How to build an email list from scratch: 15 incredibly effective strategies

When I set out to build an email list from scratch for MarketingIdeas.com, I didn’t have a product. No pricing page. No polished brand. Just a one-liner and a waitlist.

Within a few weeks, that waitlist had grown to hundreds of people, and that list became the foundation for everything that followed. Since then, I’ve helped others build email lists from scratch using straightforward, repeatable tactics that don’t rely on paid ads or massive audiences.

Building an email list gives you something most platforms can’t: a direct, lasting relationship with the people who want to hear from you. No algorithms. No middlemen.

In this post, I’ll walk through email marketing strategies that have worked best for me and how you can use them to grow your own list, even if you’re starting from zero.

Table of Contents

• Qualities of a Great Email List (When Building from Scratch)
• How to Build an Email List From Scratch
• Best Email List Builders

Qualities of a Great Email List (When Building from Scratch)

Before we jump into tactics, let’s set the foundation. Not all email lists are created equal. In my experience, a bad list (low engagement, no targeting, high spam complaints) is worse than no list at all. Here’s what makes a list valuable:

1. People asked to be there.

If you take away one thing, let it be this: never buy a list. Every subscriber should have explicitly opted in. That’s not just a legal thing. It’s a trust thing. If someone didn’t ask to hear from you, they probably won’t open your emails, and they definitely won’t buy anything from you.

2. Emails are valid and up to date.

I run regular cleanups to remove bounces, invalid addresses, and zombie subscribers. Tools like NeverBounce or Bouncer can help, but even just tracking open/click data in your email platform is a solid start. A smaller, clean list will consistently outperform a bloated one.

3. You have the right audience (who actually engages).

If I‘m sharing growth tips and half my list only cares about crypto memes, I’ve failed. Your subscribers should want what you‘re offering. That means getting specific about who you’re talking to, and keeping your content focused.

But relevance alone isn‘t enough. I’d rather have 1,000 people who open, click, and reply than 10,000 who don‘t. Engagement matters — not just for deliverability, but for momentum. If your audience is both aligned with your content AND actively participating, you’ll get replies, shares, and referrals without asking.

The sweet spot? When someone sees your email and thinks, “This is exactly what I needed right now,” and then acts on it. That‘s when you know you’ve got the right people on your list.

Pro tip: I email new subscribers when I can (more on that later). If you’re using a tool like HubSpot’s free email tracking software, it’s easy to spot your most engaged subscribers, which helps you prioritize who to follow up with first.

4. You can segment it easily.

At some point, you’ll want to send different messages to different groups by topic, company size, location, whatever. That’s hard to do if all you’ve collected is an email address. Even one or two extra data points (like industry or role) go a long way.

5. It’s constantly growing (with quality control built in).

A good list compounds. I like to aim for 3 to 5% monthly growth, whether that’s from new lead magnets, social posts, or guest appearances. The key is having one or two always-on sources driving traffic to a signup.

But here’s the counterintuitive part: making it easy to unsubscribe actually helps your growth. I know that sounds backwards, but hear me out. When someone can leave with one click, it builds trust and improves your list quality. You only want genuinely interested subscribers anyway.

If someone doesn‘t want to hear from you, that’s fine. Better to lose the contact cleanly than have them mark you as spam or just ignore your emails forever. A smaller, engaged list will always outperform a bloated, uninterested one.

So yes, grow aggressively, but keep the exit door wide open. The people who stay are the ones who want to be there.

Once you know what makes a list valuable, the question becomes: how do you build one? Here are the exact tactics I’ve used to grow lists from nothing to thousands of engaged subscribers.

How to Build an Email List From Scratch

When I started building my email list from scratch, I didn’t have a product, a newsletter, or even a lead magnet. Just a few things I’d learned the hard way and a sense that others might find them useful. You don’t need a polished setup to get going. Some of the most effective list-building tactics are surprisingly low-lift.

These are the exact tactics I’ve used to grow lists from nothing to thousands of highly engaged subscribers.

