Lol, I know. Over the 7 years of running my email marketing agency for DTC e-commerce businesses (we actually call ourselves more of a "retention marketing agency" but SEO has other plans), I can't tell you how many e-commerce founders have said this and it just breaks my heart.

Because Facebook & Instagram ads and Google ads are not the same thing as email marketing. They are two different parts of the same funnel!

Does this clarify some things?

Your ad spend is huge. One of the biggest cash leaks in your DTC business. But it's unavoidable up to a certain point. Once you've built a solid foundation, you can actually then start focussing on email marketing and organic socials and they will do the job for you. You just have to be well informed and that starts by understanding that Meta ads and email marketing are not either/or. They are different parts of the funnel.

And if you want to maximise ROI, then email is the way to focus on once you've built a sizeable list and MRR for your online store.

Among the top 5 reasons why any e-commerce brand fails is cash flow. And you know how much of your cash goes every month into Mr Zuck's pockets. So do not think this is unavoidable. It is. You just need to build your funnel right.

Things email marketing does for e-commerce brands:

1. Convert new leads into first time buyers

2. Convert first-time buyers into repeat buyers

3. Convert buyers into giving reviews

4. Convert buyers into referrers

5. Grow LTV of each buyer to the highest possible

6. Bring back lapsed customers with the cheapest possible retargeting

7. Actually personlize the conversation for each buyer - by showing them the products they are interested in

8. Fix the gaps in your funnel through automated flows that recognize each customer into their actual current position in the buyer's journey

9. Reach out to each buyer at the time that works for them (whereas in social media you just post at one time and if someone happens to be online and sees it, you're lucky)

10. Target people based on their actual behaviour like active on site or opened emails or did not open emails etc

11. A lot more

None of these can social media do for you.

Happy to talk more.