If I Started Over with List Building – What Would I Do?
In this week's episode, we're tackling a popular question: “How would you build your email list if you were starting all over again?”
It’s something I’ve been asked countless times at events and on panels, and I’ve actually had to do it myself a few times over the years. So, let’s dive into the strategies I’d use today.
Want to get more sales from your email marketing?
Before we get started with today’s episode, we’ve put a little something together for you.
It's really cool and it's FREE (yes, it's cool and free – we're nice like that). We all know that subject lines are important to get right and are a leading measure of your open and click rates – but writing them can be a challenge.
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Viral Contests: My First Go-To Strategy
The first email list I ever built was for magicians, back when I was a performing mentalist.
I used a viral contest, and this method still works like magic (pun intended!). I offered a free magic trick (my lead magnet) to fellow magicians on niche forums, like the one I frequented.
The secret strategy? I included a referral link for every subscriber.
If they got three friends to join, they’d get another exclusive trick for free. This simple viral sharing mechanism helped me grow my list from zero to over 8,000 subscribers in no time. The key here was that I knew exactly where my audience was hanging out and gave them something they couldn’t resist sharing.
Summits: The Power of Collaboration
The second thing I would do is host an online summit.
I’ve used this strategy in multiple niches (including our own INBOX event) and the idea is simple: gather influencers or experts in your field, get them to speak at your event, and have them promote the summit to their audience. Each new person who registers for the summit builds your list. It’s a win-win since you get the exposure and they get to look like heroes to their audience by being part of a valuable event.
Even if you’re not just starting out, summits are a great way to build massive spikes in subscribers.
The Top 10 Books To 'Power Up' Your Email Marketing
10 book recommendations that will improve all areas of your email marketing (including some underground treasures that we stumbled upon which have been game-changing for us).
Borrowing Audiences: Speak in Front of Established Communities
My third tip is something I’ve done hundreds of times – find communities or groups that already contain your ideal audience and get yourself invited to speak.
Whether it’s a membership site, a paid community, or a Facebook group, offering free value through a webinar or training session allows you to borrow the host’s credibility and get in front of a warm audience. This method works especially well when you keep it simple: no big sales pitch, just solid content and a lead magnet.
The audience is more likely to join your email list because you’ve been endorsed by someone they already trust. And, thanks to that relationship, they’re far more likely to convert.
Bonus Tip: Flexibility with Offers
Here’s a nugget I learned from my friend Natalie Ellis, founder of Boss Babe.
Not every community will let you speak without offering something for sale. Some want a commission from any offer you make to their audience. The solution? Offer two options: one where you provide pure value with a lead magnet, and one where you make an offer, sharing a commission with the host. That way, you’re covered no matter what.
Closing Thoughts
Ultimately, the key to building an email list from scratch lies in leveraging other people’s audiences, being helpful, and offering something worth sharing. Whether through viral contests, summits, or speaking engagements, focus on being where your audience already hangs out.
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Subject line of the week
This week’s subject line is: “What’s That Smell?”
It played off curiosity – we don’t know if it’s a good or bad smell, and that uncertainty draws people in.
(Fun fact: it was about me trying to recall the name of a particular aftershave!)
Resources
FREE list to improve your email marketing
If you want to write better emails, come up with better content, and move your readers to click and buy, here's how. We put together this list of our Top 10 most highly recommended books that will improve all areas of your email marketing (including some underground treasures that we happened upon, which have been game-changing for us). Grab your FREE list here.
Join our FREE Facebook group
If you want to chat about how you can maximise the value of your email list and make more money from every subscriber, we can help! We know your business is different, so come and hang out in our FREE Facebook group, the Email Marketing Show Community for Course Creators and Coaches. We share a lot of training and resources, and you can talk about what you're up to.
Try ResponseSuite for $1
This week's episode is sponsored by ResponseSuite.com, the survey quiz and application form tool that we created specifically for small businesses like you to integrate with your marketing systems to segment your subscribers and make more sales. Try it out for 14 days for just $1.
Join The Email Hero Blueprint
Want more? Let's say you're a course creator, membership site owner, coach, author, or expert and want to learn about the ethical psychology-based email marketing that turns 60-80% more of your newsletter subscribers into customers (within 60 days).
If that's you, then The Email Hero Blueprint is for you.
This is hands down the most predictable, plug-and-play way to double your earnings per email subscriber. It allows you to generate a consistent sales flow without launching another product, service, or offer. Best news yet? You won't have to rely on copywriting, slimy persuasion, NLP, or ‘better' subject lines.
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