1. Build an email list from scratch with a waitlist (even pre-launch).

One of the easiest ways I’ve grown an email list from scratch is by launching a waitlist, even before I had a finished product. Whether it’s a product launch, course, service, or event, all you need is a simple landing page with one compelling line:

“The sooner you join, the sooner you’ll get access.”

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That’s it. No incentives, no ebook, no “free guide,” just a feeling of early access. Then shamelessly plug the waitlist everywhere, like speaking gigs, social posts, networking events, even DMs. Aim for 500–700 signups before you launch anything.

It doesn’t even matter what you’re launching. The waitlist gives you a head start and an email list you’ll actually own. That’s exactly how I grew my first 700 subscribers before launching MarketingIdeas.com.

Pick something you‘re working on and throw up a simple landing page this week. You’ll be surprised how many people want early access.

 

2. Send a personal “heads-up” email to your network.

One of the fastest ways to build early momentum is to email 50–100 friends or colleagues with a quick personal note:

• Hey, I’m working on a new [project/product/service] that I think you’d find useful because [specific reason]. Want me to add you to the list and keep you posted?

This kind of personal touch converts 10x better than a cold blast. It’s casual, human, and gives people context before you ask for anything.

And bonus: People who join your list early are often the most engaged. They’ll open your emails, reply, and sometimes even pass them along to others. That kind of energy is hard to fake and is super helpful when you’re still figuring things out.

3. Create a lead magnet that solves one urgent problem.

I’ve seen a lot of lead magnets fall flat when people are trying to grow their email list, usually because they try to do too much. I learned this the hard way after creating a 50-page “ultimate guide” that nobody downloaded. Turns out, people want solutions, not dissertations.

A better approach is to focus on one specific problem your audience is actively trying to solve. For example:

• A salary negotiation email template for job-seekers
• A “starter pack” of prompts for someone launching a newsletter
• A decision-making flowchart for founders choosing between two tools

The best-performing ones I’ve seen are simple, fast to use, and feel like they were made by someone who gets it. And with vibe coding tools, they’re easy to create. Start with one problem you solve repeatedly in conversations, and turn that into a simple template or checklist.

I usually gate the lead magnet behind a simple form, just an email field, maybe a first name. Then I promote it everywhere: in social bios, in blog post CTAs, in community forums, even in replies to relevant questions on X or Reddit. The key isn’t just creating a great resource. It’s putting it in front of the people who need it.

4. Start simple, then get smarter with progressive profiling.

Most marketers ask for too much, too soon — email, name, company, role, industry, favorite pizza topping. That’s a fast way to kill conversions.

I like to keep things light at the start. For lead magnets, I usually just ask for an email. That gets people in the door. Then, I layer on additional context gradually, a practice called progressive profiling.

Here’s what that can look like:

• Step 1: Just ask for an email to access the free resource.
• Step 2: On the download confirmation page, ask for the company size.
• Step 3: In a follow-up email, prompt them to tell you more, or offer a 2-question survey about their biggest challenge.

The benefit? You lower the barrier to entry but still gather the intel you need to segment and personalize later. And since these prompts come after someone has already shown interest, completion rates are much higher.

Plus, it feels natural. You don’t learn everything about someone in five minutes. Why should email signup be different?

5. Publish one share-worthy piece of content per month.

When building an email list from scratch, I try to publish something each month that makes people think, “Wow, I need to share this.” It could be a case study with real numbers, a contrarian take, a step-by-step tutorial, or just my best advice from the trenches. Sometimes it’s behind-the-scenes stuff or quick industry observations I post on LinkedIn or X.

For example, I shared the results of a super simple A/B test, just adding a blurred screenshot behind our signup form. That’s it. No fancy design, no long explainer.

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That post got shared like crazy because it was so simple yet effective. The trick is to make sure the content stands on its own. Then, close with a clear CTA like: “More tips like this in my newsletter: [Insert URL]”

You don’t need an elaborate funnel. Just share something helpful and give people a simple next step if they want more.

