OMONDI

How to Build an Email List from Scratch

Building an email list can be one of your business’s most valuable investments—so where do you begin? Dive into this guide to uncover essential strategies for cultivating a core group of engaged subscribers that drives real value for your brand!

Building an email list can be one of the most valuable investments you make for your business or website. With a highly-targeted list of engaged subscribers, you hold the keys to directly reach your ideal customers over and over again.

But where do you start if you’re just getting started? How do you build a quality email list from nothing?

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the entire process of building an email list from initial planning to growing your subscriber base over time. 

Whether you currently have zero subscribers or are looking to expand your efforts, use these tips to establish a core permission-based list that drives real value for your business.

TABLE OF CONTENT

What’s an email marketing list?

An email marketing list, also known as an email list, email subscribers list, or subscriber list, is a permission-based list of contacts who have opted-in to receive marketing emails from your business.

It enables direct communication and relationship-building with prospects and customers.

Why do you need an email list?

Before we dive into list-building tactics, let’s look at why you should make growing an email list a top priority:
  • Own your audience: With an email subscriber list, you don’t have to rely on rented audiences from social media or paid ads. You own the relationship with each contact.
  • Deliver targeted content: Email allows you to segment your list and send targeted, personalized content tailored to their interests and needs.
  • Frequent touchpoints: You can build relationships with consistent, helpful content delivered straight to their inbox.
  • High ROI: Email consistently drives more conversions and sales than most other marketing channels. The ROI is high for the investment.
  • Full control: You decide what content to send, when, and to who without relying on or being limited by any platform.
Clearly, prioritizing email list growth can pay dividends for your business if done right. Now let’s get into the step-by-step process for going from zero to your first subscribers.

Step 1: Set goals and objectives for your list

Before worrying about signup forms or lead magnets, take a step back to clarify your goals for building an email list in the first place. Ask yourself:
  • Who is your ideal subscriber?
  • What problem can your emails help solve for them?
  • What actions do you want subscribers to take after reading your emails?
Get very specific here on your target audience. This will dictate not only what types of lead magnets and content work best, but will help you write compelling copy and calls-to-action later. Sample objectives might be:
  • Generate 100 new email subscribers in the first month
  • Increase online course sales by 10%
  • Promote new product releases and sales
  • Build loyalty and retention among current customers
With your goals clarified, you can start developing your list-building plan and strategy.

Step 2: Plan your approach for list growth

Once you know your “why”, it’s time to develop the “how” – a strategic plan for actually growing your email list. Here are the key components you’ll want to outline:
  • Lead magnet: This is the “bribe” that convinces visitors to join your list, like a free ebook, checklist, or video series.
  • Landing pages: These are dedicated pages explaining your lead magnet and allowing visitors to subscribe.
  • Signup forms: Embedded forms on your website and blog pages make it easy for visitors to subscribe as they consume content.
  • Promotions: How will you drive traffic to your landing pages and website, like social media, paid ads, content marketing?
Map out how each piece will work together to attract high-quality leads – not just any email address. For example, I drive traffic from my blog posts to a landing page offering a “Blogging 101” ebook in exchange for subscribing. The lead magnet provides value and attracts my target audience of aspiring bloggers.

Ethical list building practices

As you’re planning your email list approach, be sure to familiarize yourself with email regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act. You must allow subscribers to easily opt-out at any time. Never buy email lists or spam people. Some key principles for ethical list building:
  • Permission: Only send emails to people who specifically signed up to receive them.
  • Value: Offer a compelling lead magnet or exclusive content subscribers can’t get elsewhere.
  • Transparency: Clearly communicate who you are and what subscribers will receive.
  • Choice: Allow recipients to select the types of emails they want you to send.
  • Privacy: Never share subscribers’ email addresses without explicit consent.
Now let’s get into some actionable tips for actually growing your brand new email list!

