Why I Finally Invested in Email Marketing (And Why Flodesk Was Worth Every Penny)

For years, I told myself I didn't need to pay for an email marketing tool.

I hopped between free platforms, pieced together clunky workflows, and convinced myself that "good enough" was fine. Email felt like this necessary evil - something I had to do for my photography business, but never something I actually enjoyed.

And honestly? It showed. My emails were bland. My open rates were underwhelming. And the whole process felt like such a chore that I'd put it off until the absolute last minute, then scramble to throw something together that looked... fine.

But here's what I didn't realise at the time: I wasn't showing up for my audience the way I wanted to. I was so focused on Instagram, pouring energy into stories and posts that would disappear in 24 hours or get buried in an algorithm I had zero control over. Meanwhile, the people who actually wanted to hear from me - the ones who'd opted in, who'd raised their hand and said "yes, send me your updates" - were getting the scraps.

That had to change.

The shift that changed everything

When I finally invested in Flodesk, it wasn't just about getting a prettier email tool (though, let's be honest, that was a big part of it). It was about taking my audience connection seriously.

Social media is rented land. Instagram could change its algorithm tomorrow. A platform could disappear. Your account could get hacked or shadowbanned. But your email list? That's yours. Those are real people who've chosen to hear from you, and they're not going anywhere unless they decide to leave.

The difference in how people engage with email versus social media is honestly staggering. My open rates are so much higher than any engagement I was getting on Instagram. I'm landing directly in someone's inbox - a space they check daily, often multiple times a day. And unlike a fleeting Instagram story, my emails stick around. People save them. They come back to them. They actually read them.

Once I made that mental shift and started treating email as my primary connection point (not just an afterthought), everything changed.

Why Flodesk was the right choice for me

I'll be honest - I looked at a lot of email platforms before committing. Mailchimp felt overwhelming and corporate. ConvertKit seemed built for course creators with complex funnels I didn't need. I wanted something that felt intuitive, beautiful, and actually enjoyable to use.

Flodesk ticked every single box. I use it for two of my own brands - Story Keeper and my photography business and I can run both of these brands from one account, which I love!

The templates are genuinely beautiful

This was the first thing that sold me. Every template in Flodesk looks like it was designed by someone who actually cares about aesthetics. As a photographer, I live and breathe visual storytelling, and I needed my emails to reflect that same level of care and artistry.

The templates aren't just functional - they're stunning. And the best part? They're completely customisable. I can drag and drop images, adjust colours to match my brand, add my own fonts, and make each email feel distinctly mine. No coding required. No wrestling with clunky builders or settling for something that looks "good enough."

I can sit down to write an email and actually feel excited about how it's going to look when it lands in someone's inbox.

Workflows that actually make sense

Before Flodesk, my email workflows were... let's call them nonexistent. I'd manually send emails, forget to follow up with people, and constantly feel like I was dropping the ball.

Now? I've got automated workflows running in the background that nurture my audience without me having to lift a finger.

When someone downloads a freebie or signs up for my email list, they immediately get a beautifully designed welcome sequence that introduces them to my work, shares my story, and gives them value right from the start. When someone purchases a preset pack, they get an automated email with install instructions and tips for getting the most out of their new tools.

And here's the game-changer: I can segment my audience and send them content that's actually relevant to them. Photographers who are interested in my Atlas course get different emails than people who just want preset recommendations. People who've purchased from me before get tagged differently than brand new subscribers.

This level of personalisation used to feel completely out of reach for me. Now it's automatic.

Collaboration made easy

I work with a small team, and one of the features I didn't expect to love as much as I do is the ability to share templates with each other. When someone on my team creates a beautiful email layout, we can save it as a template and everyone has access to it.

This has been such a time-saver. We're not constantly reinventing the wheel or sending screenshots back and forth trying to recreate a design. We've got a shared library of on-brand templates that anyone can use, which means our emails stay consistent no matter who's sending them.

It's a small feature, but for a small business owner trying to streamline processes and create systems that actually stick, it's made a massive difference.

What's changed since I started using Flodesk

The platform has come such a long way since I first signed up. They've added integrations with tools like Manychat, Canva, and Thrivecart, which means Flodesk is becoming even more powerful for people running online businesses. While I don't personally use these integrations yet, it's reassuring to know they're there as my business grows and my needs evolve.

But honestly, the core features - the beautiful templates, the intuitive workflows, the segmentation options - are what keep me coming back. Flodesk has stayed true to what makes it special (simplicity and design) while quietly adding robust features that make it a genuinely powerful email marketing tool.

Why I believe Flodesk is the best email tool for creatives

If you're a photographer, designer, artist, or anyone who values beautiful, intentional design, Flodesk just gets it. This isn't a platform built for tech bros running complex sales funnels. It's built for people who want their emails to feel warm, personal, and visually compelling.

It's also refreshingly simple. I don't need a degree in marketing automation to figure out how to set up a workflow. I don't need to watch five YouTube tutorials just to send a basic email. Everything is intuitive and user-friendly, which means I spend less time figuring out the tool and more time actually connecting with my audience.

And here's the thing - it's not just about the pretty templates (though those don't hurt). It's about showing up consistently for the people who've chosen to hear from me. It's about treating my email list like the valuable asset it is, not an afterthought I get to when I remember.

Since investing in Flodesk and shifting my focus away from relying so heavily on social media, I've felt more in control of my business. I'm not at the mercy of an algorithm. I'm not panicking every time Instagram changes something. I've got a direct line to my audience, and that peace of mind is priceless.

Ready to take your email marketing seriously?

If you've been putting off investing in a proper email tool, or if you're currently using something that feels clunky and uninspiring, I can't recommend Flodesk enough.

It was my first real investment in email marketing, and honestly, I wish I'd done it sooner and it’s what I tell every new photog to jump on from the start! The time I've saved, the connection I've built with my audience, and the relief of knowing I'm not entirely dependent on social media - it's been worth every penny.

Want to try it for yourself? Use my affiliate link to get 25% off your first year of Flodesk.

Start with a free trial, explore the templates, play around with the workflows, and see if it feels like the right fit for you and your business. I genuinely believe it will be.

Your audience is waiting to hear from you - and they deserve more than whatever scraps the algorithm decides to show them. Give them something beautiful, intentional, and worth opening.

You've got this.

Bec x

P.S. New to email marketing and not sure where to start? Check out my series on how to build and grow your email list from scratch.