Updated 2026: In 2009, I wrote about two local restaurants that perfectly illustrated why email marketing matters for every business, online or offline. The story is about Thai food and Mexican food, but the lesson is about the most valuable asset any business can build: a direct relationship with its customers.
The Thai Restaurant That Lost Everything
Ann ran a Thai restaurant I had been eating at for years. When she tried to sell the business, the deal went badly. The new owners ran off all of her loyal customers in a matter of weeks, then failed to pay Ann and walked away after selling off the furniture and kitchen equipment. Ann was left with a gutted restaurant and no customers.
What Ann needed was an email list. If she had spent the previous ten years collecting customer email addresses and sending even a simple monthly coupon, she would have had thousands of loyal contacts. When she got her restaurant back, one email about a grand reopening would have filled the place overnight. Instead, she had to rebuild from zero. A decade of goodwill and customer relationships, gone because they existed only in people's heads and not in a database she controlled.
The Mexican Restaurant That Did It Right
Meanwhile, my favorite Mexican restaurant was preparing to move to a new, larger location. The owner, Kevin, was not worried about losing customers in the transition. He had a mailing list. Every couple of weeks, his customers received coupons and updates about drink specials. When the move happened, he simply emailed his list with the new address and an opening date.
Same city, same era, completely different outcomes. The only difference was that Kevin had built a direct communication channel with his customers and Ann had not.
The Money Is Not in the List. The Value Is.
People in internet marketing love to say “the money is in the list.” I have always thought that gets the emphasis wrong. The value is in the list. The money follows value.
An email list is not a license to spam people with promotions. It is a relationship. You provide value, whether that is useful information, exclusive deals, entertainment, or a combination of all three. In return, your subscribers trust you enough to open your emails, click your links, and buy what you recommend. That trust is the actual asset. The email addresses are just the mechanism.
Email Marketing Fundamentals That Have Not Changed
The tools have evolved since 2009, but the fundamentals of email marketing remain exactly the same:
- Every business needs an email list. If you have a website without an opt-in form, you are leaving your most valuable marketing asset unbuilt. Every visitor who leaves without giving you their email address is someone you may never see again.
- Provide consistent value. Send emails on a regular schedule with content your subscribers actually want to receive. This builds the habit of opening your emails and the trust that makes your recommendations effective.
- Keep it simple. A restaurant sending a monthly coupon is enough. An internet marketer sharing one useful tip per week is enough. You do not need elaborate funnels to start. You need consistency.
- Respect the relationship. Every email you send is a withdrawal or a deposit in the trust bank. Make sure most of your emails are deposits, providing value with no strings attached.
Getting Started with Email Marketing in 2026
Email marketing platforms are more accessible and affordable than ever. ConvertKit, MailerLite, and Brevo all offer free tiers for small lists. You do not need a big budget. You need a simple opt-in on your website, a compelling reason for people to subscribe, and a commitment to showing up in their inbox regularly.
Start today. Your future self will thank you, just like Kevin thanked his past self when it was time to move his restaurant.
For more on email marketing and building online businesses, subscribe to the Late Night Internet Marketing podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Superb idea and post. Five kudos for you.
So, thoughts about how the business owners should get people to submit their email addresses? Flyers in the menus? I know Home Depot, and I think Lowes, has a website listed on their receipts where you can take a survey for prizes, and they trap email addresses that way. (Hmmm, that’s a thought. You could probably offer that kind of functionality to business owners as well – handle everything for them). Any other ideas?
The three things that occur to me (and are easy to implement):
1. Sign up to get coupons
2. Take survey to get coupons
3. We give away a free dinner for two once a month
You can also just ask. I like being on the mexican food’s email list. They send me free stuff. I forward them to my wife with an invitation to get a sitter or whatever.
Great article Mark! Good thing I just ate, or I’d be hungry right now.
Seriously, I have a friend who owns a bar and needs to hear this. I think I’m going to take your idea and run with it. Thanks!
Thanks, Brenda — if it’s a friend, then you can just sign him up to Aweber under your affiliate ID and call it a day. Bars are great for this because of drink specials and live entertainment announcements.
Hi Mark,
I had another take away from your article too. That is be really careful who you do business with. Check them out top to bottom, do a credit check, get references, etc., and do your best to avoid the people that might burn you.
Stew
I think you are spot-on Stew. Hard for me to imagine how you do a deal like this without getting the money up front. I feel bad for her — I hope she can turn it around. She is a really nice lady with a great product. She needs customers.
Great article! While I was reading this I thought of several local businesses that should be taking advantage of this idea. Places like hair and nail salons, quick lube shops ect. would be good candidates too.
Thanks — I agree. You can think like this every time you buy something. And it’s an easy “cold call” too — “can I sign up on your mailing list?” You don’t have one? You are kidding. Here — take my card. Boom.
Mark, Great stories. Your totally correct. That is one thing I have not done and I believe have missed out on several opportunities. I will try to have one up and running soon.
Lovely post Mark!
I’m starting in the offline niche on June 1.st, and I’m really looking forward to it.
I REALLY like the opener. “Great food! – Can I sign up for your mailing list?”.
This opens up for making back the entire meal after you’ve eaten it, and actually MAKE MONEY by doing so.
One thing though… I’m from Norway, with Norwegian clients. Do you know any autoresponder with better support for other languages? Or spesifically Norwegian?
Thanks,
– Preben
Mark- I love your story about the restaurant owners. It clearly illustrates the need for a mailing list. I see that you, like myself also have trouble spelling restaurant. I almost never get it right!
Thanks for the blog post.
-Don 🙂
@Preben — Sorry, I really don’t. It’s a great question, but I have never had a need to investigate that.
Yeah son! great story, great lesson, thanks for the kick in the butt!
sometimes we forget how much we know that can help local biz folks.
@Preben, I’m from Denmark and I know that we have several Danish options for autoresponders (I prefer Aweber though) so I’m sure you have as well if you do a little searching.
/Mikael