is where that starts.
Email 3 — Address the core problem Send 2-3 days later. Speak directly to the thing that brought them to you in the first place. Show them you understand their struggle. This is not a sales email — it is a "I see you and I get it" email.
Email 4 — Teach something useful Send 2-3 days later. Give them a quick win. A tip, a framework, a simple shift they can apply right away. This builds trust fast because you are proving your value before you ever ask for anything.
Email 5 — Make an offer Send 2-3 days later. Now you have earned the right to invite them into something. Keep it soft and natural — not a hard sell. Something like, if you want to go deeper on this, here is how I can help.
The overall goal of the sequence is simple: by the time they get to email 5, they should feel like they know you, trust you, and understand how you can help them. Everything else is just the path to get there.
You can use AI to help (key word help) generate these for you but for goodness sake, edit them to make them your own. People are able to spot solely AI generated content pretty easily now and frankly, it’s just lazy and not good business.
And number five — consistency.
This is the one that trips people up the most. You do not have to email your list every day. You do not have to email every week if that is not sustainable for you. But you do need to show up regularly enough that people remember who you are.
Because here is what happens when you go silent for two months and then suddenly show up in someone's inbox to sell something — they have forgotten who you are. They mark you as spam. Or they unsubscribe. And that is not because they are not interested in what you do. It is because you did not tend the relationship.
Consistency is compounding. Every email you send is a deposit into the relationship. And over time, those deposits add up to trust. And trust is what converts.
[CLOSE / CALL TO ACTION]
I will be the first one to say I have not done this perfectly. But – doing the thing. Like actually doing the thing? It’s important. Make it the focus in your business that it should be!
So, If you do not have an email list yet — start today. Pick a platform, create a simple freebie, set up a landing page. Done is better than perfect.
If you have a list but you have not emailed them in a while — send an email this week. Just show up. You do not have to explain the absence or make it a big thing. Just show up and deliver value and start rebuilding the habit.
And if you have a list and a welcome sequence and you are already emailing consistently — amazing. Your next step is to make sure your opt-in is connected to everything.
Your podcast episodes, your SEO content, your partnerships, your collaborations — every visibility strategy you are using should have a clear path to your list. Because that is how the whole thing works together. That is how you stop filling a bucket with a hole in it and start actually retaining the audience you are working so hard to build.
If you want a peek behind my email curtain – you can jump on my list at jantouchberry.com/newsletter.
I would love to see you there.
And hey — if this episode was helpful, would you do me a favor and share it with another faith-driven entrepreneur who needs to hear it? That is one of the best ways you can help this podcast grow. And you are doing a sister a solid because she is going to get some great content too.
Alright friend, I will see you next week. Have a great one.
