We all want more of the right enquiries. That’s the truth of running a business. But here’s the mistake I see so many service-based business owners making: they’re putting all their energy into social media, where the rules (and the algorithm) are stacked against them.

Meanwhile, the one platform they own—their email list—sits quietly in the background, often under-utilised, even though it’s hands down the most powerful enquiry-driving tool we have.

Here’s why I’ll always bet on email over socials, every time.

Adding 100+ subscribers overnight

Last month I spoke at two events. Those two speaking gigs added more than 100 subscribers to my email list. To put that in perspective: if I wanted to grow my list by 100 people on social media? That would take forever. And even then, there’s no guarantee those new followers would see my posts.

On email, I know they’ll see me.

A launch story you don’t hear on Instagram

When I launched my new business, Unwind Co, I didn’t start with Instagram or a fancy website. I started with a landing page and a plan to grow my email list to 100 people before we went live.

We hit that, pushed for 150 (and scraped it in right before launch day). That “humble little list” of 150 subscribers delivered:

• 39% of product sold in the first 24 hours with just two emails.
  
• 78% of all orders came from our email list.
  
• Revenue per subscriber: $29 (the industry average is $2–5).
  
• Conversion rate: 25% (1 in 4 people on our list purchased a box).
  

Try hitting those numbers on Instagram. You won’t.

Email converts. Social introduces.

I love LinkedIn. I enjoy the conversations there. But I’ll be honest: rarely does someone click buy from one of my LinkedIn posts. What happens instead is this: they’ll grab one of my lead magnets, join my list, and when I send an email with a clear call-to-action, that’s when they buy.

Every single one of my ChatGPT masterclasses has been sold this way. Social brought people into my world. Email is where the sale happened.

Small list. Big results.

My email list isn’t huge. It sits just over 600 subscribers. But here’s the kicker: my emails average a 60% open rate. That’s double (sometimes triple) what’s considered “good.” And most emails I send spark at least one new enquiry or a re-engagement from a past client.

Could I get that level of engagement on social media without paying for it? Absolutely not.

Social is a billboard. Email is a conversation.

Social media has its place. It builds awareness and helps people find you. But it’s like standing on the side of the highway, waving your sign, hoping people notice.

Email is the coffee chat. It’s direct. It’s intentional. It builds the kind of trust and connection that leads to actual enquiries, not just likes.

So if you’ve been neglecting your email list because you’re too busy keeping up with the algorithm, here’s my advice: shift your focus. Start small. Nurture your list. Invite people in. Because the size of your list matters far less than how engaged it is—and email is the only platform where you get to own that engagement.

This article was inspired by my conversation with Bec Chappell on the Marketing Espresso podcast. You can listen to the full episode here.