This question came in from a reader a while back:
“How can I grow a targeted email list?”
“I am gearing up to grow a targeted email list. I am launching an app and a coaching program. I have been writing a Substack newsletter and posting that and other tidbits on LinkedIn and X while I develop the app and hone my coaching idea, and I have about 30 subscribers – so it’s going pretty slowly.”
What I love about this question about how to grow an email list
This reader clearly knows their stuff.
First of all, they’re taking action! This guarantees feedback and clarity with each step forward.
Secondly, they want to grow a targeted email list. They know that having their mom and a bunch of randos subscribed to their emails won’t accomplish much in terms of growing a business (I love that you read my emails, Ma!) It’s an audience of interested people who are a good match for their services that makes a critical difference.
Third, it sounds like they’re looking to grow this idea with that targeted group. They’re not doing it alone, hovered over their laptop like Frankenstein in his lab. They’re sharing content, listening to feedback, and using what they learn to “hone” their ideas.
Now, I’d really need more about the specifics of this project to provide meaningful direction (What is the project? Who is it for? What have you done? What’s working? What are you considering?) but it’s still useful to walk through the questions in case you’d like to grow a targeted email list, too.
What will “growing a targeted email list” do for you?
While this might seem obvious, it’s often a good idea to take a look and see if you actually want to “grow an email list”…or if you want something else and you’ve assumed an email list is required to reach your real goal.
Many times coaches say they want to grow an audience, when what they really want is what they think it will get them: clients and money.
(Guess what? While an audience might help, you don’t need one, and certainly not a “big one” to create clients or money.)
I’m guessing this person might be looking for beta testers who will also be their first clients. While growing a targeted email list might be the perfect way to go about this, it isn’t the only way, and possibly not the most direct path.
Whatever route you choose is going to take time and energy, and as a smart cookie, make sure it serves your true desires.
Now, let’s say you really DO want to grow a targeted email list. Here are some things to consider…
What would make your email list interesting to the people you want to help?
To answer this question, we need to know:
- Who is this coaching service and app for?
- What are those people interested in?
If the app helps people with anxiety, those people might be interested in tips for relieving stress.
If the service is for newly divorced people seeking a life partner, they might be interested in how to meet people without using an app.
The key to growing a targeted list is offering something those specific people already want.
The best way to discover what this is would be to talk to some of those people about their problems and desires, then test out some offers to see if they get a response. This is what we’re doing in the CREATE Special Edition program this week.
Most creators find it difficult to get email subscribers because the offer to join their list is uninteresting.
❌ “Subcribe to my email list.” > Really? Only your mom will sign up for this one. (Sorry.)
❌ “Get free tips.” > Slightly better, but super generic. Tips about what? For whom?
Check out these newsletter invitations:
🔥 The Anne Friedman Weekly – “a weekly dispatch full of great writing and rare gems from all over the internet.”
🔥 Cat Cohen’s Substack – “My Sexy Little Email – musings from a beautiful comedian”
🔥 Unmarketing.com’s UnNewsletter – “Case studies, videos, articles about the ever-changing world of business using authenticity, integrity and community.”
These examples aren’t the sexiest or best email newsletter invitations, but all of them indicate what you get inside and appeal to a targeted audience.
How to Grow Your Email List Fast
As this reader mentioned, growing an email list can be slog. There are ways to get more interested people onto your email list quickly.
Host a free online summit or interview series
This is an oldie but a goodie. You host an online event around your topic and invite other expert speakers as guests. Your speakers invite their communities to attend, and everyone who registers is added to your email list.
I’ve used this numerous times in multiple businesses, and it works really well. In our wedding marketing business our email list went from 800 to 3,000 people in two weeks through summit promotions.
Do an email list swap
Find someone with an audience similar to yours, and propose a “swap.” You’ll promote them to your audience, and they promote you to theirs.
If your email list is quite small, be honest about it. You might want to offer something else in addition, such as using your skills or network to help them in another way, but it’s worth a try because it’s a fast, free and easy way to grow your audience.
Buy newsletter ads
There are thousands of high quality, small content creators with targeted email audiences who sell ads in their newsletters for as little as $50. One such ad might yield dozens or hundreds of new subscribers.
You’ll need to make sure your target audience is actually on their newsletter list, and making an offer they actually want is vital. The ad will only work if your people find it worthwhile, so I recommend vetting your offer first.
I much prefer paying small content creators over Facebook, Instagram or Google ads.
Tour a workshop
You can get a trusted introduction to someone else’s community by hosting a free workshop. It works like this:
You deliver a high-value workshop to their audience for free. Attendees register for your email list to attend and/or you can make an offer at the end of your workshop to invite them to enjoy more goodies.
This workshop should provide real value and be a taster of what you do. (Bradley Morris of Majik Media teaches a course on how to design and tour your signature workshop.)
Lead Magnets Sch-mead Magnets
A popular strategy is to create a “lead magnet” aka free giveaway people receive when they join your email list.
I have a love/hate relationship with these types of “ethical bribes,” and actually used to teach a course for wedding professionals giving them a “Bride Bribe” they could customize and use as such a giveaway for their businesses. *cringe*
Using this reader’s example, the giveaway should be directly related to the coaching service and app that will be promoted. And of course, as I keep repeating – it’s got to be something people actually want in order to work.
Simply creating a lead magnet doesn’t automatically translate to more email subscribers fast, which is why the sarcastic header for this strategy. Trying to lure people onto your email list with a tepid offer and promoting it with “meh” content will be a slog.
Have conversations with real people who you can help first, then test out your free giveaway offer to make sure it works before you create and spend time promoting it. Otherwise, it won’t do much towards growing your audience.
Once you have an offer people value, promote it.
My guess is that this reader is struggling to grow their list because something is misaligned between the offer and the people they’re trying to invite. Either their target audience isn’t interested, or they simply aren’t reaching enough of the right people, or possibly both.
When you know you have something people value, there are hundreds of avenues you can pursue to promote it. I’ve only touched on a few above.
Don’t forget the old-fashioned, boring ways to grow your email list:
- Send a real message (not automated) to your friends and acquaintances describing your project and inviting them to follow it.
- Add a subscribe link to your email signature.
- Invite your past and current clients.
Has this sparked some ideas about growing your audience? Take action now, while the fires of inspiration are burning! One small action done can accomplish great things.
Yours in love and play,
Steph
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