Growing an Email List Is Hard. Here’s What Makes It Easier.

4 strategies that helped me grow to 5,000 subscribers

Screenshot by the author

It hurts me to write this.

But I can’t help being honest. There is too much bullshit and crushing dream expectations on the internet.

It took me almost 2 years to get a thousand qualified subscribers on my email list.

And another two to hit 5,000 subscribers.

Growing an email list sometimes feels like trying to fill a bucket with a tiny, leaky faucet.

You know it’s valuable — everyone says your list is your most important asset — but getting people to sign up?

That’s the tricky part.

It’s easy to get discouraged when the subscriber count creeps up slower than a snail.

You put your heart into creating content, offering value, and still, the list barely grows.

You start questioning if you’re doing something wrong or if the whole “email is king” narrative is just a myth.

Why is growing a list so hard?

You might’ve toyed with the idea of running Facebook ads, hoping paid traffic would bring in a flood of subscribers overnight.

Let’s imagine you did run those ads.

The clicks might have come in, but did they translate into loyal subscribers? Probably not.

Because you need a solid back-end in place to break even on these ads. Dumping loads of money on ads ain’t fun. I personally burned over $7k in 2020 and wasn’t able to figure it out.

Plus, running paid ads is a full-time job in itself. There are people who do this for a living — they are called media buyers. If you want to hire one, then it’s probably going to cost you a few grand a month on top of the ad spend.

Then there’s the siren song of social media.

You might’ve thought that building a massive following on King Musk’s or the Job Search platform would help.

After all, 99% of content creators tell you to be on social.

But let’s be honest, social media is a fickle friend.

Algorithms change all the time, trends shift, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

Plus, if you’re anything like me, just looking at the newsfeed already overheats your brain and makes you feel completely drained.

It’s like building a house on sand — unstable and unreliable.

Perhaps you also considered SEO…

But with all the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) going on about Google algorithm updates, SearchGPT, and what have you… It might seem like a solution that doesn’t work anymore.

This is (by miles) the best list-building method on the internet

All methods you’ve been considering until today work.

You could be using the most effective list-building strategy known to man, but if it feels like pulling teeth every time you sit down to do it, you’ll burn out.

That’s exactly what I tried to do with Facebook ads back in 2020. I’m a creative person. I like to write, and I hate looking at spreadsheets, so I quickly turned that down.

Then I also tried to build my list using YouTube, which had some success, but since I hated the process of filming videos every day, I simply stopped doing it.

That’s why it’s so crucial to find a list-building method you actually enjoy.

Maybe you love writing, so crafting regular blog posts feels like a natural fit. Go for it.

Even if the social media sirens sound very appealing.

Whatever it is, the key is to choose a strategy that doesn’t feel like a chore. When you enjoy the process, it stops being work and starts being something you look forward to — something that energizes you rather than drains you… and helps you build your list in the process.

Consistency is the secret sauce of list-building.

Without it, your efforts will be sporadic, and so will your results.

So, the next time you’re considering a new list-building tactic, ask yourself: “Will I actually enjoy doing this?” If the answer is no, keep looking until you find something that clicks.

If you hate the list-building process, it’s not going to work. Period.

Crush 99% of your competitors

Consistency is a word 99% of writers use. But only 1% stick to it.

You’ve already heard it 1 million times. But it’s where the magic really happens.

If you’ve ever tried to get in shape, hitting the gym once won’t do much.

But showing up every day? That’s where the results start to show.

The same goes for list-building.

Publishing daily might sound like overkill, but it’s the secret to triggering the compound effect — a little effort, repeated over time, creates significant results.

That’s why you need a system to:

• turn any idea into content (even on the bad days)

• come up with unlimited content ideas (so you’ll always have something to write about)

Then, add a link to your lead magnet underneath every piece.

Simple. But most people don’t freakin’ stick to it long enough.

This tip will add qualified leads (& buyers) to your email list

If you want to grow your email list faster, one of the smartest moves you can make is to connect with other creators in your industry.

I am a diehard introvert.

If you talked to me in real life, my cheeks would turn as red as a ripe summer tomato.

The cool thing about the internet is that you can connect with others without the drama. Now, don’t get me wrong. A huge chunk of creators in your industry are buttheads who’ll snub you.

That’s okay.

Because you don’t need to become friends with everyone.

You only need a handful of people who you enjoy connecting with.

I’ll give you a personal example. I wrote a daily article that caught the attention of someone with a 24k email list. We ended up partnering, and he promoted one of my products as an affiliate. The result? I gained 541 subscribers in just 48 hours. That’s the kind of boost that can really move the needle for your list.

Another time, I did a simple swap with my writing friend,

Derek Hughes

.

We each sent out two emails to our lists, promoting the other’s content. It wasn’t a huge effort, but it worked. We both added around 100 subscribers to our lists.

Not the biggest numbers you see on screenshot porn with other creators. But those subs are 100x more qualified than social media lurkers.

Quality ≠ Quantity.

Start by reaching out to people in your niche — those whose content you respect and whose audience would benefit from hearing your message.

They don’t have to be big creators. They simply have to be people that you enjoy reading from.

That’s exactly what I did with Derek.

At the time I reached out, he had a smaller list and fewer followers than me. I put my damn ego aside. It’s okay to talk to others who have a smaller audience.

I enjoyed his writing, so I genuinely sent over compliments. This sparked the conversation that ended up in a deal.

The exact amount of time you’ll need to grow your list

You don’t want to hear this. But humans are impatient jerks.

Building an email list can probably solve all your money problems within the next 5 years if you know how to monetize it correctly.

But building an email list doesn’t happen overnight.

If you’re in this for the quick win, you’ll suffer more than cutting your palm with a razor blade.

Set the right expectations so that you don’t get disappointed.

Disappointment kills motivation.

Give yourself time — a 2-year runway. Why two years? Because it’s enough time to see real, sustainable growth without burning out or losing steam.

Stop comparing yourself to others who seem to have it all figured out, wondering why you’re not seeing the same results. But the thing is, you don’t see the years of work that went into their success. Everyone loves an overnight success story, but the reality is those “overnight” successes usually have a long runway behind them.

Stop watching screenshot porn.

Shifting your mindset from overnight success to a 2-year minimum takes all the pressure off your shoulders. This allows you to focus on consistent, meaningful growth rather than chasing quick wins.

It also gives you the freedom to experiment, try different strategies, and figure out what works best for you.

A bonus strategy that can help you grow to 1,000 subs in 30 days

A strategy I implemented last year was about “bribing” other creators to promote my lead magnets.

It’s 100% ethical. And it worked like gangbusters. (And I’m still using it to this date.)

It doesn't require you to churn out endless content to finally start seeing some traction.

You can set everything up and start seeing your subscriber count grow within the next few days.

If you want to know more about it…

Here’s a free course that will show you what it is (and how to set this up)