9 awesome ways to build an email list fast
Find your first 1000 readers
In this article, I'm going to talk about 9 ways you can get 1,000 strangers to allow your emails in their inboxes.
These are the exact tactics that I had used to generate impactful results day-in and day-out and today I'm sharing these with you.
So, Let's begin.
Hey everyone, I'm Chase Austin - Author, Marketer, and the face behind the Foolish Author website.
If you are still in doubt why you should still use email marketing today then check this Email Marketing Guide for Authors.
If you are like me then the first thing that you must check on your cell phone is checking emails. And trust me, email is still the first thing many people go for in the morning or the last thing in the night.
According to this report, there are over 3.9 Billion email users globally - in other words, every second person in the world has an email address.
Exposing your books to such a large user base can get you all the traffic you need for your books. It also leads to increased conversions and more book sales.
The starting point for this is your first 1000 email subscribers. But that is also the toughest challenge in building your email list.
It takes time, perseverance, and reliable tactics to get those 1000 subscribers. Without the right methods, you'll still get 1000 subs, but it probably would take an eternity.
Now if you're eager to grow your email list, the tactics mentioned below will not only help you get your first 1000 email subscribers but also the next 1000 subs in an instant.
There are tons of ways to grow your email list. But the tips listed here are the most effective ones when it comes to collecting email subscribers.
Let's begin with the first one;
1. Identify who is your target audience and what are their problems?
Readers will only want to subscribe to your list if they think you can solve their problems. They will only come to you if they can trust you with the right content. And you can do that only if you know what they are looking for. First thing first, stop shooting in the dark and start identifying the problems your target readers face.
How you can do this?
Create an audience/reader persona to build a fictional image of your readers. And then write for that persona.
Here is an example of a reader persona.
Richard is in his mid-thirties, lives in New York. He is a graduate from a community college and now works in a tiring accounting job, making approximately $40,000 a year.
Richard has an interest in writing fiction and making a side income to help his family through his books, and he spends his time actively learning about this subject online.
He particularly likes to read about how to publish and market books at a low cost without breaking the bank. He also does not want to leave his job as yet and wants to write books that can work as long-term assets. In addition to reading, he tries to take at least one in-depth course or tutorial a quarter.
Since he likes to test the tactics given by book marketers and already successful authors, he likes content that provides actionable tips. He prefers content in the range of 1,000-2,000 words that are mostly text as he gets time to read a few of these articles a day.
2. Ask yourself why someone should give you their email address?
Email address today is like the home addresses of users. Why they should give you one if they think you are going to spam it?
The one reason that comes to my mind why someone would give that email to you is if he thinks that you are giving him something of value in return.
That's why you need to create a freebie that's valuable.
If your reader is facing a problem of how to start with email marketing then the best freebie would be an email marketing starter guide for newbies.
Think about it.
I’d like to invite you to join me in my quest to provide you with the best tips, tricks and hacks to help you build your author career while keeping this newsletter free and independent.
If there was ever a time to join me in this quest, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers me to create more amazing content and sustain the future of this publication. Support this newsletter – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. You can do either by buying me a cup of coffee. Thank you.
3. Use freebies to the MAX
Find out your most popular blogs - the ones that got the most traffic in the last three-four months and add your best free resources in those blogs. This is the best way to expose your downloadable assets to your maximum website visitors and make them opt for it.
The only thing you need to take care of is that that freebie you're adding to your blog complements it. If you're writing a blog post on email subject lines, don't add a freebie about paid ads, even if it is your most downloaded one.
Bonus tip: If you're adding a freebie in your blog post, use tools like Hotjar, Clicktale, Crazyegg to check the percentage of customers scrolling ahead and driving away after seeing your freebie in the blog.
4. Create a Squeeze Page
Squeeze pages are one of the awesomest ways to grow an email list.
Because they are devoid of any distraction, they make it easier for visitors to sign up instead of a regular blog post.
Create a lead page with a precise message on why should they provide their email. Here’s a brilliant example of HubSpot’s lead page
What this page is doing well:
The headline and sub-headline communicate a clear benefit.
The CTA button color draws prospect attention.
The image serves as a visual representation of the offer, showing visitors what they’ll get after converting.
5. Use Facebook Ads
Facebook leads ads are a great tool to grow your email list with highly relevant leads as in the example below.
In a typical ad, you are asking people to follow the below sequence:
Ad > Click > Landing Page > Form Fill > Thank You Page > Email Confirmation > Freebie
With FB ads you don’t have to torture people like this anymore. One of the major advantages of Facebook lead ads is their pre-populated instant forms, which makes it ridiculously easy for users to opt-in for your newsletter.
Users can easily sign up for your newsletter with a few clicks (and without leaving the platform), and Facebook automatically sends your new leads to your email service provider.
While lead ads help you collect targeted leads with simple forms, your most important task is to optimize your ads for high conversions.
To achieve that, create lead ads that resonate with your target audience and offer an incentive like your freebie.
And yeah, generating leads with Facebook ads doesn’t cost you a fortune. I have even converted users into leads in as little as 40 cents per lead.
