An email list is the one audience you own. A platform cannot throttle it. The hard part is the first hundred people.
Before you start, decide
- Who it is for, narrowly
- What they get from each issue, in one sentence
- How often. Pick a pace you can keep for a year.
Ways people commonly find the first 100
- Ask people you already know who fit the audience, one at a time.
- Put a signup on your product, your site and your profiles.
- Offer something useful in exchange: a template, a checklist, a short guide.
- Write somewhere your readers already are and link back.
- Be a guest in someone else's newsletter or podcast.
- Answer questions in communities and mention it when it is relevant.
Things that matter more than the tool you pick
- A clear promise on the signup page
- A welcome email that asks one question
- Sending on schedule
- Writing to one reader
Reply with your topic, your current count and what has worked. If you are stuck below 100, post your signup page for a look.