As a business owner, you’ve probably read advice on what to do if a client ghosts you.

But what if YOU are the one ghosting your client?

Now hold on, I’m not talking about bailing on a meeting, or getting paid and not showing up.

I’m talking about emailing your list.

If it’s been a while since you’ve emailed your list and you’re not sure how to get back into the swing of things, this post is for you.

I’m gonna share 5 do’s and don’ts on how to warm up your email subscribers (and start back emailing your list) after ghosting them. 

And hey — no shame in this, by the way. It all happens to the best of us. The most important thing you can do is to just get back out there. It happens to all of us. Promise.

Alright, let’s get started!

Before you take a step forward, I want you to remember that it’s okay. We’ve all been there!

We get busy. Personal things happen. Life happens. Sometimes our email list gets put on the back burner. It’s all good.

But you’ve already taken a step in the right direction by deciding to send emails to your list again. Props to you.

Now, I’m bringing this topic up because we’re nearly halfway through September, y’all.

You know what that means if you’re a business owner. It means Black Friday is coming up fast.

If you’ve been neglecting your email list, you definitely don’t want to jump back into your audience’s inboxes with your Black Friday deals.

You have to re-engage your audience first. Otherwise, it just seems very abrupt and out of place. Plus, your audience is going to be a little confused since they haven’t heard from you in a while. 

And you’re gonna do this by creating a short and simple warm-up sequence. 

This sequence will remind your audience why they subscribed to you in the first place, and hopefully, encourage them to stick around.

Tip #1 for re-engaging your list: Don’t ask for anything or have any calls-to-action in the beginning.

I want you to focus on showing up and serving. Provide helpful information to your readers. This is not the time to ask them to buy or sign up for something.

You can share some points from an existing blog, recap some ideas from a video or podcast, or whatever you like.

But your job here is to start building back your credibility first. 

Tip #2: Do remind them how they got on your list in the first place.

If you’ve been MIA, they may not remember who you are or what you do, to be honest. Don’t take it personally!

Instead, remind them what they’re on your list for. 

You could say something like, “You downloaded my list of favorite tools that I use in my business. I hope it was helpful to you! I’ve made some changes since then, and I want to share what I’ve changed and why.”

In this example, of course, you’d give them your new, updated list of business tools. You’re reminding them why they’re subscribed and providing value.

Which brings me to my next tip…

Tip #3: Do keep it simple and valuable. 

During this warm-up period, I want you to show up once or twice a week in their inboxes. Show up consistently, but above all, do 2 things:

1. Keep it simple, and
2. Provide value to your audience

You are re-engaging them. It’s your job to serve your audience right now, and that’s how you do it. You don’t want to overwhelm them right away. 

It’s kind of like when someone constantly calls and texts you. Maybe you do want to talk to them, but the frequency of communication is a bit overwhelming. 

Don’t be that person in your audience’s inbox.

Tip #4: Don’t bring attention to the fact that you’ve been MIA.

You don’t have to explain or share a sob story here. Honestly, your audience may not have noticed. Or if they did, they may have forgotten about it.

And probably no one is mad about it either. We’ve all got busy lives and things going on, and more often than not, they will understand where you’re coming from. 

The bottom line though is that they’re there for value. They signed up for your list for a reason. Make sure you just focus on showing up and giving your audience valuable content. 

And lastly, tip #5: Please don’t make it about you. 

Explaining your absence puts the focus on you. Your business, your life. But remember, your email newsletter should be about your audience.

Put yourself in their shoes. Would you want to read about a business owner who’s been having fun adventures, or launching new businesses, or doing something that has nothing to do with you?

Not really. 

If you’ve been up to something cool that would be of value to your audience, go ahead and share. But remember: simple and valuable are key.

With these 5 do’s and don’ts, you’ll be warming up your audience in no time.

But wait, before we wrap up, I do have a few bonus tips for you! These are gonna really help you up-level those emails when you’re ready to get back in the game.

Bonus Tip #1: Write like you talk. 

I think this is super important for writing engaging emails in general, not just your warm-up sequence.

You don’t have to get vulnerable and personal in every email, nor do you have to sell with every email (in fact, you shouldn’t).

Aim for a natural tone of voice. Write like you’re talking to a friend. Let your personality shine!

Bonus Tip #2: Use the following schedule for sending your warm-up sequence. 

Are you ready?

• Send email 1 on a Tuesday.
• Send email 2 on a Thursday.
• Send your regular weekly emails on Tuesdays going forward.

Boom! Done. It’s as easy as that. 

Sending Email 2 a couple of days after your first email gives it a little space to let it sink in. 

If you were to send Emails 1 and 2 back to back, it feels a little pushy. A little too “I’m in launch mode and want you to buy.” You know what I mean?

---

And there we have it! Tips for warming up your email subscribers and emailing your list after you’ve (unintentionally) ghosted them.

Remember to:

• Avoid asking your audience for something or putting calls-to-action in the beginning.
• Remind them why they got on your list in the first place.
• Keep it simple and valuable with short emails and helpful content.
• Don’t explain why you’ve been gone.
• Focus on your audience and showing up for them again.

If it’s been a while since you’ve emailed your list, use these tips to jump back into the swing of things. Especially if you have big things planned for Black Friday.

Your subscribers will appreciate it, and your biz will benefit from it.

Speaking of Black Friday, what are you going to do once your audience is warmed up again? 

What on earth do you put in those emails?

I have a product in The Email Template Shop specifically for Black Friday Emails that can help! You can grab that right here.

It includes an email sequence sales strategy that maps out two weeks of emails, so you know exactly what to say on which day.

You also get 13 email templates that’ll help you get your email copy started.

Don’t get stuck on your Black Friday email sequence. Grab your sequence strategy and templates now!

---

If this episode inspires you, leave a review and share your biggest takeaway with me! And while you’ve got your phone out, go ahead and do these 3 things:

1. Give this podcast a follow (click here for iTunes or here for Spotify, or look up “The School of Marketing Podcast for Digital Entrepreneurs” wherever you listen to your podcasts). 
2. Head to the Email Template Shop™ and use code PODCAST15 for 15% off your first purchase.
3. Go ahead and open up your Instagram app and come follow me: @themaganward. I’d love to hear from you and I’m known to reply back via DM, sometimes even with a voice message, so make sure you hit me up there especially if you’ve got a topic you’d like me to cover in an upcoming episode.

Want more of where this came from? Check out other show notes here.