How To Build an Email List For Newbies

If you want to learn how to build an email list for newbies, just follow along with me. Here are a couple of questions posed in today’s Blog Challenge:

1. How are you building your email list?
2. What is the purpose of your email/ newsletter, how often will you send it and what type of content will be included to add value for your readers?

How am I building my email list?

Since this blog is brand new, my email list is new as well. Here’s what I am doing:

1. Set up a free Mailchimp account. Check.
2. Add Mailchimp sign-up form in the right column of my blog. Check.
3. Re-design the sign-up form so it gets more attention. In process.
4. Create item(s) of value to give my readers when they sign up. Possible options include:
   • Your name entered to win my fame and fortune sweepstakes.
   • Your name added to my drawing for $10,000 in cash (a weekly drawing).
   • Two days paid getaway to Boring, Oregon.
   • Privilege of hearing from me on a weekly basis.

After giving this a lot of thought, I am opting for the fourth option, at least for a while. Go figure.

How to get more subscribers

The key to growing my list is attracting more subscribers. Here is my four-pronged approach:

1. Write outstanding content on my blog.
2. Ask people to sign up via forms on my blog.
3. Deliver great content in my newsletter.
4. Ask people to share.

Newsletter Frequency: What to send and how often

My newsletter will go out every week with two different formats. Format #1 is the weekly email format that will go out approximately 3 times per month. Format #2 is a monthly format that will go out once per month.

Here are my two formats with content outlines for both:

Weekly Emails (Format #1):

1. Brief reference to my latest blog post.
2. Update on my 50 Firsts Challenge.
3. Fitness tip for the week.
4. What I did for fun this week.
5. Preview of what to expect next week.
6. Inspirational Quote.

Monthly Emails (Format #2):

1. Financial Freedom Update
2. Revenue update for the blog?
3. Favorite reader comments for the month.
4. 50 Firsts video
5. Roundup of my favorite content on the web for this week – blog posts, podcasts, videos, etc.
6. Favorite Quote.

When to get started – Now!

I have written my first draft for both the weekly and monthly emails. Both will begin “mailing” in September.

Building an email list is a critical element to my success and one I will not overlook. Rather than waiting one, two or more years to get started, I started today.

Won’t you join me?

Today’s post is Day 15 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. This marks the half-way mark and a lot of progress has been made. It’s not too late to get started. Just click the little green and blue box to the right to learn more!