One more thing: if you’re struggling to figure out what to write about, look for where people are already asking questions, like Reddit, Slack groups, X threads. Then, answer one of those with more depth than anyone else has.

6. Personally engage with every new subscriber (at least for the first 1,000).

When someone joins your list, don’t just let the confirmation email do the talking. For my first 1,000 subscribers, I sent a quick note within 24 hours, thanking them and asking what they were working on or where they needed help.

It wasn’t a campaign or automation. It was just a genuine message from me.

That simple gesture led to honest conversations, consulting gigs, loyal readers, and more than a few referrals. People remember when you treat them like a human, not just a data point.

It doesn’t scale forever, but if you’re just getting started, nothing beats personal connection.

Even as my list has grown, I‘ve kept that same energy in my welcome emails. I can’t personally reply to every new subscriber anymore, but I make sure they get immediate value and feel like they’re joining something real, not just another newsletter.

Instead of a boring “Thanks for subscribing!” message, I send new subscribers straight into the good stuff. That means real marketing tactics they can use right away, plus that sense of being part of a community of people who actually get it.

7. Make your pop-ups helpful (not annoying).

I used to think pop-ups were annoying by default. But once I started triggering them based on behavior, they felt a lot less intrusive. In some cases, they even helped.

The offer is everything. “Subscribe for updates” won’t cut it. But something like “Want the exact checklist I used to get 1,000 subscribers? Grab it here” gives people a real reason to say yes.

Here are a few formats I’ve seen work:

• Exit-intent popups that show up right as someone’s about to leave the tab
• Scroll-triggered popups that appear once a reader hits a certain point in the post
• Content upgrades that feel like a natural next step after reading

The Gamification Twist

Now, here‘s where it gets interesting. I was skeptical at first. A spin-to-win wheel felt like something I’d see on an e-commerce site selling phone cases. But then I looked at the data: 13.23% conversion rate, compared to 3–5% for standard popups.

So I tested it.

I set it to show after someone had been on my site for 100 seconds, enough time to signal genuine interest. Instead of a boring “Sign up for updates” CTA, they got to spin for something valuable: a 15-minute consult, a swipe file, or a behind-the-scenes teardown.

Not only did it increase conversions, but it made the whole signup experience feel more fun and memorable.

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These gamified versions work best for consumer-facing brands or SaaS tools with free plans, but I’ve even seen creators use them effectively for newsletters. If you want to try it, tools like OptinMonster and Wheelio make setup easy.

The key with any pop-up: Keep your prizes genuinely helpful, make it feel like a bonus (not a trick), and never interrupt the experience. It should feel like a natural next step, whether it’s a simple overlay or a spinning wheel.

8. Match your CTAs to what people are actually reading.

Generic CTAs convert like generic advice: poorly. I’ve tested this over and over, and the results are evident. If your CTA matches the content someone’s already reading, conversion rates jump.

If someone’s reading a blog post about email marketing, why not show them a CTA that says, “Want the exact template I used to get 1,000 email signups? Grab it here.” That message is way more relevant than a generic newsletter pitch.

I’ve seen personalized CTAs outperform basic ones by a long shot. HubSpot found that personalized CTAs convert 202% better. In my experience, that tracks.

That stat stuck with me, so I started keeping my setup simple, just more intentional.

I don’t overthink this part. First, I check which pages are getting the most traffic, usually in GA4. That gives me a solid starting point.

Then I ask myself: why is someone on this page in the first place? Are they looking for a how-to? Comparing tools? That context shapes what kind of CTA makes sense.

Sometimes I tweak the headline or swap in a more relevant offer. Other times, I’ll get a little fancier and trigger something based on behavior, like when someone scrolls most of the way down or visits the page more than once. HubSpot’s smart content and Optimonk both come in handy there.

9. Build email subscribers through free workshops and demos.

I’ve built some of my best email lists off the back of a simple, free workshop. Most marketers overthink this one. You don’t need a webinar series with custom slides and paid ads. You just need one good idea and a calendar link.

