Look, I’ve been in the trenches of email marketing for what feels like forever (okay, maybe just 8 years, but who’s counting?), and let me tell you – some days it feels like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Other days? Pure magic.
You know what drives me nuts? How everyone’s obsessed with the latest TikTok trend or whatever Meta’s cooking up, while email – good old reliable email – just keeps quietly crushing it. Like that friend who shows up to help you move when all your Instagram followers are suddenly “busy.”
So let’s talk about building an email list that actually makes money – no fluff, no BS, just real strategies that work (most of the time, anyway).
1. Lead Magnets That Don’t Suck
God, I’m so tired of seeing the same old “10 Tips for Success” PDF downloads – aren’t you? Your lead magnet needs to be something that makes people stop scrolling and think, “Wait, what? I need that!”
Here’s what’s working right now (at least until next week, lol):
– Mini-Courses: But not those boring slideshow things! I’m talking about quick, punchy lessons that feel like your smart friend explaining stuff over coffee. Quick story – I once created a 3-day course on Pinterest marketing that totally bombed… until I renamed it “Pinterest for People Who Hate Pinterest” and BAM! Signups tripled.
– Templates & Tools: Listen up – people are LAZY (myself included). Give them something they can use RIGHT NOW. I’ve seen a simple Google Sheets budget template outperform a 50-page ebook any day of the week.
– Behind-the-Scenes Stuff: This is pure gold – especially if you’ve got any kind of success in your field. Share those weird little tricks that actually work. Like… maybe that time you accidentally sent an email with a typo in the subject line and it got better open rates? Yeah, that kind of stuff.
2. Social Proof (But Make It Real)
Here’s where most people mess up – they try to look TOO perfect. Newsflash: nobody trusts perfect anymore! We’re living in an era where authenticity is everything (even though half of it is fake authenticity, but that’s a rant for another day).
Instead of just testimonials, try:
– Screenshot the weird DMs you get from happy subscribers (with permission, obviously)
– Share your mistakes! That time you sent an email to the wrong segment? Talk about it!
– Numbers don’t lie… usually. “Join 5,327 other marketers” sounds way more legit than “Join thousands”
3. Sign-Up Forms That Don’t Make People Want to Die Inside
Real talk – I just tried to sign up for a newsletter yesterday that asked for my phone number, birthday, and favorite color. Like… why??? Are you planning my surprise party or building an email list?
Keep it SIMPLE:
– Email address. That’s it. That’s the tweet. (Do people still say that? Whatever.)
– Maybe first name if you’re feeling fancy
– Please, for the love of all things holy, test your forms on mobile! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to subscribe to something on my phone and the button’s playing hide-and-seek off-screen.
4. Contests & Giveaways (The Non-Scammy Way)
Okay, controversial opinion time – most giveaways are garbage. There, I said it. You get a bunch of people who want free stuff and never open another email from you again. But! If you do it right…
Some ideas that won’t make you feel icky:
– Partner with brands your audience actually cares about
– Make the prize something only your ideal customer would want
– Create anticipation – build up to the announcement like it’s the season finale of your favorite show
5. Getting Personal (But Not Creepy-Personal)
This is where it gets fun – and by fun, I mean slightly overwhelming but totally worth it. Segmentation is like sorting your laundry – sure, you could throw it all in together, but someone’s white t-shirt is gonna turn pink.
Quick tip that changed my life: Start tagging subscribers based on what they click in your welcome email. Include a few different topics and – boom! – instant segmentation.
The Real Talk Section
Look, here’s what nobody tells you about building an email list: it’s messy. Some days you’ll feel like a genius, and others you’ll wonder if anyone even reads your stuff (spoiler: they do, they’re just busy).
And don’t get me started on all these “gurus” promising overnight success. Building a solid email list is like growing a garden – it takes time, some stuff dies, but eventually… actually, you know what? That metaphor got away from me. You get the point.
The bottom line? Email marketing isn’t dead. It’s not even napping. It’s alive and kicking and probably making someone money while you’re reading this. So yeah, maybe some of these strategies will work for you, maybe they won’t. Test stuff. Break stuff. Fix it. That’s the fun part.
P.S. Did you notice I didn’t mention anything about “nurturing your list” or “providing value”? Not because they’re not important – they totally are – but because you’re smart enough to figure that out. Focus on getting those emails first, then worry about becoming their new best friend.
Remember: The best time to start building your email list was yesterday. The second best time is right now (unless you’re reading this at 3 AM – in that case, please go to sleep and do it tomorrow).