6. Use Popups and CTAs
Well, popups are annoying BUT Only if you use them in the wrong way.
If you design and display your popups strategically, it can boom your email list like Neil Patel does to qualify website visitors into real customers
Or this one
Bonus tip: Your popup should not appear frequently but only at a specific action or after a certain time gap.
7. Mine your LinkedIn Connections
96% of B2B content marketers use LinkedIn for organic social marketing.
LinkedIn is not the biggest social network or the one with the largest reach BUT LinkedIn is a superpower when it comes to building genuine connections.
If you are a content creator then this will please you - Content creation on LinkedIn increased 60% in 2020.
LinkedIn has transitioned from being “just” a recruitment platform to being a professional network where people educate and inform themselves and learn about their industry.
A pro tip: Try to make connections with the people who belong to your field. For instance, if you’re an Author, try to connect with other writers. This will increase the chances of getting more collaboration requests.
I’d like to invite you to join me in my quest to provide you with the best tips, tricks and hacks to help you build your author career while keeping this newsletter free and independent.
If there was ever a time to join me in this quest, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers me to create more amazing content and sustain the future of this publication. Support this newsletter – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. You can do either by buying me a cup of coffee. Thank you.
8. Automation is the savior
Automated email marketing is shooting out emails to your readers automatically, based on triggers defined by you.
Sounds simple. Right?
And the good news is that it is simple (for the most part).
But just like with any other marketing skill, it needs time to learn and test and improve your email marketing campaigns.
And the more you learn, the better you can improve and grow your campaigns.
If the idea of consistent, impactful marketing growth sets your heart racing with joy– you’re going to love automated emails.
9. Guest posts
It means writing and publishing an article on someone else's website or blog.
These are an indirect but effective way to grow your list of emails. All you need to do is pitch your content to other sites and if they publish it, you’ll get more visibility which results in traffic and eventually, more subscribers.
Every website needs good content. By being a good guest blogger you can add value to someone else's blog, and not only that, you're going to build relationships with other writers and bloggers.
How to find websites that accept guest posts?
Google search on topics like "list of blogs that accept guest posts", as well as "list of - your keyword - blogs that accept guest posts" will likely bubble up numerous lists of blogs that accept guest posts.
OR
You can use this search term on Google - Book marketing, Email marketing, Social media marketing, and so on.
Then, add the following search terms using a + sign.
+ "write for us"
+ "guest blog"
+ "guest post"
+ "contribute to our blog"
+ "contribute guest post"
+ "submit an article"
+ "submit a guest post"
+ "guest blogging guidelines"
+ "become a guest blogger"
+ "send a tip"
+ "guest author"
+ "guest post by"
+ "contributor guidelines"
Make a list of your top 5 websites where you want to get your guest post published and then pitch your ideas to them.
Here is a template from Mailshake that you can use to pith your idea
Hey, {{name}}!
I’m a huge fan of {{their blog}}. I just wanted to reach out because I’ve really been enjoying your writing. In fact, I accomplished {{something cool}} from reading your blog post: {{link to their blog post}}.
I know you’re busy, so I won’t waste your time. I’m reaching out because I had some ideas I think the {{their blog name}} audience would positively love, and I was wondering if you’d be open to a guest blog post.
Here are the titles:
{{Title 1}}
{{Title 2}}
{{Title 3}}
To give you an idea of my writing style, here are two of my best posts:
{{Your post with the most shares}}
{{Your best-written post}}
Thanks for your time and consideration! I can’t wait to hear back from you.
Cheers,
{{Your name}}
Don't do this while growing email list
Because they are unethical and can lead to penalties.
Don't buy email subscribers
Don't forget your subscribers
Don't focus on numbers but focus on engagement
Don't use spammy Keywords in your subject lines. Here is a list.
Conclusion
We covered a lot of things and to summarize - Create problem-solving content. Give your best content away for FREE. Add those awesome FREE content to your blog posts. Create dedicated squeeze pages. Automate your email marketing to save time and make more impact from your email marketing.
Don't purchase email lists or nurture your subscribers or use spam keywords or focus on numbers alone.
And finally, let's be realistic here. Growing an email list is a time taking process but following the above tips will give you a good headstart.
Do you have any tips that I forgot to mention here? You can write it in the comments below.
Don't forget to check my Awesome Email Marketing Guide for more in-depth insights.
I’d like to invite you to join me in my quest to provide you with the best tips, tricks and hacks to help you build your author career while keeping this newsletter free and independent.
If there was ever a time to join me in this quest, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers me to create more amazing content and sustain the future of this publication. Support this newsletter – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. You can do either by buying me a cup of coffee. Thank you.
About Chase Austin
I have spent 10+ years writing stories and marketing them. I’ve failed and succeeded over the years, and these are some of my tidbits on how I started my author business, perfected marketing, and more.
Here you’ll find resources to help you kick more ass with your words. No fluff, only actionable tips, and tricks if you are looking to make a living through writing, or just use it as a side hustle.
Things I like: Long walks, Reading about anything and everything, Telling stories and chess.
Visit me at www.thechaseaustin.com. Want to say hi, email me at contact@thechaseaustin.com.