This is how I'll grow my email list faster

Building off what I shared last time about the email mini-course I’m creating, I want to share how I’m building and the strategy behind everything. Hold onto your hats because this might be a ride.

The most important thing to get clear on first is the delivery of the emails. Email sequencing and automation are essential because people will join at different times, and an email service that provides those services is required.

I’m using ConvertKit for my course because it has email sequencing and delivery automation capabilities. I can also build a stand-alone landing page as a one-page website to funnel people into the course without the distractions of header and footer navigations.

Beehiiv also has automation that allows for sequencing. The process is different and possibly more robust than ConvertKit, but there’s no way to create a stand-alone landing page on Beehiiv. This wouldn’t be a deal-breaker if I were hosting The Hungry on Beehiiv, but I would probably use a single-page website builder to host the sign-up form.

Separate Ideas Into Parts

The next step is to turn the course concept into content spread over several days. Although I’m publishing five days of course content, the email sequence will consist of seven emails, with an introduction and instructions at the beginning and a send-off at the end, letting participants know what to expect next.

In my case, that’s telling them to expect messages from The Hungry in the future. Although this course is connected to the newsletter, I’m moving them from a specific topic of newsletters to the broader topic of creative business. It’s critical to provide realistic expectations, so I don’t have any disillusioned subscribers.

Make It Consumable

I’m keeping the content of each email between 500 and 700 words. I want these to be quick and easy emails to get through with enough information for them to act.

The point of the course isn’t to immerse people in the world of newsletters. Instead, I want to give them enough information to take action in small ways and then dive deeper into the Hungry for more details.

Because I’m keeping the content short, there will be a lot of details missing, and that’s ok. I’m still providing significant value, but if I get granular with the subject, I risk losing their attention and not being engaged later on.

Landing Page and Domain

Once I’ve finished the content, I’ll build a simple landing page within ConvertKit and give it a unique domain. I could create a page on TheHungry.art, which would lend a little credence to the course but might be distracting. Instead, having a dedicated URL and landing page allows focus and presents itself as a stand-alone product.

I haven’t built the page yet, but it will include a straightforward interface with a brief description, a sign-up form, and testimonials from people who have participated in other things I’ve created.

The Launch

I’ve already started priming the machine for this launch by spending time on social media and discussing the importance of newsletters within the newsletter. I’ve talked about how to drive traffic off of social media to the email list, why owned audiences are greater than shared audiences, and what to share with people when you’re lost for ideas.

I believe it’s important to be on the message before a launch for a couple of reasons.

1. People know what to expect when it happens.

2. I’ve established myself as an authority on the topic, which legitimizes the course as something to trust.

Once I’m ready to launch, I’ll update my account bios to direct people to the course. This is an experiment, though. I need to keep in mind that The Hungry isn’t just about newsletters, and I don’t want to discourage people who are not interested in the course from still subscribing to The Hungry.

I will also share the course with current Hungry subscribers. There’s no reason they can’t participate, and if they enjoy the mini-course, maybe they’ll share. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’ll probably add a referral request in that last email of the course.

As of this posting, I have already written five of the seven emails and anticipate a Monday or Tuesday launch date next week.

Finally, if you have any questions about the process, leave a comment below.