Q&A: What can I do with an email list?

What It’s About

A listener is actively building her email list. But now what?

Notes from Chris

Episode 1211

You may have heard me or anyone else say that you should be building an email list. This is almost always a good idea … however, you shouldn’t just build up a list (or lists) and not do anything with them. I’ve done that before, so do as I say and not as I do. When people join your email list, it’s because they want to hear from you.p>

Today’s listener has a coaching service for writers, and has been diligently building an email list—but now she wonders what she should be using it for. What’s the next step?

“Hi, Chris. This is Katy from London. I love the show, especially the new format, which is incredibly helpful. I’ve recently set up a side hustle called Pick Up Your Pen, which is coaching for writers. I want to help writers reach their dream writing goal. So I offer accountability and I help them deal with procrastination, self-doubt and other creative blocks. I’ve just started to build up an email list and my question is what do I actually do with it?”

Listen to today’s episode to learn more…

 


 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SEE ALSO:

Yours in the revolution,

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Resources

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

GET YOUR FIRST 1,000 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS

Social media is nice, but building an email list is still the single best way to get customers and clients for your hustle. It's not hard to get started—sign up for a 30-day trial and join the list-building challenge! You’ll be up and running in no time. Learn More

Sponsors & Gratitude

Don't Do Business Without It

Side Hustle School is brought to you by American Express.

No matter what you do in business, from working nine-to-five to working five-to-nine, it’s easier when you don’t go it alone. Get the powerful backing of American Express—don't do business without it! 💳 Visit American Express

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It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.
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To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Weekly Recap: How NOT to Add People to Your Email List

Notes from Chris

Episode 463

THEMES & TAKEAWAYS:

Last week, we looked at launching crowdfunding campaigns. This week, let’s consider email lists.

In this episode, I share a personal experience where I was added to someone’s email list without my permission. The lesson is that you should definitely have an email list, but don’t randomly add people to it. Nobody likes spam!

And if you don’t have an email list yet, check out ConvertKit. It’s the email marketing platform I use for the show—plus, all Side Hustle School listeners get their first month absolutely free!

Listener Shoutouts

Last but not least, I’d like to give a shoutout to Paul who forwarded me a new project that he’s working on called My Value Manifesto. Listen to the recap to hear more about this project, and check it out for yourself!


EPISODES FROM THIS WEEK:

Here’s what we heard this week on Side Hustle School! Listen to this week’s recap for a more comprehensive highlight reel.

  • Ep. 457 – A New Zealand-based software developer puts her digital skills to artistic use by creating virtual lettering brushes for budding digital calligraphers
  • Ep. 458 – Frustrated with snobby and overly-serious triathletes, a man creates a Facebook group for more casual and fun discussion. It then transforms into a $30,000 side hustle with tens of thousands of members
  • Ep. 459 – When she left her job, she found herself longing to reconnect with a favorite hobby. So she grabbed some paints and brushes—and within an hour, found her first client
  • Ep. 460 – A new mom helps party hosts plan their events. After hiring college students to do the work, she parties her way to a European vacation, complete with Beyoncé tour tickets
  • Ep. 461 – An emergency medical technical builds iPhone apps on the side, landing gigs with Buzzfeed and the University of Massachusetts
  • Ep. 462 – An adjunct community college professor uploads his final course to YouTube, then converts it to a Udemy course. In just sixteen months, he reaches almost 35,000 students and makes over $100,000 in profits

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter

Join me at the World Domination Summit!

Have you heard of the World Domination Summit? This is a gathering of awesome people—an event that I’ve been hosting together with an amazing team in Portland, OR every summer for the past eight years.

WDS 2018 is coming up at the end of June (June 26th-July 2nd), and we’ll be welcoming people from over 30 different countries. With inspiring keynote speakers, a week full of activities and attendee-led meetups, and two incredible parties, you won’t want to miss it!

This is our final wave of main stage tickets so visit our website to get your ticket to this incredible, once a year event! We promise that it’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.

Here’s what’s coming up next…

Each week I’ll feature more stories from people who are starting side hustles without quitting their job. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming next week:

  • A student cashes in on his love of history by mailing beautifully designed letters to monthly subscribers
  • A North Carolina man’s software app forces users to make donations when they slack off their fitness routines
  • And so much more!

Do you have a side hustle story you’d like to share? Fill out the Side Hustle School submission form and your story may be featured on the show!

Also, if you’re interested in joining the Side Hustle Society, visit our Society page to get notified when it goes live!

