3 Email Marketing Strategies to Grow Your List and Boost Engagement in the Age of AI with Allea Grummert

AI is everywhere right now.

From social media content to podcast show notes to emails, it feels like everyone is asking the same question:

“How do I stay relevant and effective when AI is doing so much?”

In this episode, I sat down with email marketing strategist Allea Grummert for a fun, honest, and incredibly practical conversation about list growth, email strategy, and what actually matters moving forward.

And yes… we absolutely went down some entertaining rabbit holes along the way.

Meet Allea Grummert

Allea Grummert is an email marketing strategist, copywriter, and agency owner who specializes in done-for-you email marketing.

With experience working one-on-one with more than 120 clients, Allea brings both deep expertise and real-world perspective to the conversation.

Also, one of my favorite fun facts from this episode:

She’s from a rural Nebraska town so small it barely cracks triple digits in population.

Which led to one of the funniest stories in this conversation involving:

A news anchor
A Black Angus
And a very confused pronunciation

List Growth Tools You Might Be Missing

We kicked things off by diving into practical tools for list growth that are working right now and will continue to matter.

Mediavine Grow (For WordPress Users)

Allea shared insights on the Grow plugin from Mediavine.

What makes it interesting:

• Clean lightbox-style opt-in experience
• Seamless integration with email platforms
• Free to use

One key limitation to be aware of:

You can see subscriber numbers, but not conversion rates.

Still, for many businesses, it’s a powerful and simple way to capture leads.

Kit Creator Network

If you’re using Kit and not leveraging the Creator Network, this episode might feel like a gentle nudge.

Why it matters:

• Built-in audience sharing
• Passive list growth opportunities
• Easy discovery of aligned creators

But Allea also emphasized something important:

You don’t have to rely solely on platform features.

The Grassroots Strategy That Still Wins

One of my favorite parts of this conversation:

Allea’s emphasis on what she calls a grassroots approach to audience growth.

In a world dominated by automation and AI, this strategy feels refreshingly human.

The idea:

Find peers with overlapping audiences and promote each other consistently.

Not formal launches
Not complex funnels

Just:

“Hey, my friend published this.”
“Go check this out.”
“Here’s something valuable.”

Simple.

Effective.

Relationship-driven.

The Passive Income Reality Check

At one point, we stepped onto a shared soapbox.

Because let’s be honest:

There is no magical “set it and forget it” business model.

Different business models require different strategies.

Allea explained this beautifully:

Service providers need volume and visibility
Content creators need traffic and clicks
Course creators need nurture and trust

Same tools.

Different math.

Borrowing Other People’s Audiences (BOPA)

This episode strongly reinforces a strategy I talk about constantly:

Borrowing Other People’s Audiences.

We discussed visibility through:

• Podcast guesting
• Freebie swaps
• Expert sessions
• Strategic partnerships

And Allea added an important mindset shift:

Rejection gets easier once you treat visibility like a numbers game paired with quality positioning.

Social Media → Email List Bridges

Another practical gem from this episode:

Using tools like ManyChat and DM-based automations.

Why this works so well:

• Meets people where they already are
• Removes friction
• Captures interest in real time

For busy, scrolling audiences, this strategy can dramatically improve list growth.

Email Math: How You Actually Make More Money

One of Allea’s standout frameworks:

Email Math

If you want more revenue from email, there are only a few real levers:

• Send more emails
• Grow your list
• Improve your click rate

That’s it.

No mystery.

No magic.

Just strategy and consistency.

Why Welcome Sequences Matter More Than Ever

In the time of AI, differentiation becomes critical.

Allea made a powerful point:

Your welcome sequence is where real relationship-building happens.

New subscribers are:

Most engaged
Most curious
Most receptive

This is your opportunity to:

• Establish connection
• Build trust
• Highlight offers
• Showcase credibility

Something AI summaries simply cannot replicate.

Building Real Relationships Through Email

We also explored how to create genuine two-way engagement.

Simple but powerful strategies:

• Ask for replies
• Run mini polls
• Ask one focused question
• Respond like a human

One of my favorite reminders from Allea:

Sometimes the best strategy is simply doing the human thing.

Visibility vs Conversion: The Mistake Most Entrepreneurs Make

A recurring theme I see with my own clients came up during this conversation:

People assume poor conversions…

When the real issue is poor visibility.

If people don’t see the offer, they cannot buy the offer.

This episode delivers a strong mindset reset around promotion frequency and audience awareness.

Hosting Events to Build Trust & Loyalty

One of the most valuable parts of Allea’s journey:

Hosting a monthly roundtable for over two years.

The benefits:

• Deeper audience relationships
• Real-time audience research
• Community building
• Consistent visibility

And most importantly:

Something AI cannot replicate.

The Biggest Email Marketing Myth

One of the most important takeaways from this episode:

You are not burdening your audience.

Many entrepreneurs hold back from emailing because they project their own preferences onto their subscribers.

But:

You are not your audience.

And segmentation allows subscribers to choose their experience.

Key Takeaways From This Episode

✔ AI is changing tools, not fundamentals
✔ Relationships still drive results
✔ Visibility is often the real bottleneck
✔ List growth requires intentional strategy
✔ Welcome sequences are business assets
✔ Email revenue follows simple math
✔ Consistency beats perfection

Connect With Alea Grummert

Instagram | Podcast | Website

Apply for 1 of 3 spots for free coaching with Allea: www.duett.co/apply

If this episode shifted your thinking about AI, email marketing, or list growth, share it with a fellow entrepreneur who needs this reminder.

And remember:

Trust, connection, and consistency are not going out of style 💛