Emails that sell vs. emails that connect

Who runs the lifecycle? Girls.

In honor of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, my friends at Customer.io are spotlighting four lifecycle legends to share their formulas for driving growth. Tune in for customer journey tips, hard-won lessons, and strategies that’ll level up both your lifecycle and your leadership. 

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Today's Email: Emails that sell vs. emails that connect

Most businesses approach their email list with a single mindset:

"How can I sell more stuff to these people?"

But here's the thing...

There are actually TWO completely different email strategies at play:

1. Selling to your subscribers (short-term revenue)

2. Building relationships with your subscribers (long-term revenue)

And they require ENTIRELY different skill sets.

The first is transactional. It's about conversion tactics, urgency, scarcity, and persuasive copywriting.

The second? It's relational. It's about consistency, value delivery, storytelling, and genuine connection.

Most marketers excel at one but struggle with the other.

And guess what? If you're only focused on the short-term selling, you're leaving MASSIVE revenue on the table.

The real magic happens when you master both approaches.

Because here's the truth:
→ Subscribers who trust you will buy more
→ Subscribers who feel connected will stay longer
→ Subscribers who see you as a resource (not just a vendor) will refer others

So what's the solution?

Balance your email strategy:
✅ Create a content calendar that alternates between value and offers
✅ Measure engagement metrics, not just sales metrics
✅ Ask for replies and actually respond to them
✅ Share stories and insights, not just promotions

The businesses that win at email marketing aren't just thinking about this week's revenue...

They're building an asset that compounds in value over time.

What's your email strategy focused on? Short-term sales or long-term relationships?

Best,
Alec

P.S. Have a topic you’d like us to cover in the next edition? Reply to this email and let us know! We're always eager to address.