The last few months I’ve been extremely busy.

I started a new job, traveled through London and Berlin for a few weeks, and then photographed restaurants between it all. When I came back I was beyond jetlagged. A functioning zombie I barely managed to get through the day, let alone get through the day and blog. Instead, I went to work and let my brain fall asleep to whatever series was on Hulu. Handmaid’s Tale? Why not! As much as I wanted to blog, I didn’t have the mental capacity to do it. What I should have done was sent out an email to my subscribers letting them know what was going on. Matter of fact, I should have sent out an email letting them know I left in the first place.

As a blogger, I send out emails to welcome people to my site and even send out emails with all of my updates. But one equally important email is to let people know what’s going on with me and Follow My Gut. Thanks to everything I’ve learned over time, I have compiled the three types of emails you should be sending your subscribers. This is particularly useful if you don’t even have a product to sell. Are you ready to see more about these emails and why you should be sending them out?

Of course you are!

The Welcome email is the very first communication you send someone who subscribes to your newsletter. At its core, the email is an automated message that goes out to your readers the minute they drop their email in your subscription box. Without you doing a single thing your crafted message is sent out and sets the stage to your new friendship. What I love about The Welcome Email is that it can be about anything you want. My suggestion is you let it introduce you, your brand, and what your reader will get from you throughout this new relationship. Tell them about you, describe what will hit their inbox, and let them know how to get in contact with you. Most of all, be you. Whenever someone signs up for your emails, it’s because they value what you have to offer so make sure you give them that and that it’s authentic.

Did you just check out a new event happening in your city? That’s an update.

Maybe you hit up an amazing restaurant that everyone needs to fall in love with just like you did? Sounds like an update to me.

Whatever you write about and whatever your blog focuses on is something that you need to share. Yes you should post it to your website and of course you should share it across your social media pages. But don’t forget that should also send it out as an email to your readers. I can admit it can be a lot of work to do all of that, especially when life gets busy, but do your best to send out your updates to your readers. Regardless of how short of a review it may be or even if it’s only a few photos of something you’re working on, send it out. When someone gives you their email, they should get your content and any updates you have is the best thing to deliver.

I adore this style of email because it helps your subscribers know where you are. If you’re going on a trip, heading to meeting with a major business, or if you have to disappear for a while because of priorities, let your subscribers know. It’s a simple email that can keep them up to date with what’s going on in your life and when things should get back to a familiar rhythm. I send these kind of emails whenever I’m heading out to travel, when I have a big event like the Oscars and I think my readers should see it happen on my Instagram Stories, or to explain that I started a new job and ran off to London and that’s why I was gone for a few weeks. This type of email is also great as a form of apology for being gone. Whatever you see coming your way that’s important, share it. Your readers like you, so there’s a good chance they’ll like your news.

Sending out emails to your subscribers is a great way to keep in touch with them and make sure they’re getting the content they signed up to receive. The best way to do so is create a series of emails that helps you communicate with them as best as possible. A Welcome Email, messages with your updates, and messages letting them know where you are or where you’ve been are great ways to let them know what you’re doing and things they should know. If you haven’t started them for yourself, get going on it. Today is a perfect day to get it going!