The Fastest Way to Build an Email List from the Ground Up

Update: 2025-08-26

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Episode 983: Show Notes

So many people ask me the same question: “How do I build an email list from scratch?” In this episode, we’re diving into the basics of exactly that! I want to talk about why your email list is one of your most powerful business assets, how it’s the fastest, most direct way to reach your entire audience, how it consistently delivers higher engagement than social media, and how it helps you build genuine relationships that turn into sales.

Your email list is yours, it’s not dependent on an algorithm, and it’s the perfect way to nurture leads until they’re ready to convert.

And because I want you to see just how powerful this can be, I’ve put together a free resource showing exactly how I added nearly 10,000 new subscribers to my list in just six months. You can grab it at bossproject.com/leads.

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Selecting an Email Service Provider

The first thing you need to do when starting your email list is to pick an email service provider, and there are a lot out there! I want you to consider the ease of use of the platform and if it looks the way you want it to look. You need to pick the one that’s best for you, but the most important thing to consider when deciding is cost. Ultimately, you’re a small business building an email list for the very first time, so keeping your costs low is very important.

Most email service providers charge you more when you have more leads, so as your list grows, so does your cost, and I really don’t like that. When Flodesk came to market, I was blown away! It is so inexpensive compared to other service providers, and it doesn’t change based on the size of your list.

You can try Flodesk completely for free if you go to bossproject.com/flodesk, and when you’re ready to upgrade, you’ll get 50% off your first year!

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Attracting Leads to Your List

Once you have your email service provider, you’re going to need to find a way to get people onto your list. The first thing you can do is set up a general sign-up – a simple form for people to join your list. The only people who will opt in without any value exchange will be your warm audience, and that’s fine! But you also need to attract leads to your list by giving them a reason to want to be there.

The most popular way to get started is to develop a lead magnet. You have someone give you their name and email address in exchange for a free offer that will be beneficial to them. Once they’ve joined your list, I want you to set up a confirmation email for them to receive with that specific deliverable.

You Have the Sign Ups, So What Now?

Once you have actual subscribers, you need to send emails to them. You need to have a plan to communicate with these people who have signed up. If you want your email to get consistent results for you, you need to create consistency for yourself! You want your audience to become used to the rhythm you use to communicate with them; in an ideal world, that’s once a week at least, in my opinion.

You should start small, but figure out a cadence you can maintain and keep up with to keep those relationships alive. This may feel like a lot to handle, but it really comes down to these few simple steps. If you want to build an email list, all you really need to do is get started and remember to check out my email case study at bossproject.com/leads!