If reports are correct, not only has the response to Covid-19 given rise to a substantial increase in online sales, but there has been a significant rise in the number subscribing to email marketing lists. One bit of good news from 2020. Are you treating these new subscribers differently to the ones you gained during normal times? Many suggest you should.
It is probable that these new subscribers differ in some way from the established ones on your lists, behaving differently in purchasing, life-cycle, and other ways. If so, they should be easy enough to define them. Once you’ve identified them, the most sensible option is to put them on their own email marketing list, not only to, hopefully, sell to them, but to show how you should treat other lockdown subscribers. What works for them will probably work for others struggling with the loss of the high street.
It is probable that they currently see online purchasing as a temporary measure. When the various lockdowns are lifted and the situation, as far as possible, normalises, you need to make sure they are so 
sold on buying via email marketing that they stay with you. It probably won’t be a complete return to the old ways. Some shops will close permanently, others will reopen but not all at the same time, and it is possible they might restart over a period. We need to ensure the temptations of the old ways do not mean we lose them.
It might be that they struggled with the processes of buying online and via email marketing, in which case it’s up to you to make the selling process for these newcomers easier to understand. If they tend to abandon carts, then work out why and put in a fix. If they are hesitant with click-throughs, paying, or any of the sub processes, then work out why and change them to something more suitable.
These new subscribers might well be new to the Internet as a means of shopping. It’s bound to be bewildering. If they make simple errors, then make simpler landing pages for that specific group. All you are doing is what you normally do; targeting.
Other considerations are the reasons they didn’t take to online purchasing before the changes brought on by Covid. Are they concerned regarding the safety of paying online? Tell them, on landing pages, with the carts, and in email marketing that your systems are secure and, for instance, you keep no records of their credit cards.
They might well be well read regarding hacking and spam emails, and especially the safety of their data. Tell them that their security is a concern of your company, and your systems are class of the field and can be trusted. Find out, and fix it; it’s what we do.
Your new subscribers might well differ considerably from those you normally attract. Reassure them, show them that email marketing means they will be getting offers on a regular basis and that they will be wondering why they waited so long.
