Understanding Your Purpose for Email List Growth

Building an email list has become an essential strategy for engaging audiences without the constant pressure of social media. After experimenting with various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads, I found that none resonated with me. Creating videos isn't my forte, and while I haven't yet explored YouTube, I prefer writing.

Upon discovering the potential of an email list to connect with audiences and drive sales, I felt an overwhelming sense of excitement. However, the question arose: how do I begin?

Clarifying Your Objectives

Before diving into email list creation, it's vital to define your goals. What do you aim to achieve through your email list? Initially, I was drawn to the idea because everyone else seemed to be doing it. But I had to ask myself: what topics should I cover? What benefits would it bring for me and my audience?

Understanding your objectives is crucial. Whether you want to boost sales, nurture relationships, or maintain visibility with your audience, having clear goals will guide your strategy and keep you focused.

Consider these questions to clarify your intentions:

• What is your primary goal for growing your email list?
• Who is your target audience, and what are their needs and interests?
• What type of content and offers do you plan to provide your subscribers?
• How will you track the success of your email list initiatives?

Crafting Your Email Marketing Strategy

Now that you know what you want to achieve, it's time to devise your email marketing strategy, focusing on three key areas: Frequency, Provider, and Promotion.

#### Frequency

How frequently will you send out your newsletter? Daily, weekly, or several times a week? Some advocates argue for a daily newsletter, emphasizing the importance of regular visibility. In my previous career, we learned that clients needed to see our brand at least seven times before recognizing us. Thus, a daily approach could be beneficial.

However, it's crucial to balance frequency with value. Sending out daily emails without meaningful content will lead to disengagement. I subscribe to various newsletters with different frequencies, but the common factor is the value they deliver, not how often they arrive.

#### Provider

Choosing the right platform to distribute your newsletter is essential. While many writers prefer Substack, it may not suit marketers focused on selling courses or affiliate products due to its limited features. Transitioning from one platform to another can be time-consuming, so it's wise to select the right one from the start.

I recently switched from Klaviyo to AWeber for my email lists, which proved to be a lengthy process. Although transferring my list was straightforward, reconfiguring my welcome email sequence and conducting tests took significant time.

#### Promotion

Once you've established the basics, the next step is attracting subscribers. Utilize social platforms where your target audience is active. Personally, I write on Medium but don't promote my business newsletter there since my customers are more engaged on Instagram and Facebook.

To encourage sign-ups, I use a lead magnet, though it hasn't gained much traction yet. I've also organized special events, like product launches with limited stock, which resulted in a surge of sign-ups.

Creative growth strategies, such as referrals and participating in bundles, can also be effective. I recommend subscribing to a newsletter that showcases how creators have built their lists from scratch.

The Importance of Testing

In any business endeavor, growing your list involves testing and adapting based on your data. I closely monitor my statistics, noting that my newsletters tend to have the highest open rates immediately after sending.

Experiment with different times of the day and subject lines, as these elements significantly influence whether subscribers will open your emails. Many email services offer A/B testing capabilities, which can help identify the best times and subject lines for your audience.

Conclusion

Building an email list is undeniably crucial in today’s digital landscape. Although I haven't started my own list on Medium, I'm concentrating on my two business newsletters for now. It's on my agenda, but I want to avoid overwhelming myself with too many commitments.

If you're looking to make money online and haven't yet started your email list, I encourage you to take action after reading this.

This video, "How to Grow your Mailing List FAST in 2023," provides quick tips and strategies to effectively expand your email list.

In the video "START AND GROW YOUR EMAIL LIST FROM 0 - Step by step for beginners," you'll find a comprehensive guide tailored for newcomers looking to build their email lists from scratch.