One of the biggest challenges preventing artists from starting an email list is knowing what to share in their newsletter content. The answer to this challenge requires you to define and narrow down your target audience. Through my experience, I’ve found that the easiest email list newsletter content to create often involves educational information for other artists, like tips, tutorials, or favorite supplies. This type of content is ideal if your goal is to educate or engage other creatives. But suppose your primary objective is to sell products like wallpaper, fabric, or other art-based items. In that case, it’s important to focus on the people who would buy that art—not necessarily other artists, who may not be your ideal audience.

To create email list newsletter content that resonates, start by thinking about the problems your ideal customer faces and how your work addresses those needs. For example, if your art is used in home decor, consider the design challenges your customer might be facing. Once you identify these, brainstorm topics that would offer value to this audience in an email format. Some examples of engaging email list newsletter content might include insights into your design process, stories behind particular patterns, or announcements of new product launches, like a fresh design on Spoonflower.

One strategy that worked well for me was committing to a weekly email schedule for almost a year. An email every week is a lot, but this practice helped me consistently think of new content ideas to share. It might be updates on a collection, deeper insights into a recent social media post, or details about upcoming designs or product launches. Once you get started, you’ll likely find you have more to share than you initially thought! I find that the more you create and share your work as an artist, the more content you have to share in your email list.

To generate even more ideas, consider subscribing to newsletters from other creatives and business owners outside of your specific industry. My favorite email newsletter is this one from Tonic Site Shop. Notice what kind of email list newsletter content appeals to you and what you’d like to avoid in your own emails. Subscribing to other newsletters helps you decide if your emails should be long or short – or a mix of the two, if you like emails that curate information from other sources or information directly from the author of the emails. This can be valuable research!

If you’re a creative business owner—whether a wallpaper designer, interior designer, or fine artist—email newsletters are an excellent tool to engage your audience and highlight your unique work. Here are some ideas for gathering and refining email list newsletter content that showcases your creative journey. Don’t forget that thinking outside the box can make your email newsletters stand out!

Ideas For Email Newsletter Content

Behind-the-Scenes Content:

• Take your audience behind the scenes of your workspace or studio.
• Show the creative process, from concept to completion.

New Collections or Artwork Releases:

• Announce the launch of new wallpaper or fabric collections, interior design projects, or fine art pieces.
• Share behind-the-scenes insights into the creative process of the collection and the story behind it.

Featured Projects:

• Showcase completed interior design projects or installations that include your artwork or pattern designs.
• Highlight the unique aspects and challenges of each project.

Design Tips and Tricks:

• Offer practical design tips and advice that a client interested in your artwork may not know.
• Share insights on color palettes, textures, and design trends that will help them visualize your work in their space.

Artist/Designer Spotlight:

• Introduce other artists, designers, or collaborators.
• Share their stories, inspirations, and contributions to the creative process.

Customer Stories and Testimonials:

• Feature success stories from satisfied clients.
• Include images of your products or designs in their actual living spaces.

Events and Exhibitions:

• Promote upcoming events, exhibitions, sales, or art shows.
• Provide details on dates, locations, and any special promotions or details your audience needs to know.

Exclusive Discounts or Promotions:

• Offer special discounts or promotions to your newsletter subscribers.
• Create a sense of exclusivity for your email audience.

DIY or How-To Guides:

• Create step-by-step guides for DIY projects related to your creative business.
• Share creative ideas for home decor or art projects that could feature your fabric, art, or wallpapers.

Seasonal or Holiday Themes:

• Tailor your content to fit seasonal or holiday themes (don’t forget to plan ahead to give your audience time to prepare before the holiday!).
• Offer design ideas and inspiration for different times of the year.

Interactive Content:

• Include polls, surveys, or quizzes related to design preferences to inform your future work and tailor it to the needs/wants of your audience.
• Encourage audience participation and feedback – reward your audience with a gift (similar to your opt-in freebie).

Collaborations and Partnerships:

• Highlight collaborations with other artists, designers, or brands.
• Showcase the unique products or designs resulting from these partnerships.

Mood Board Contests:

• Host a mood board contest where subscribers create boards inspired by your designs.
• Offer a prize or feature the winning mood boards in your newsletter.

Interactive Art Challenges:

• Encourage subscribers to participate in art or design challenges.
• Feature the best submissions in your newsletters.

Virtual Studio Tour:

• Take your subscribers on a virtual tour of your creative space.
• Share interesting details about your workspace and creative process.

Create a Playlist:

• Share a curated playlist that complements the mood or theme of your designs.
• Include music that inspires your creative process.

Artistic Process Timelapse:

• Create timelapse videos showcasing the creation of a particular artwork or design.
• Share insights into the process of your creative work.

Unconventional Design Inspirations:

• Share unexpected sources of inspiration for your designs.
• It could be nature, architecture, or even unusual everyday objects.

Artistic Challenges or Experiments:

• Document and share experiments or challenges you experience in your creative process.
• Discuss what you learn from these experiences.

Secret Sales or Limited Edition Drops:

• Offer exclusive deals or limited-edition products available only to newsletter subscribers.
• Create a sense of exclusivity to reward your subscribers.

Storytelling through Art:

• Create a series of artworks that tell a story.
• Release one piece at a time in your newsletters, keeping subscribers engaged.

Art-Inspired Recipes:

• Share recipes inspired by your artwork or design themes or recipes that inspired your work.
• Connect the sensory experience of taste with your visual creations.

Behind the Scenes Failures or Lessons Learned:

• Share stories of creative failures and what you learned from them.
• Embrace vulnerability and connect with your audience on a personal level.

More Points to Consider for Effective Email List Newsletter Content

Personalize each newsletter to make it feel unique, maintain a consistent schedule, and keep a consistent and visually appealing look to your emails to help your audience recognize and anticipate your emails. This approach will keep your audience engaged and interested in your creative business. The key to successful email list newsletter content is keeping it authentic, engaging, and true to your brand’s identity. Don’t be afraid to include unusual or unexpected content—it can help you make a lasting impression on your audience!

If you need help getting your email list started, check out this post on the basics of email marketing, this post on 4 Tips to Simply Start Your List, and this one on Creating an Email Welcome Sequence.