You’ve opened your Teachers Pay Teachers store, uploaded some resources, and maybe even made a handful of sales. But if you’re ready to grow your income and build a loyal audience of repeat buyers, there’s one next step that almost every successful seller eventually takes:
And before you think, “Email marketing sounds complicated,” I promise it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it’s one of the simplest and most effective tools you can add to your TPT business – and something I wish I had done much earlier.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share tools and products I genuinely love.
Why Email Marketing Is a Game-Changer for TPT Sellers
Platforms change constantly – Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, even TPT search rankings.
But your email list is something you own. When you send an email, you’re speaking directly to teachers who already like your work and want to hear from you. No algorithm required.
Email has been one of the biggest drivers of sales in my business. Even my smaller, niche-specific TPT email list leads to consistent traffic and purchases every time I send an update. It’s the one strategy that keeps working in the background, even when you’re busy.
Step 1: Choose an Email Service Provider
Before you can collect emails, you need a platform to store contacts and send messages. My top recommendation for TPT sellers is Flodesk – it’s clean, beginner-friendly, and the pricing is competitive.
While Flodesk is my top pick for starting an email list, I now use Kajabi because it hosts my courses and memberships. If you’re focusing strictly on email, Flodesk is the easiest and most affordable place to start.
While free platforms exist, they often create headaches down the road when you outgrow them. Switching email service providers can break automation links and disrupt your workflow. I always suggest choosing a platform that supports where you’re going, not just where you are today.
Step 2: Buy a Custom Domain
Instead of emailing from a generic Gmail address, you want something like hello@yourstorename.com. This helps your messages land in inboxes instead of spam and gives your business a polished, trustworthy feel.
I recommend using Bluehost to buy your domain and set up your email inbox. If you prefer a smoother email experience, you can connect your domain to Google Workspace. It’s inexpensive and makes sending and receiving emails far easier.
Step 3: Create Your Freebie (Your “Lead Magnet”)
To grow your list, you’ll offer something valuable in exchange for a teacher’s email address. This can be as simple as a small printable, a short set of task cards, or a mini version of a larger product you sell.
The key is to choose something related to a paid resource in your store so that your emails naturally connect the dots. For example, if you offer a free week of lessons, you can follow up with the full curriculum. If you offer a sample of classroom games, you can naturally mention the full set later.
Step 4: Set Up a Simple Landing Page and Workflow
Once your freebie is ready, your email service provider will walk you through setting up a sign-up form and a landing page. This is where teachers enter their name and email.
After that, you’ll create a short automated sequence – called a workflow – that delivers your freebie and sends one or two follow-up emails. These follow-ups can introduce you, share teaching tips, or highlight related resources from your store.
This sequence will help build trust, boost traffic, and help teachers connect the value of your freebie to the products you sell.
Easy Ways to Share Your Email List With TPT Buyers
Once your workflow is ready, it’s time to start growing your email list. Start placing your sign-up link where teachers already interact with your resources – add it inside your previews, the second page of your resource, your product descriptions, or even your Terms of Use page. You can also share it on social media or your website if you have one.
It’s important to remember that you don’t need to do everything at once. Choose one place to start and build from there.
You Don’t Need a Huge Email Audience to See the Impact
One of the biggest myths about email marketing is that you need hundreds or thousands of subscribers before it “works.” But the truth is that even a small list can lead to consistent sales.
If you send an email to 50 subscribers and one person buys from your TPT store, that’s already a win. As your list grows, so will your visibility, engagement, and long-term revenue.
Start Your Email List Sooner Rather Than Later
If there’s one thing I could change about my early TPT journey, it would be setting up my email list from day one. You don’t need to write weekly newsletters or become an email expert. You just need to get your list started.
You can grow at your own pace, send emails when you have something helpful to share, and let your automations do the heavy lifting in the background.
Don’t let starting an email list be the daunting task that holds you back. In a recent podcast episode, I chatted with Liz Wilcox, an email marketing expert, so she could share her simple, practical approach to email marketing that anyone can do – even if you’re a total beginner. Listen to that episode here!
If you want the exact email marketing steps, tutorials, and templates I use, make sure to grab my email course for TPT sellers.