Step 3: Craft a compelling magnet

A lead magnet is the gateway to acquiring email subscribers – and not just any old bribe will do. The most effective lead magnets solve a specific problem for your target audience. Rather than just offering a generic ebook or checklist, brainstorm ideas tailored to what your ideal customers really want and need. Here are some proven lead magnet ideas:
  • A template/checklist for getting results (e.g. a recipe plan for keto diets)
  • A guide to simplifying a complex process (e.g. picking your first drone)
  • A swipe file of proven examples (e.g. sales email templates)
  • A quick-start tutorial for beginners (e.g. Instagram marketing 101)
  • A compilation of resources/tools (e.g. social media calendar templates)
Ideally your lead magnet should align with the type of helpful content subscribers can expect to receive regularly from you.

Step 4: Create conversion-focused landing pages

Once you have your lead magnet ready, it’s time to create dedicated landing pages where people can learn about the offer and subscribe. These are different than your homepage or blog – landing pages have a singular purpose of converting visitors into email subscribers.
  • Essential elements for maximizing conversions include:
  • Exciting headlines and subheads
  • Compelling lead magnet descriptions
  • Testimonials and trust signals
  • A focused, easy-to-complete opt-in form
Keep the design clean and distraction-free while communicating the unique value readers will receive by subscribing.

Place signup forms across your website

In addition to targeted landing pages, make signup forms readily available across your existing website as an option for visitors. Some ideal spots include:
  • Popups and slide-ins
  • Above the header
  • In the sidebar
  • Below each blog post
  • On ecommerce product pages
The easier and more prominent you make joining your list, the faster it will grow. Just be sure forms are unobtrusive and match the look and feel of your site’s design.

Step 5: Promote your landing pages

Now that your lead magnet landing pages are ready, it’s time to drive traffic with promotions. Here are proven strategies to get more eyeballs on your offer:

Social media

  • Create posts teasing the lead magnet and linking to the landing page.
  • Run lead generation Facebook and Instagram ads.
  • Participate in relevant groups and discussions.

Content marketing

  • Get links to your landing page on articles and guest posts.
  • Promote the offer on your own blog, podcast, or YouTube channel.

Paid advertising

  • Target interested buyers with Google/Reddit ads.
  • Retarget visitors who left without subscribing.
  • Leverage affiliate marketing and partnerships.
The goal is to generate quality traffic from your target audience – not just mass clicks. Test different messages, creative, and promotion channels to see what resonates best.

Optimize for email signup conversions.

As you start driving traffic to your landing pages, focus on one key metric – your email signup conversion rate. Tweak and refine each element of your landing page to maximize opt-ins:
  • Use A/B testing to compare headlines and call-to-action copy.
  • Shorten forms to only essential fields.
  • Make the lead magnet image/description more compelling.
  • Add social proof elements like reviews or trust badges.
Little optimizations can make a huge impact. For example, moving the lead capture form above the fold increased my conversions by 32%!

Expand your reach with referrals

Once you have those initial subscribers, leverage them to help expand your list. Word-of-mouth referrals are often the best sources of new contacts. Encourage sharing by:
  • Rewarding referrals with incentives like discounts.
  • Making it easy to forward or share your content.
  • Promoting your lead magnet to current customers.
Happy subscribers who see value are usually glad to recommend your brand. Take advantage of this by proactively asking for referrals and sharing.

Continue nurturing and engaging

Of course, growing your email list is only half the battle. The subscribers you worked so hard to gain can easily disengage or unsubscribe if you don’t nurture the relationship. Here are some best practices for keeping new contacts engaged:
  • Send a thoughtful welcome email to each new subscriber.
  • Create value-packed, subscriber-only content.
  • Segment and personalize content based on interests.
  • Find the optimal email send frequency through testing.
  • Monitor engagement and satisfaction with surveys.
  • Continually refine your messaging and content strategy.
Bring the same level of care to retaining and delighting list members as you did to attracting them.

In conclusion

Growing an actively-engaged email list drives huge value, but only with careful execution. Use this checklist to avoid common pitfalls:

  • Start by identifying your ideal subscriber avatar.
  • Offer a tailored, irresistible lead magnet instead of a generic bribe.
  • Promote through channels where your targets already hang out.
  • Design landing pages for maximum email capture.
  • Make signup forms readily available without being annoying.
  • Continuously optimize your conversion rates.
  • Leverage existing contacts to expand via referrals.
  • Build loyalty by delivering consistent value.

Stick to the fundamentals, iteratively improve each aspect, and watch your list grow! 

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