Even if you are a new business owner you have probably still heard that “the money is in the list”, but how do you get started creating an email list? There are 5 basic steps that I will share with you today.

Kerry started a website for her new Paleo lifestyle. She enjoyed sharing her health journey online. Although she’d originally meant for the site to be a hobby, she decided to turn it into a business thanks to the encouragement of some friends.shannah

When Kerry reached out to me, she wanted to know the first step she should take in her new venture. “You want to start growing an email list,” I explained, “You can do this by offering a free gift.”

When visitors to your website sign up for the gift, it’s delivered to them automatically. Their email address is kept in a database so you can email these subscribers again and again.”

5 Steps to Creating an Email List

#1 Start an Email List by Choosing a Service

Before you can begin building a list, you’ll need to subscribe to an email list service. This mailing list provider will keep a copy of your subscribers’ personal information so you can email them again in the future.

Two budget-friendly options for new entrepreneurs are MailChimp and Aweber. If you have a larger budget or need custom help from a mailing list provider, then you might want to give ConvertKit or Drip a try.

But if you really want to go all in and build an unlimited list, with lots of support while setting it up and using it I would go with Convert Ninja. It is also a budget-friendly option and has many other extra benefits to help you grow your business. ConvertNinja is Both a CRM + Marketing Automation.

Not only will you never let a person slip through the cracks, but with ConvertNinja you will get customer support in creating and marketing to your email list. I stand behind this company 100%, I know the owners in real life, and was one of the founding members that beta tested it in the beginning.

#2 Create a List or Campaign

Once you have an account with a mailing list service, you’ll need to create your very first list. You can call this list whatever you like but in some cases, subscribers can see the title of the list.

It’s usually best to go with something generic like “Your Website Title Subscribers” or “Your Brand Name Subscribers”. With Convert Ninja they won’t see the title, so you can really tailor the name to your needs. I usually name my campaigns the same name as the freebie that I am giving away, or the community that the list is for. It makes everything easy to remember that way!

#3 Make Your Welcome Email

When someone subscribes to your new email list, they’ll be sent an email automatically. This is the welcome email and it’s one of the first emails that your subscribers will see from you.

In your welcome email, you’ll want to greet your subscriber. Thank them for signing up,  then provide a link to your free gift so they can download it. Remember, the opt-in freebie should be something that your visitors will find valuable. When sitting down to decide what to offer them think of their needs and struggles. This can be something as simple as a checklist or journal.

I will be having a workshop on building a perfect opt-in in my Moms Mastering Business Community in July. If you would like to get a step by step instruction on creating one for your business join my community here: Moms Mastering Business Community.

Using Kerry as an example her email list went something like this. Kerry’s opt-in was a seven-day Paleo friendly menu. She did this so she could introduce newbies to the Paleo way of eating.

Kerry created a page on her website with information about her menu. She had a form for them to opt-in. The form was connected to her email service. In her welcome email, she included a link to the PDF that provided the menu for them to download.

#4 Email Often

Some online business owners make the mistake of building an email list that they never message. They rarely email their subscribers and on the rare occasion that they do, they see a high number of unsubscribes. That’s because they were quiet so long that subscribers forgot about their brand.

You don’t want that to happen to your list. Make it a priority to email your list regularly. When you’re first starting out, you want to send out a message 2-3 times a week. For every freebie I create, I set up a series of emails. Here is how I create my email campaigns.

My Email List Campaign Sequence

1st Email: The welcome email with the link to the freebie as in the example with Kerry.

2nd Email: Usually, in the 2nd email I give them something else for free. A lot of times it is inviting them to become a part of my free community. I have 2 of them. One is for mom business owners (Moms Mastering Business). 

I have another community for women striving to put their own wellness back on the list of priorities so they can be their best self (Journey in Wellness)!

3rd Email:  In this email I am letting my subscribers know who I am.

4th Email: In the fourth email I share with them what I do and how I can help them.

5th Email: The final email in the series I let them know why I’m the best at what I do. I am also inviting them to something whether it is to set up a phone call with me or to buy one of my programs or courses.

Then I  move these subscribers into a  long-term nurture campaign where I will continue giving them valuable content on a weekly or monthly basis.

#5 Share Valuable Content with your Email List

Of course, you shouldn’t email your subscribers just to say you did it. You need to send emails with valuable information inside. If your list doesn’t feel they’re getting anything helpful from you, they’ll stop reading your emails.

Think of quick tips that you could easily share with your audience. Kerry often emailed her list with recipes, ideas on how to make popular dishes Paleo-friendly, and thoughts about her own food log. Sending this information helped her subscribers connect with Kerry and open her emails.

Starting your own list can be fun and exciting. But remember, that your goal is to help your people. By sharing useful information, you’re serving your community and they’ll appreciate that.

Your turn…

Can you think of another tip to add to this list? Leave a comment with your favorite tip below.

Learn how to leverage giveaway events to grow your mailing list when you download your free workbook! Get the Five Ways to Get Your Mailing List Started today.