Accept No Substitute

What’s up, folks.

One of the things I am still amazed to see in this day of social media uncertainty, censorship and banning:

Entrepreneurs without a developed email list.

I’ve talked before about the idea of an email list being like your personal Ak-47- it is a weapon of great power and utility.

It is also extremely reliable, when used correctly, and is the preferred weapon of freedom fighters around the world.

The email list can be your key to personal freedom.

If you're on the fence about whether using email to market in 2021 is still valid, here's a few stats to stuff in your brain:

By 2023, it is estimate there will be 4.3 billion people actively using email- that's half the world's population that you can reach 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

9 out of 10 marketers say that email metrics, rather website data, is a better way to judge a piece of content's performance.

The average open rate (how many people actually click on the email and read at least some of it) on "welcome emails," meaning the first email they receive after subscribing to your list, is a staggering 82%.

Email gives you a way to talk directly to your followers without having to worry about algorithms, big tech pulling your post because it mentions some kind of "no-no" subject or word combination, or some other social media annoyance.

But- there’s a few reasons a lot of people don’t use them well, or why theirs doesn’t work.

1) No reason

If you don’t give people a more compelling reason to sign up than "sign up here for updates," (which, let’s be real, they know aren’t likely to be interesting or anything beyond the occasional half-hearted sale...see reasons 2 and 3) you’ve broken one of the cardinal rules:

Reciprocity.

Asking people for their email address is a sale.

They’re giving you something and you’re offering them the content equivalent of an ad on their doorknob.

If you aren’t taking close aim before you pull the trigger on asking people for their email address, you’re making a mistake…

What value are you going to offer them?

Before you launch an email list out to your following, wherever that is, you have to have a good offer. It should be fresh, different, exclusive, valuable, and free...because it’s not really free.

In plenty of industries, those little email addresses or worth big bucks- because each one of them is hundreds or thousands of dollars in potential future sales.

So don’t just drop a form on the site at the bottom that says "sign up for info/updates."

Create what is a called a "lead gen," that is lead generator, that is, some good goddamn reason for people to say, sure, you can email me (or text me, or whatever, since SMS leads are a big thing as well.)

Good lead generators include exclusive videos, e-books, killer free editorial (like what you’re reading now!), big discounts (boring but can be effective) or anything else that will excite people who follow your brand or might follow it.

You’re paying them to sell to them down the line. Make sure it’s worth their time.

2) Poor content

Often, a lead gen is followed by terrible content, which is kind of like a guy with a good pickup line who suffers from...let's say a "soft" follow-through.

You had ‘em in the door, but now you’re giving them something that isn’t worth their time- they’re not likely to stick around for more, or come back home with you to your sad email list a second time.

Have a plan of what kind of content you’ll be delivering to your list- you have to maintain solid, free value here…

I recommend it be exclusive- not the same as what you throw up on social media, because...they could just follow you on social media.

If you suck at writing, do video. If you suck at video, try audio. If you’re bad at audio, try....I dunno...drawing?

Either way, look to play to your strong points and deliver at a high level.

Keep it fresh, interesting, and appeal to your target audience.

Bring in guests. Show them the inner workings of your genius. Get them excited about projects you’ve got going. Offer to let them name stuff by running competitions- whatever it is, just try to make sure they’re staying engaged.

Remember, good editorial should be entertaining, educational, inspiring, convincing.

It should make people laugh, or think, or be excited.

It should never leave them feeling "flat."

3) Poor consistency

Ok, they’ve signed up, they got a few good articles they really liked and then...nothing.

This super-common failing always comes down to a lack of staying power.

People who work when they feel like it, rather than sitting down and getting it done because its on the schedule.

People who think running a brand should just be "fun" or that they should always be aflame with infatuation for their project and the work that goes along with it.

Wrong.

Half the time with brands in a niche, it isn’t about who is best.

It’s about who is left.

Those who can perform at a solid level, but who are just hard workers and keep putting in the time, day in and day out- these are the champs, who will ultimately dominate their space.

Because anyone can do a quick sprint for one block.

It takes a special kind of individual to run across the country, Forrest Gump style and just. Not. Stop.

Put your content on a weekly schedule. Adhere to it. Don’t quit.

And pretty soon, if you just follow these three rules:

Keep offering good lead generators in as many places as you can.

Provide good content.

Provide it consistently.

I promise you- you will make money.

Because then on the third or fourth email in a sequence when you offer them the opportunity to support you, to buy your product, to invest in your project-

They will.

Because you’ve shown them why they should- and you’ve done it over and over and over and over and…

You get it.

Now go get it.