How Many Emails Should You Send? The Answer That Scaled Our Business to $2M — with Angie Classen

Hi creatives! If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by marketing or unsure how often you really need to email your audience, this episode of Art + Audience podcast is for you. Stacie is joined by her longtime business partner and sister, Angie Classen, for an honest, encouraging deep dive into one of the most powerful tools in their business toolkit: email marketing.

From Etsy to 7 Figures

Looking back at the start of Stacie’s handmade brand, Gingiber, it grew from a one-woman Etsy shop pulling in $100K a year to a $2 million business. Angie joined the business early on and helped guide its steady, sustainable growth. Their marketing approach—especially through email—played a huge part in that success.

While Etsy and social media helped them gain traction early on, today’s landscape is different. Traffic doesn’t just show up. Building and nurturing your own audience is the key, and email is one of the most effective ways to do that.

Email Isn’t Dead—But You Might Be Ignoring It

Many creatives assume email is outdated or feel unsure of what to say. Others worry about being annoying. The truth is, email still converts better than almost any other platform. And for product-based businesses especially, it’s an essential way to connect directly with customers who have already shown interest in what you make.

Angie and Stacie recommend emailing your list multiple times a week—starting with at least once—and not shying away from clear calls to action.

Try This: The 5-4-3-2-1 Campaign

To prep for Mother’s Day, they used a simple email countdown strategy: five days of emails, each one featuring a single best-selling product from a different category. This method not only boosted engagement but also led to sales every single day of the campaign. Unsubscribes stayed low, spam complaints were minimal, and their customers appreciated the reminders.

It’s a great example of how frequency doesn’t have to mean overload. When emails are relevant and timed around your customers’ buying habits, they work.

Don’t Overcomplicate It

One of Angie’s go-to strategies is to repurpose content. For this campaign, she took a single blog post and divided it into five emails. Each one highlighted a different top-selling item, included social proof like customer reviews, and made it easy to shop with a clear discount offer.

Many creatives feel pressured to write something entirely new every time. But the truth is, your audience benefits more from a focused message than a jam-packed one. Use what you’ve already created. Keep it simple.

Getting Past the Fear

Stacie and Angie know firsthand that sending more emails can feel uncomfortable, especially at first. Many creatives are feelers—they don’t want to annoy people, and they take unsubscribes personally. But over time, they’ve learned to see unsubscribes as a gift. They help refine your audience, not diminish it.

The goal isn’t to please everyone. It’s to stay connected to the people who actually want to hear from you.

Know Your Strategy—and Your Audience

They also touch on why it’s important to tailor your approach depending on your business model. Product marketing differs from selling online courses or licensing art. Each requires a different strategy, and it’s important to take advice from those who actually work in your space.

From cold pitching wholesale accounts to managing two different brands, they’ve learned that everything takes time. Success isn’t instant—but consistent, thoughtful effort pays off.

Build a Life You Love

More than anything, this episode is a reminder that a profitable, values-driven business is possible. One where you can support your family, work with people you care about, and still make it to your kid’s school play. Gingiber is proof that slow, steady growth built on strategy and authenticity is not only possible—it’s powerful.

Final Thoughts

Marketing isn’t optional—it’s essential. Email is one of the most effective, low-cost ways to build real relationships with your audience and turn interest into income. Stacie and Angie’s journey with Gingiber proves that with a little strategy and a lot of consistency, you can grow a thriving business while building a life you love.

If you’ve been holding off on starting that email list or are afraid to hit “send,” consider this your nudge. Your audience is out there—and they want to hear from you.

Share Your Story

Has this episode resonated with you? Stacie would love to hear from you! Call the Art + Audience voicemail at 479-966-9561 and share your story or question for a chance to be featured in a future episode. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Art + Audience Podcast and share it with your favorite art friend. Follow Stacie on Instagram @gingiber | @leverageyourart.