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

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I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

Quote of the Day
"You should definitely have an email list, but make sure you’re inviting the right people to join."
—#SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

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Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Wordpress.com! Whether you’re looking to create a personal blog, business site, or both—you’ll make a big impact, when you build your website on WordPress.com. 💻

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Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.


Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

“Cheap Plane Tickets” Site Becomes Million-Dollar Hustle

What It’s About

A D.C. political analyst creates a travel alert service to help travelers save money.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Scott has been able to create a hugely successful side hustle by focusing on his travel alert service and growing it to over 275,000 subscribers.

Like Scott, I too am an avid travel hacker, but I prefer to invest my time in different ways. Different things work better for different personalities, and it’s important to keep your unique personality in mind when choosing a side hustle. What works for one person may not work for another. For some it may be more beneficial to diversify, for others it may be better to focus on doing one thing really well, but you know what is best for you.

Learn more about Scott and how he was able to help others find cheap flights on his website, Scott’s Cheap Flights!

Fun Fact

Interested in learning more about travel hacking and how you can travel the world using miles and points? Here are some resources to help you get started!

  • Free Travel Hacking Resources Page: If you want to take a big trip on a small budget, or if you want to explore parts of the planet you’ve only read about—or even if you just want the option of traveling more without spending a ton of money, all of these things are possible thanks to travel hacking.
  • Join the Travel Hacking Cartel: In 2010 I founded the Travel Hacking Cartel, a service that helps users earn at least 100,000 Frequent Flyer miles a year. You can earn these miles without getting on a plane…. guaranteed.
  • The Single Best Credit Card for Travel Hacking: If you’re going to get into travel hacking, it’s best to get started with a card that offers a high signup bonus. This one offers a 50,000 point signup bonus and is hands down my first recommendation!

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

RELIABLE WEBHOST FOR $2.49/MONTH

Want to build any kind of website for your hustle? If so, you'll need somewhere to host it! This is the reliable company I've used for my past 5 websites. It's cheap, flexible, and you can get support 24 hours a day.

Get your own hosting plan for just $2.49 a month!
Learn More

Quote of the Day
"Just because someone else has a business similar to your idea doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. You might be able to do the idea better, improve the customer experience, monetize more efficiently, or just reach some of the 99.9% of customers who haven’t heard of your competitor.
"
—Scott Keyes #SideHustleSchool

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau

Ketogenic Cookbook Author Makes $1,000 the First Day

What It’s About

Specialized diet blog and cookbook.

[podcast_details]

Words of Wisdom

Specialized diets are huge markets. Paleo, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, kosher, halal, raw foods—people who follow these diets or traditions have very clear needs. For some people, it’s a lifestyle choice, but a lot of them have medical or religious reasons why it’s so important for them to follow these diets. It’s not something that they’re usually flexible about—it’s a NEED.

Fun Fact

Amanda wasn’t just marketing to the group of people who follow the ketogenic lifestyle on her blog, Wicked Stuffed; it was her way of life as well. Naturally, she built trust and goodwill with all of those subscribers—and when the time came to gently sell a collection of recipes, they responded well to it. She used Gumroad to easily handle the payment process.

Resources

GET $625 IN FREE TRAVEL

Earn 50,000 travel rewards points (enough for 2 round-trip plane tickets or $625 in travel credit). You'll also earn 2x points on all travel and dining spend, with zero foreign transaction fees.

I use this card every day all over the world! ✈️ Learn More

CREATE YOUR ONLINE STORE

Create your online store with Shopify using an exclusive discount for Side Hustle School listeners. For a limited time, get a free 21-day trial and a 10% discount for a whole year.

Many Side Hustle School listeners are building sites using Shopify's easy-to-learn platform. Try it free today! Learn More

Quote of the Day
"It’s crazy to me that I’m able to make money doing something that I genuinely love, and it calms me when I’m stressed from my day job."
—Amanda MacArthur #SideHustleSchool

Sponsors & Gratitude

Cook with Blue Apron!

Supporting the sponsors keeps the show free. Today’s episode of Side Hustle School is brought to you by Blue Apron. 👩🍳

Check out this week’s menu and get your first three meals FREE, with free shipping. Get ready to say mmmmmm.
Get Yours Here

Like the Show? Leave a Rating!

Side Hustle School is for you! If you’re enjoying it, please take a quick moment to leave a rating or write a quick review. It's really easy and it makes a difference! ✅

It also makes a huge difference when you tell your friends about the show. Remember, it's 100% free and listener-supported.


Here's How

Keep in Touch

There’s a new story every single day on Side Hustle School. Episodes are produced to be short and to the point—I know you’re busy. Be sure you subscribe to get instant notification of the day’s broadcast!


To infinity and beyond,

Chris Guillebeau