Art + Audience: Ep. 24 Summary – "How Many Emails Should You Send? The Answer That Scaled Our Business to $2M" with Angie Classen

Introduction

In Episode 24 of the Art + Audience podcast, host Stacie Bloomfield welcomes Angie Classen to discuss a pivotal strategy that propelled their business, Gingerbread, to $2 million in gross sales: effective email marketing. Released on July 15, 2025, this episode delves deep into the nuances of email frequency, content strategies, and the mindset required for creatives to transform their passion into a thriving business.

The Necessity of Selling for Creatives

Stacie opens the conversation by emphasizing that creativity alone isn't sufficient for business success. She asserts, “If you're not asking for the sale, people aren't going to buy from you” (00:33). Stacie clarifies that selling doesn't equate to selling out; rather, it's about sustaining a consistent income, allowing creatives to support themselves while maintaining authenticity.

Angie echoes this sentiment, reinforcing the idea that a business mindset is essential for those aiming to turn their art into a profitable venture (00:54). Together, they underline the balance between creative passion and business acumen as the cornerstone of a successful art business.

The Evolution of Gingerbread’s Growth

Stacie shares Gingerbread's journey from humble beginnings to a seven-figure enterprise. Initially generating around $100,000 annually through Etsy sales, the business experienced steady growth, reaching $2 million in gross sales with Angie's strategic input (02:20). This growth trajectory was largely fueled by innovative email marketing strategies tailored to their audience.

Email Marketing: Frequency and Consistency

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the frequency of email communications. Angie highlights the common misconception among creatives who either neglect email marketing or send emails sporadically. She points out that some believe sending emails multiple times a week might be excessive, but clarifies the necessity of consistent engagement: “Oh, multiple times a week. We'll talk a little bit more about why that is and why it's important to do that” (03:04).

Stacie emphasizes that consistent emailing trains customers to expect and anticipate communication: “You need to train your customers to expect to hear from you at the same time every single week” (06:30). This regularity fosters a reliable presence in the customers’ inboxes, increasing the likelihood of purchases.

Strategic Email Campaigns: The 5,4,3,2,1 Approach

One of the standout strategies discussed is the "5,4,3,2,1" email breakdown campaign implemented during their Mother's Day sale. Angie explains how they intensified their email schedule in the final days of the sale, sending daily reminders to create urgency: “Five days left of the sale, four days, three, two. Last day to shop, last hour to shop” (07:28). This approach not only maintained customer engagement but also significantly boosted sales without increasing unsubscribe rates.

Content Creation and Reusability

Stacie highlights the efficiency of repurposing content across different channels. Angie shares her method of transforming a single blog post into multiple focused emails, each highlighting a different product or customer review: “And so she took a great blog post, broke it up five times and featured a different part of it in each” (14:01). This strategy ensures that valuable content is maximized, reducing the burden of constant content creation while keeping emails relevant and engaging.

Tools and Platforms: Leveraging Technology

The discussion moves to the tools that facilitate effective email marketing. Angie advocates for using platforms like Klaviyo, which, despite being pricey initially, offer robust analytics and segmentation capabilities: “If you have an audience that's already buying from you. You should be on Klaviyo anyways” (14:28). Stacie adds that understanding which parts of an email perform best can guide future campaigns, ensuring continuous improvement and higher engagement rates.

Handling Unsubscribes and Maintaining Audience Quality

Addressing concerns about frequent emailing leading to unsubscribes, Stacie reassures creatives that losing subscribers is a natural part of the process. She shares anecdotes illustrating that unsubscriptions often reflect personal choices rather than dissatisfaction: “It's not personal” (09:57). Angie reinforces this by recounting a story where a loyal customer unsubscribed temporarily to enforce a spending freeze, ultimately planning to return – demonstrating that unsubscribes do not necessarily equate to lost opportunities.

Licensing vs. Product-Based Sales

Stacie and Angie discuss the differences between licensing art and selling products. Stacie points out that while licensing can provide substantial income, it has a more limited audience compared to product-based sales: “When you have millions of people out there who are looking to buy a detail or looking to learn about something that you're an expert in, like Photoshop, then that is the thing that you have the best opportunity to, to actually grow and scale” (18:34). They advocate for diversifying income streams to maximize reach and profitability.

Persistence and Patience in Business Growth

A recurring theme is the importance of persistence and realistic expectations. Angie shares that pitching to potential wholesale accounts often requires pitching to hundreds before seeing significant results, with a payoff timeline of nine to twelve months (20:10). Stacie echoes the necessity of gradual growth, emphasizing that “slow growth is good growth” (21:29). They caution against falling for quick-fix solutions and highlight the value of consistent effort over time.

Balancing Business and Personal Life

Towards the end of the episode, both speakers reflect on the personal fulfillment that comes from building a business aligned with one’s values. Stacie describes her ideal day, balancing family time with business responsibilities: “I can wake up in the morning, I go sit on my pink chair, all of my dogs come sit in my lap” (27:12). Angie adds that the true measure of success lies in the quality of life the business affords, not just financial metrics: “The real wealth” (27:20).

Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Stacie and Angie conclude by encouraging creatives to embrace email marketing as a vital tool for business growth. They emphasize the importance of authenticity, consistency, and resilience: “If you're willing to learn from it and refine and just not stop sharing about the product that you're making and the art that you're creating and share your work with the world, you're going to grow” (31:08). Their message is clear: Building a successful art business is a marathon, not a sprint, and effective email marketing is a key component of that journey.

Key Takeaways

1. Consistency is Crucial: Regularly scheduled emails help maintain a steady presence in your audience’s inbox, fostering trust and engagement.

2. Strategic Campaigns Drive Sales: Implementing focused email campaigns, especially during sales events, can significantly boost revenue without alienating subscribers.

3. Content Reusability Maximizes Efficiency: Repurposing content across blogs and emails ensures that your efforts yield maximum returns.

4. Choose the Right Tools: Utilizing advanced email marketing platforms like Klaviyo can enhance your strategies through better analytics and segmentation.

5. Embrace Unsubscribes as a Learning Opportunity: Losing subscribers is natural and can provide insights into refining your target audience.

6. Diversify Income Streams: Balancing product-based sales with licensing can expand your reach and profitability.

7. Patience and Persistence Pay Off: Building a successful business takes time; consistent effort leads to sustainable growth.

8. Balance Business with Personal Fulfillment: Aligning your business goals with your personal values ensures long-term satisfaction and success.

Conclusion

Episode 24 of Art + Audience offers a comprehensive guide for creatives looking to harness the power of email marketing to scale their businesses. Through shared experiences and proven strategies, Stacie Bloomfield and Angie Classen provide invaluable insights into building sustainable income streams while maintaining creative integrity. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to elevate your existing art business, this episode serves as an essential resource for transforming passion into profit.

Timestamps Reference:

• 00:33 – Importance of asking for sales
• 00:54 – Necessity of business mindset
• 02:20 – Gingerbread’s growth journey
• 03:04 – Frequency of email sending
• 06:30 – Training customers for consistent emails
• 07:28 – 5,4,3,2,1 email campaign
• 09:57 – Unsubscribes are not personal
• 14:01 – Repurposing blog content into emails
• 14:28 – Using Klaviyo for email marketing
• 18:34 – Licensing vs. product-based sales
• 20:10 – Persistence in pitching for wholesale accounts
• 21:29 – Importance of slow, steady growth
• 27:12 – Balancing family life with business
• 27:20 – Defining true wealth in business
• 31:08 – Final encouragement to share and grow

Note: Timestamps are referenced for illustrative purposes and correspond to the key moments discussed in the summary.