How to evolve your email list into an engaged community (New EP inside) 🎧

Stream the latest episode of Send It! now  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

June 17, 2025 Access over 25+ hours of retention marketing modules to become a certified email & SMS marketer. Get $200 off with code: SCHOOLSOUT  NEW Episode Drop! Beyond the List: Building Engaged Brand Communities Online Beyond the List: Building Engaged Brand Communities Online | EP 35 Good morning! Chase and Jimmy here. Most brands build a list. The best brands build a community. In this NEW episode, Jimmy and Chase break down the difference between having subscribers and creating a true brand community and why it matters more than ever. You'll learn how to use email and SMS as your foundation for community, why identity-based value beats discounts every time, and how to grow without diluting the vibe. Whether you're just getting started or scaling an already engaged community, this one's packed with frameworks, examples, and takeaways you can apply now. Want to take it a step further? Scroll on because we're talking more on strategy, structure, and the subtle details most brands overlook. Your Email List Isn't a Community. Yet. A lot of brands say they want to build a community. But most of them are really just sending more emails to the same list and hoping it feels different. Here's the truth: your email list isn't a community until it starts acting like one. Until then, it's just a collection of contacts. In this new episode of Send It, we broke down what actually defines a brand community and how brands like Peloton and Glossier built communities that drive retention, referrals, and serious LTV. But one question kept coming up: What do you do when your list isn't ready to be a community? This article is your answer. 🧠 Step 1: Shift from "blast" mode to signal-seeking You can't build a community from broadcast-only messaging. Start by training your list to interact, then use that engagement to identify your community-ready subscribers. Try this: Add response-driven CTAs to your flows and campaigns. → "What's your favorite way to use this product? Reply and tell us." → "Vote on our next drop: A, B, or C?" Set up micro-interactions in SMS. → Weekly polls, product pick battles, rapid replies ("Y/N?") Use engagement as a filter. → If someone replies, clicks, or votes, move them into a segment tagged for community building efforts You're not just collecting data here, you're building muscle memory. If your emails start to feel more like conversations, your customers will expect (and want) to participate. 🔍 Step 2: Score for community intent, not just purchase intent Most marketers score leads based on their likelihood to buy. But when building a community, you also want to identify your connectors; the people who are most likely to participate, share, or influence others. Here's what to look for: Subscribers who regularly open non-promotional content (like founder updates or customer stories) Repeat buyers who have opted into SMS and email Customers who respond to surveys or provide product feedback This is your seed audience; the group you want to start engaging in deeper ways. You don't need 10,000 people. You need 50-100 active, aligned subscribers who are already showing signs of community intent. 🤝 Step 3: Build belonging before you build infrastructure Here's a common mistake: brands launch a Discord or Slack or "insider group" before their audience even knows why they'd want to join. Don't start with the platform; start with shared identity. Ask yourself: What values or interests unite your best customers? What kind of content helps them feel part of something bigger? How can your emails and texts reinforce that identity? Tactical ways to start: Create a content series that leans into a customer archetype or lifestyle (e.g. Outdoor Voices' "Monday Movement") Develop community-specific language or inside jokes ("for people who…" statements) Highlight customer photos, quotes, or routines that showcase shared behavior People want to see themselves reflected in your brand (and in the others who follow it). 📣 Step 4: Use post-purchase as your community entry point Your best shot at turning a buyer into a community member? The moment right after they convert. Why? That's when they're most engaged and most open to feeling like part of something new. Instead of dropping them into a bland order confirmation or transactional flow, try this: Ask for a photo, review, or story to share with others Invite them to a "first-timers" poll or challenge Send a behind-the-scenes video from the founder welcoming them in Offer early access to your next drop as a "thank you" for joining the family You don't need to build a full loyalty program here. You just need to show that this brand treats new customers like new members. 📊 Step 5: Start measuring community readiness If you're going to evolve your list into a community, you need to track the right signals. Here's a basic scorecard to start: Metric What It Tells You % of replies to campaigns Willingness to engage one-to-one Clicks on engagement-focused CTAs Interest in interaction vs. pure conversion Repeat engagement over time Trust and habit-forming behavior Preference for identity content (vs. promo) Community fit and emotional alignment Peer-to-peer referrals Community loyalty and advocacy Track these behaviors the way you would revenue metrics. They're the early signs that your audience is ready for more than just "add to cart." 🔁 TL;DR: Your list isn't just a list. It's the start of a system for building identity, connection, and long-term growth. Watch the full pod to hear how Jimmy and Chase go deep on community architecture frameworks, value-based engagement strategies, and why you must focus on retention-first if you want your community to thrive. 🎧 Here's what we're diving into:   02:31 Defining Brand Community vs. Subscriber Lists 07:47 Using Email & SMS as Community Foundation 15:40 Intentional Community Design 25:32 Value-Based Community Framework 28:17 Peloton and Glossier: Community Success Stories 30:44 Concentric Circle Model for Community Growth 38:15 Integrating Community Building into Marketing Operations 43:08 Full Funnel Community Approach 48:54 Key Takeaways on Community Building The new episode just dropped on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. Go stream it NOW! Stream on YouTube As always, a special thank you to our friends that help make this show happen! Omnisend is an all in one eCommerce email and SMS marketing automation platform that enables marketers to engage customers and drive sales through personalized experiences. Raleon is your AI-powered retention team built to help Shopify brands increase LTV and save hours every week. From segmentation to campaign planning, Raleon automates the grind so you can focus on strategy that scales. ✌️, Jimmy and Chase Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2025 eCom Email Marketer 8701 Bellancia Drive Austin, TX 78738, United States of America Terms of Service