No fluff, no hard sell. Just something genuinely useful that solves a problem for the right audience.

Even if only 20% of attendees convert, those subscribers are high intent. They already spent time with you, learned from you, and saw the value you bring. That kind of engagement is worth way more than a cold email address.

Bonus tip: after the workshop, send the recording and slides only to attendees who joined your list. That adds exclusivity and drives more opt-ins post-event.

10. Guest post or appear on podcasts.

When I started building my email list from scratch, I didn’t have a big list. But I knew how to write, and I had a few strong opinions. So I pitched a handful of newsletters and blogs in my space, and one guest post brought in over 400 subscribers in a week.

The trick? Go where your audience already hangs out.

If you write for a blog or newsletter, include a byline like: “Tom Orbach writes MarketingIdeas.com, a free newsletter for marketers who hate fluff. Get it here.”

If you’re on a podcast, ask the host to include your signup link in the show notes. Say something like, “If you liked this conversation, I break down stuff like this every few weeks. Link’s in the notes.”

And if you’re just getting started, pitch creators are just one or two steps ahead of you. They’re usually more open to collaborating, and their audience is likely to connect with where you are right now.

One solid guest appearance can bring in 200–500 subscribers. That’s how Lenny Rachitsky — author of the wildly popular product and growth newsletter, Lenny’s Newsletter — famously built his list. It’s how I grew mine, too.

11. Grow your email list by adding value in comments.

If you don’t have time to create content consistently, commenting on other people’s posts can still build visibility and grow your list. Most marketers overlook this tactic, but it works.

Take Ben Tossell, creator of Ben’s Bites, a daily newsletter covering the latest in AI. Early on, he consistently replied to tweets about AI tools with one line: “Shouting this out in tomorrow’s newsletter!”

It was simple, straightforward, and frequent enough that people noticed. When he replied to a tweet from Google’s CEO, it got nearly 26,000 views and led to hundreds of new subscribers.

You don’t need to copy Ben’s exact approach, but I’ve seen results just by:

• Clarifying a point or adding a useful stat
• Sharing a relevant link (if it genuinely helps)
• Dropping a quick stat or lesson

Pick a few people your audience already follows and comment consistently. This isn’t to promote yourself but to add something useful. Your replies should make people think, “Who is this?” That’s the start of awareness.

12. Ask at checkout, but make it optional.

If you sell anything online, your checkout flow is a goldmine for qualified email signups.

I’ve added a simple checkbox that says: “Yes, I’d like to get updates and offers.”

I always leave it unchecked by default and clearly explain what subscribers will get. No fine print, and no surprises.

In my experience, these subscribers often outperform others in open and click rates. They’ve already made a purchase or shown serious intent, which makes them some of the most valuable people on your list.

13. Leverage your existing networks (even the small ones).

You don’t need a massive following to start building your list. I learned this early on. Sometimes, your best subscribers come from the connections you already have.

If you‘ve got even a small following on Twitter, LinkedIn, or anywhere else, mention your list there. Not in a pushy way, but casually: “Started a weekly email with marketing insights that don’t make it to social. Drop me a DM if you want in.”

And here‘s something most people overlook: your email signature. I added a simple line to mine (“PS: I send weekly marketing breakdowns to 2,000+ people. Join here: [link]”), and it’s brought in dozens of subscribers from everyday work conversations.

You‘re already talking to people who know and trust you. Give them an easy way to get more of what you’re sharing.

14. Create landing pages for every major topic you cover.

Here‘s something I wish I’d done earlier: instead of sending all my traffic to one generic signup page, I started creating specific landing pages for different topics I write about.

When I guest post about email marketing, I send people to a landing page specifically about email tips. When I‘m on a podcast talking about content strategy, there’s a different page for that. Each one speaks directly to what brought them there in the first place.

HubSpot found that companies see a 55% bump in leads when they go from 10 to 15 landing pages. It makes sense. If someone found you through a specific topic, they want to know you’ll keep talking about that topic.

