#5 The Secret Shopify Power Move: Start Email Before You Launch
The Secret Shopify Power Move: Start Email Before You Launch
Shopify beginners obsess over their theme, products, and launch date—but forget the one asset that turns a store into a business: an email list. Everyone talks about SEO, TikTok ads, and traffic—but email quietly does the heavy lifting. And most creators skip it.
Big mistake.
I’ll say it clearly: if you don’t start building an email list before you launch, you’re setting your future self up for struggle. Because once you launch, the clock starts ticking. Ads cost money. Organic traffic takes time. But your email list? That’s yours.
Let’s break down why starting email early matters, what it did for Teka Originals, and how you can start collecting emails in the next 15 minutes.
Why Most Shopify Stores Ignore Email
Here’s what happens:
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You’re too busy setting up products and customizing your store.
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You assume you need traffic before collecting emails.
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You think email is outdated or spammy.
All false.
The truth is, you need to build your audience before your product is ready. This gives you:
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Warm leads to launch to
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A testing ground for ideas
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A feedback loop for content
And most importantly? Sales without paying Meta.
What Happens When You Launch With an Email List
When Teka Originals launched, I had:
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53 email subscribers from a coming soon page
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27 more from a free download (Shopify SEO Checklist)
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14 more from Pinterest traffic to a blog post
Total: 94 warm leads.
When launch day came, I sent:
Subject: "We’re live! Your gift is inside 🎁"
Within 3 hours:
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10 orders
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4 people replied saying “Congrats!”
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CTR of 22%, 11.4% conversion rate
Try getting those numbers from ads.
How I Built My Pre-Launch List (Free + Easy)
✅ I Made a “Coming Soon” Page with Email Capture
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Headline: "Funny Gifts Are Coming"
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Subhead: "Get 10% off when we launch — only for early birds"
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Email field connected to Shopify Email
✅ I Offered a Free Download
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Lead magnet: "Free Shopify SEO Starter Kit"
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Promoted it in blog posts + social
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Used Canva to design PDF, exported as lead magnet
✅ I Used Popups From Day One
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Non-intrusive delay (10s after page load)
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10% welcome gift or free downloadable tool
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Collected emails even before first sale
✅ I Emailed Once a Week With Value
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Tips for Shopify beginners
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Behind-the-scenes store updates
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Fun memes + comedy content tied to my brand
Every email built trust. So when I launched? People were ready to buy.
The Long-Term Power of Email
Here’s what that small list gave me:
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Cheapest re-marketing ever
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Sales during slow ad weeks
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Feedback on new product ideas
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Organic referrals (people forwarded emails)
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Click-throughs to blogs, helping SEO
Best part? Once you have that list, it’s evergreen. You own it.
Tools You Can Use (All Free to Start)
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Shopify Email – easy, built-in
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Privy – popups + email collection
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MailerLite – powerful automation for free
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Canva – lead magnet design
What to Email Before Launch
Don’t just say “We’re launching soon!” over and over. Give value.
Here are 5 great pre-launch email ideas:
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"How we’re building our store from scratch (and what’s going wrong)"
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"10 Things We Learned From Prepping Our First Product"
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"Freebie Friday: Here’s the checklist we built for you"
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"Should we launch this funny gift next? Vote here!"
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"Only for early birds: 10% off + a gift when we go live"
Each email builds anticipation and engagement.
Real Talk: What If You’re Already Live?
Start today. It’s never too late. Add a popup. Offer a lead magnet. Write a story-based email.
Don’t wait until sales slow to start emailing. Start now—because later you’ll wish you had.
Final Thoughts: Email is The Shopify Lifeline
If TikTok bans you… if Meta ads flop… if Google traffic slows… email stays.
It’s the most predictable, personal, and powerful marketing tool Shopify store owners have. And it’s free to use.
Don’t sleep on it.
Build that list before you build your hype.
Part #3: The Hidden SEO Trap Shopify Store Owners Need to Fix Before Launch