How to Build an Effective Email Subscriber List from Scratch

Tue, Aug 27, 2024
by CapperTek

All savvy marketers will tell you that an email list is where your money is at. 


Its ROI is sky-high. Can you imagine you will likely get 42 USD back every time you invest 1 USD? Amazing, right? 


Ok, great. But that won't happen without an email list. And how do you build yours? How to build an email list from scratch for free?  


In this guide, we’ll share the top 5 tactics that will help you build your email list fast. The best part? They will land you engaged and loyal subscribers. Ok, let’s go! 

1. Make Your Newsletter a Valuable Product

Before we get down to email list building strategies, make sure your newsletter is a real deal and of premium quality. 


Create a great product. Do this first, and then promote it to your potential clients in every possible way. 


Let’s start with your newsletter design. Yes, it matters a lot. Hire a pro designer to get it done for you, or use a quality dragndrop email builder to create all your emails on your own. 


Sure thing, there are many email design rules you have to follow. However, let’s focus on 3 most important, right? 

Always Keep Your Target Audience in Mind

Put your clients first. Create a buyer persona. Understand their pain points and what keeps them awake at night. Keep learning about their burning needs and create quality content that addresses their daily issues.

Make Your Email Content Useful and Relevant

The content you’d like to share in your newsletter should be valuable for those who will read it. Make sure it’s practical and easy to digest and implement.

Ask Your Subscribers for Feedback 

Don’t settle for “OK” content once your subscribers engage with you, and ask for their opinions and what they want to see in your emails. Yes, ask them questions, organize webinars, or run surveys.


2. Create an Amazing Incentive 

All professional email list builders will tell you that you need a lead magnet or value bomb to get people to sign up for your newsletter.


 Some great lead magnet ideas are:


  • A free email course

  • A case study with all the juicy details inside of it

  • A practical checklist that summarizes a blog post

  • A cheat sheet

  • A coupon for a special discount 

  • Registration for a great webinar

3. Create Landing Pages That Convert

Dedicated and well-designed landing pages are a great way to grow your email list. The goal of a properly done landing page is always to convert. Use them to send people from a webinar or podcast to sign up for your newsletter.


A landing page that converts should have the following 3 key elements: 


  1. Attractive, clean design optimized for conversions 

  2. Irresistible offer, aka Lead magnet (in this case)

  3. An excellent copy with compelling CTA

4. Use Chatbot to Make Signups More Engaging and Interactive

Here’s one more tip on how to build an email list for free. Your website might already be getting decent traffic from Google. Why not convert it into new subscribers on autopilot with a chatbot?

Install it on your website and program it properly to ensure it interacts with your leads in the right way. That’s a great list-building strategy! It makes the whole opt-in process more interactive and engaging.

5. Run A Viral Contest

Viral content encourages your social media followers to share it in return for exclusive perks. This is a highly effective method for building your list.

This choice is an excellent strategy for beginners as it motivates people to promote your brand for free and attracts sign-ups.

However, there is more to it than just that! Running viral competitions is a great method to encourage people to create user-generated content (UGC). This type of content is unique and genuine. Plus, it builds trust in your brand and attracts more eyeballs to your landing pages with valuable lead magnets. You can expect approximately 35% of new subscribers from this strategy. 

Final Thoughts 

Now you know how to build email list for free. Let’s quickly recap the top 5 strategies. Make your newsletter a great product. Create an amazing lead magnet. Create landing pages that convert well. Use a chatbot to make sign-ups more engaging. Run viral content. What is your favorite tip to generate email list?