What's the best thing you did in the early stages of your business?
And you want to know the answers?
Building my email list all before launch. Why?
It was a way to validate my idea.
It was a way to engage with my community.
It was a way to share my story on a deeper level.
If you want people to care about your idea, validation is one of the best ways to do this. It's a way for you to assess whether to go all in on the vision you have.
So, how did I do it?
1. I built out my landing page to collect emails
2. I created a welcome sequence (made it personal)
3. I announced the idea here on LinkedIn.
4. I waited to see if people registered interest.
Now we have an exclusive waitlist of over 2000+ people.
So, if you're building a startup, email marketing is one of the highest-ROI channels you can own from day one. Here’s a simple checklist to follow:
1. Choose the right tool early
Start with something made for growth. Tools like Omnisend are perfect. They’re affordable, easy to set up, and built for ecommerce and startups and will grow with you. Don’t overcomplicate it at the start.
2. Build your list from Day 1
Create a waitlist or lead magnet even before you launch. Add signup forms to your website and incentivise sign-ups (early access, exclusive drops, behind-the-scenes updates).
3. Set up your welcome flow
First impressions count. Automate a simple 2–3 email welcome sequence that tells your story, builds trust, and highlights your mission. Make that first impression count.
4. Send consistently (but don’t spam)
One high-quality email a week is more valuable than daily noise. Focus on value: product updates, founder insights, and behind-the-scenes stories that make people care.
5. Test, learn, and refine
Your first email won’t be perfect. Track your open rates, click-throughs, and unsubscribes. Use those insights to improve. Perfecting subject lines and storytelling takes time. Be in it for the long run.
Email marketing is so underrated. If you're serious about the brand you're building, don't wait to get it right, start and improve as you go. It can change the whole game for you and your brand.
If you're a new business, it's time to take email seriously.
P.S. very thankful that Omnisend trusted me to highlight the importance of email marketing as a new founder and business. AD 🙏
This post was originally shared by on Linkedin.