It’s like having different conversations with different people instead of giving everyone the same pitch. Way more personal, way more effective.

15. Turn your best subscribers into recruiters.

Once you have a few hundred engaged subscribers, some of them will love what you’re sending enough to share it. Why not make that easier for them?

I started including a simple line in my best emails: “Know someone who’d find this useful? Forward this their way. They can subscribe here: [link].”

But here‘s where it gets interesting: you can offer something in return. I’ve seen creators give their subscribers a month of free, exclusive content, or even small rewards for successful referrals. One newsletter I follow gives you a $10 coffee shop gift card for every three people you refer who stay subscribed for a month.

The key is making it feel like you’re asking for help, not running a pyramid scheme. Your best subscribers already want to share your stuff, just give them a reason and an easy way to do it.

Best Email List Builders

Now that we’ve discussed the most effective ways to grow your email list, here are a few tools that can help with the process. As I mentioned previously, you should only use these tools to build a list of subscribers who have consented to receive email from you.

1. HubSpot’s Email Tool

Best for: Crafting email templates, designing landing pages and CTAs, and managing the customer lifecycle.

You’ll be happy to know there are solutions for growing your email list without breaking the bank. HubSpot offers both paid and freemium versions of its email tools to help you get started quickly.

Additional Marketing Hub capabilities include:

• Landing page creation
• Pop-up and stand-alone CTA form templates
• All-in-one solution

With HubSpot, you can boost your open and click-through rates, tailor emails to recipients, and segment your list without design or tech help. It’s easy to use, intuitive design will have you mastering email lists and campaigns like a pro.

2. Mailchimp

Best for: Designing marketing campaigns for email and landing pages that convert.

Mailchimp is another option on the market that offers email tools that range from free to paid enterprise level. This tool comes with ready-made email templates, scheduling tools, and email automation options.

Its premium offerings will help you focus on and extract the most value out of your most loyal subscribers.

3. Constant Contact

Best for: General email management and building lead generation landing pages.

Constant Contact is known as an all-in-one digital marketing platform, but it does offer a decent selection of email tools that can help your campaigns stand out and get more signups. This paid service allows users to quickly drag and drop selected images and template features into custom emails, use ready-made email templates, send automated welcome and abandoned cart emails, and analyze results with email tracking.

4. Get Response

Best for: Performing segmentation based on user behavior.

Get Response comes with what you’d expect from email marketing software with the bonus of lead scoring and landing pages built into the platform. However, this platform is not as user-friendly as the others on this list and will require a bit of a learning curve to take advantage of all the software has to offer.

Features include:

• Contact management
• Automation and scheduling
• Industry-specific templates
• Reporting
• Landing Pages and Lead Scoring

These advanced features do come at a premium, so if you’re looking to dive deep into segmentation, you’ll need to upgrade from the free version.

5. Optimonk

Best for: Growing email, messenger, and SMS signups.

If you’re looking to upgrade your current marketing tactics for a more personal approach that gets leads, look no further than Optimonk. This platform has several integrations, including HubSpot, so chances are it will work with your existing CRM.

One of the standout features of this tool is its subscriber recognition tool, which allows you to target pop-ups only for visitors who haven’t subscribed yet.

Features include:

• Subscriber recognition
• A/B testing
• Optimized for mobile
• CTA and email templates

Best of all, they offer a free-for-forever option so you can build your list on a budget.

More Value, More Sign-Ups

You don’t need a million-dollar tool or a viral thread to build an email list from scratch. You need consistency, relevance, and a genuine desire to help your audience solve a problem.

That’s what drives sign-ups.

If you offer value, people will stick around. And if you stay curious, experiment often, and learn from what works (instead of just following trends), your list will grow faster than you think.

I treat my list like a long-term relationship. Not a transaction. Not a funnel. It’s a place where trust builds over time, and that trust pays off in more ways than clicks and opens.

Start small. Be useful. Keep going. And remember, your first 100 subscribers matter more than your first 10,000. Treat them like gold, and they’ll help you find the rest.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.