Building an email list is great.
But building one that binds your subscribers to you, like duct tape, is even better.
I’ve been building email lists for 10 years and have made a ton of bloody mistakes.
Here are the 5 that still make me cringe and that you should avoid to build a responsive email list.
Stop chasing subscribers
There’s this stupid belief that list size is the most important metric.
Thus, many creators sell their souls to the devil. They try to grow as fast as possible.
But the quality of their subscribers depends on how people signed up in the first place.
There’s a huge gap between people who subscribed after listening to a 1-hour podcast versus those who subscribed to a spammy solo-ad.
Your goal is to chase quality, not quantity. (Even though having both is better).
This is why you should not solely focus on getting people on your list at any cost.
Forget about the pop-ups. Don’t brute-force a signup.
Let them know what they’re going to get. And only then will you offer them the opportunity to opt-in.
Stop chasing them, and let them chase you.
Stop talking to everybody
Most newsletters aren’t personal.
We all know this: When subscribing to a newsletter, we’re nothing else than a CSV row in an autoresponder.
And most people treat their newsletter like talking to a spreadsheet.
I still see creators start their emails with “Hey Friends”.
Could it get more impersonal?
When I start reading newsletters with those general statements, I’m just rolling my eyes and jumping to someone else who goes the extra mile to get a bit more personal.
The reason? You don’t have meaningful conversations in front of a thousand people. You have them when you’re with friends in your living room.
Stop treating your newsletter like a stage. Treat it like your living room.
People want to be heard and understood. People buy from people.
Skip the introduction
Another common mistake I see creators make is this one:
“Hi, it’s so-and-so from X” Or “Hi, it’s so-and-so from LinkedIn”.
Yikes.
Why’s that a mistake?
First, platforms don’t give a damn about you and your family. They can kick you out at any time. Ask Mickey Trump.
Second, your audience cares more about you and what you have to say rather than where they discovered you.
Many people in my audience don’t remember where they came from (I know because I track where my subscribers are coming from).
But who cares?
Think of email as a conversation with a friend: do you introduce yourself every time before starting talking?
“Hey Mark, we met at college. You remember?“
Treat your emails the same way. Introducing yourself once at signup is enough.
Stop curating – start creating
Curating information is a great way to get started.
But if you solely focus on curating, you’ll never be able to establish yourself as a thought leader.
Remember that people signed up for your newsletter. Not to get an aggregation of other people’s thoughts (even if that can be valuable).
Now, I can understand that you may not have enough to say or unique ideas when starting out.
And that’s totally fine.
This is why you want to set up a note-taking system where you can take the information you’ve curated and mix it together to come up with unique insights.
When people subscribe to your newsletter, they want your take.
Stop curating, start creating.
Stop sending emails based on your mood
Consistency is key if you want to succeed in the Creator Economy.
This is why I email daily, even on the days I don’t feel like it.
The reason? There are just too many benefits to doing so.
Emailing daily is the best way to stay on top of your audience’s mind. Not only that, it helps you become better at articulating your thoughts and drive more revenue.
Because yes: your email list is also here to help you sell your products.
If you want to be perceived as a leader in your niche, don’t only build a list – but start sending emails.
Your subscribers deserve better than that
Your email list is your most important asset.
That’s why you should treat your subscribers as real human beings, not another row in an anonymous database.
Behind every email is a human being with:
– emotions
– problems
– and desires
Treat your emails as real conversations – not just an open diary.
Want to make more money with automated emails? Check out my FREE course on this link.