Good morning, Chase and Jimmy here.

Your list is more than numbers.

Behind every open rate, click, or unsubscribe is a real person who already said yes to hearing from you. Which means you’re not just holding a marketing channel, you’re holding the beginnings of a community.

The difference? Lists sell. Communities stick.

Today’s breakdown covers how to turn subscribers into loyal brand advocates by weaving connection into your email and SMS strategy. From segmenting with purpose to building rituals and creating layers of participation, we’ll show you how to turn a quiet list into an engaged tribe.

Also inside:

✔️ Every forgotten renewal = months of lost revenue
✔️ Sneak Peek: Most brands send broadcasts. The best brands start conversations.
✔️ Knowledge Drop: Stop assuming your customers “get it.”
✔️ DTC Wins: NEAP - The First Protein Gel Ever

Let’s get into it 👇

Every forgotten renewal = months of lost revenue

Most subscription churn isn’t a conscious choice - it’s expired cards, missed reminders, or customers who simply forget. That’s preventable.

Omnisend’s latest guide shows you how to stop losing subscribers (and recurring revenue) with smart renewal emails. Inside you’ll find:

• 7 real examples from brands like Amazon, Grammarly, and YouTube

• Plug-and-play templates for reminder, last-chance, and value-driven emails

• Best practices to reduce both voluntary and involuntary churn

The bottom line: one saved renewal equals months of future revenue - no ads, no acquisition costs.

Building a Tribe: How to Turn Subscribers into a Loyal Brand Community

Your email and SMS list? It’s the seed of your future community.

That’s right. Hidden in that pile of open rates and unsubscribes is a group of humans who already said yes to hearing from you.

Which means you’re already halfway to building something more meaningful than a transaction: a brand tribe.

Let’s talk about how to evolve that list into a living, breathing, loyal community.

1. Start with the Channels You Already Own

Before you spin up a Discord server or a fancy community app, start simple. Your email and SMS lists are full of people who’ve already opted in. And that’s your strongest foundation.

But most brands treat these channels like one-way billboards instead of two-way conversations.

Instead, try this:

• Segment with purpose: Build micro-communities within your list. For example, skincare brands can create personalized journeys based on skin type or routine.

• Talk like a human: Drop the corporate tone. Use casual, friendly language like you would in a group chat. And don’t be afraid to show some personality.

Take a page from Surreal’s book:

🔍TL;DR: Start turning your list into a community by treating them like one.

2. Design Your Community With Purpose

Great communities don’t just “happen.”

They’re built with intention.

Define what your brand stands for beyond products. What’s the shared identity people can rally around? What’s the bigger mission?

Then create the structure:

• Roles: Do you want members, insiders, ambassadors?

• Rituals: Weekly check-ins, monthly Q&As, SMS shoutouts – people love consistency.

• Focus: What brings them together: clean beauty, budget travel, or conscious parenting?

Glossier, for example, has built rituals like customer photo submissions, #glossierpink hashtags, and community Q&As baked into their everyday marketing.

🔍TL;DR: Build an intentional community that makes people want to belong.

3. Offer More Than Just Discounts

This one’s a trap: “Join our community for 10% off!”

The problem? You’ll build a list of bargain hunters, not brand advocates.

Instead, go deeper:

• Early access: Let subscribers preview drops before the rest of the world.

• Behind the scenes: Share product dev stories, founder notes, or bloopers.

• Fan features: Showcase customer stories, testimonials, or UGC.

🔍TL;DR: People don’t connect with coupons. They connect with meaning, identity, and access.

4. Build in Layers (Not All at Once)

Not everyone wants to join a Slack group or attend your Zoom happy hour. And that’s okay.

Think of your community as concentric circles:

1. Passive participants: Lurkers, email readers, quiet fans.

2. Active participants: People who comment, reply, and share.

3. Core advocates: Your superfans, contributors, and brand BFFs.

Offer opt-in moments that let people move from one circle to the next (on their terms).

For example, you could give passive members a way to level up (“Want early access? Join our VIP list.”) and give advocates tools to invite others in.

🔍TL;DR: Don’t force participation. Let people grow into the community at their own pace.

5. Integrate Community Into Existing Workflows

You don’t need a big budget or a new team to build community.

Instead, weave it into what you're already doing:

• Post-purchase flows: Ask buyers to share a photo or tag you to be featured.

• Onboarding emails: Let new subscribers know how they can engage beyond buying.

• SMS updates: Drop polls, insider tips, or fun surprises – not just promos.

🔍TL;DR: “Community” isn’t a campaign. It’s a mindset that enhances what you already do.

6. Add Community Touchpoints Across the Funnel

Don’t wait until someone buys to invite them into the fold.

Community should show up throughout the customer journey:

• Top of funnel: “Join our insider list for sneak peeks and community perks.”

• Mid-funnel: Use UGC and testimonials to create social proof and connection.

• Post-purchase: Offer VIP programs, ambassador invites, or product co-creation opportunities.

🔍TL;DR: Use community as a magnet at every touchpoint, not just a retention tactic.

Final Thoughts: Community Is a Long-Term Investment

You can’t “growth hack” trust.

Community is the long game, but the ROI is real: higher LTV, lower churn, more referrals.

Plus, you don’t have to start from scratch. Your community is already there: sitting quietly in your email list, replying to your texts, tagging you in stories.

You just need to invite them in.

✅ Start with what you already have. Your email and SMS list is your most powerful community-building tool. Use it to spark conversations, not just promotions.
✅ Design with intention. Define your brand’s shared identity, build simple rituals, and give people a reason to show up and stay connected.
✅ Make it part of the journey. Weave community into your existing flows (before, during, and after the sale) to turn one-time buyers into lifelong members.

If you lead with purpose, your list will grow into something much bigger than conversions. It’ll become the heart of your brand.

Sneak Peek: Most brands send broadcasts. The best brands start conversations.

Next week on Send It!, Jimmy and Chase unpack how to turn email and SMS into true two-way channels. They share the frameworks top ecommerce brands are using to drive higher engagement, richer customer insights, and more conversions by making every send feel like a conversation.

Inside the episode:

• Reply-driven emails that invite genuine dialogue

• SMS flows that feel like natural back-and-forth

• Customer service integrated into marketing channels

• Feedback loops that build loyalty and community

• Conversational sales that increase conversions and LTV

🛎️ Subscribe to the channel and tap the bell to catch every new drop.

Knowledge Drop:

Stop assuming your customers “get it.” Too many brands act like their product is obvious, and lose customers who never understood the value in the first place. In his latest post, Jimmy Kim shares a simple email framework to crush misconceptions, educate buyers, and build real belief in your product.

🔥 DTC Wins:

NEAP: The First Protein Gel Ever

Forget shakes and bars - NEAP just launched the first protein gel ever made. Each pouch packs 20g of complete protein, no mixing required, just squeeze and go.

Annnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! 

Thanks for hanging with Chase and me, always a pleasure to have you here.

If you found this newsletter helpful (or even just a little fun), don’t keep it to yourself! Share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let’s get them on board so they don’t miss next week’s drops.

Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim & Chase Dimond

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