50 Email Marketing Videos Reveal How You Can Start Making Money Now

Ever wondered if binge-watching email marketing videos could unlock new insights?

Well, I decided to put it to the test.

Over the weekend, I embarked on a marathon session, watching 50 email marketing videos back-to-back. Armed with a liter of grape Gatorade and my trusty laptop, I dove into the world of email list building.

(I think I fried my brain, too.)

via GIPHY

Of course, I took breaks to eat, take care of business, and let the dog out, but I powered through.

Surprisingly, amidst the repetitive advice, I discovered a few fresh ideas that stood out. Here’s what I learned from this intense viewing experience.

Am I Qualified to Talk About Email Marketing?

Before diving into the various strategies that Internet marketers use to build their email lists, let me share why I decided to delve deeply into this subject.

This is the fourth business I’ve owned, and the third one that operates online. Before the internet revolution, my wife and I manufactured a product that we sold globally.

My largest venture was an eCommerce site where I designed, created, and marketed embroidered apparel for musicians. I personally crafted all the designs, sewed them, and shipped them to satisfied musicians worldwide. This business was highly successful, with the “Bad to the Bone Trombone Hat and Shirt” being a top seller.

To summarize, I built a massive following and customer list, using email marketing long before I fully understood its potential.

Eventually, I experienced burnout and sold that business.

I also ran a blog in the ’90s, during the early days of blogging, focusing on electric bikes and scooters. The blog, aptly named “Electric Bikes and Scooters,” generated a decent income through AdSense ads, sometimes earning up to $400 a month.

During this time, I also engaged in information marketing on other sites. However, I eventually shut down the AdSense site as the time investment outweighed the revenue.

Now, I have a copywriting site called ElmoCopy, and as of 2024, I rebooted the Ellistrations Embroidery site. I am using email marketing to run the ElmoCopy site, and the Ellistrations reboot is so new that I haven’t started email marketing on that site yet.

How to Build an Email List from Scratch

Over the years, I’ve managed significant mailing lists. Recently, I’ve shifted my focus to the copywriting aspect of marketing. Now, I’m building a new site, service, and email list centered around this idea.

From my extensive reading and personal experience, I know that building an email list and running email campaigns is crucial for any business.

I’m now rebuilding my list based on a service rather than a product, which is why I’m diving deep into research.

Lucky for you, I’m doing all the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.

Join me on this journey, and together we’ll explore how to attract more visitors to our sites and build a substantial email list. (Notice I didn’t say “overnight”!)

Without further ado, here are the top 5 strategies that most Internet Marketers use to build their email lists:

The Mind-Blowing News About Email Marketing

Before diving into the incredible methods for building an email list, let me share the criteria I used to evaluate the videos I watched.

Professional Quality: I only considered professionally made videos. If it looked like an amateur effort, I skipped it. Serious content deserves serious attention.

Value Over Sales: If I felt I was being sold to rather than receiving valuable information, I moved on. It was sometimes challenging to distinguish between genuine value and a sales pitch.

Diverse Sources: I watched videos from a variety of sources. While I was familiar with big names like Michael Hyatt, I also explored content from lesser-known guerrilla marketers who excel in their niches.

Armed with these standards, I watched around 50 videos, taking notes from the comfort of my recliner. Here are the key methods and tools discussed for building an email list:

Email Marketing Step #1: Get an Autoresponder

In nearly all the videos, the first recommendation was to get an opt-in box. It might seem obvious, but it’s essential for collecting email addresses.

Contrary to popular belief, I built a massive email list without an autoresponder or opt-in box when I ran my online apparel business. I gathered thousands of email addresses from order forms, along with physical addresses, allowing me to send both email and physical newsletters.

Here are some of the top autoresponders recommended:

Aweber: Widely regarded as the premier email service and autoresponder. It’s more expensive but offers top-notch quality.

Constant Contact: Another excellent service with a long-standing reputation. It’s also on the pricier side.

Mailchimp: My personal favorite for beginners. Mailchimp is free until you reach 2,000 subscribers, making it ideal for those just starting out. Why pay for a service before you have a substantial following?

There are many other email/autoresponder services available, but these were the most frequently mentioned in the videos I watched.

Email Marketing Step #2: Use a Pop-Up Email Collector

It’s interesting how trends in email marketing come and go. Years ago, many internet marketing (IM) gurus advised against using pop-ups to collect emails because they annoyed users. Now, the trend has reversed.

While the videos I watched didn’t explain why pop-ups have regained popularity, I have a theory: they used to be ugly and intrusive, often opening multiple windows and causing frustration. Thankfully, most marketers now understand that such black hat tactics don’t work anymore.

Today’s pop-ups are more elegant and seamlessly integrated into the user experience. They are also easy to install, especially if you’re using WordPress.

The System I Use: Hello Bar

I use Hello Bar, a tool created by internet marketer and blogger Neil Patel. It’s free, just like Mailchimp, and it’s fantastic for capturing email addresses. You can customize Hello Bar to appear wherever you want on your page, and it can follow the reader down the page in a non-intrusive way. It can also appear as a header or footer at the top or bottom of your website.

The Power of Full-Page Pop-Ups

Contrary to the myth that pop-ups are bothersome, the setting that captures the most email addresses is the full-page pop-up. Hello Bar offers this feature, and it has been shown to be highly effective. If you visit major blogs or internet marketing sites, you’ll often see full-page, color-coordinated, and well-crafted messages with irresistible offers to capture your email.

Latest Trends in Email Marketing

AI Assistance: Many marketers are now leveraging AI tools for content creation and personalization. I personally write all my own material.  However, I  use AI to check my grammar and spelling.  You can also use it for email campaign planning and for outlines, if you are short on time. But in my opinion, if you want to master the art of blogging and copywriting, you need to know how to write yourself. Think of this: What will happen  to you if the lights go out, there is a computer virus, or some other extended event occurs?  You will need to know how to write by yourself. 

Data Protection and Privacy: With increasing concerns over data privacy, it’s crucial to comply with regulations like GDPR and to be transparent with your audience1.

Alternative Metrics: Due to changes like Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection, marketers are focusing less on open rates and more on engagement metrics1.

Dark Mode Optimization: More emails are being optimized for dark mode to enhance readability and user experience2.

By staying updated with these trends and using tools like Hello Bar, you can effectively grow your email list and run successful email campaigns.

Email Marketing Step #3: Drive Traffic to Your Site

To build an incredible email address list, the next crucial step is to generate traffic to your site. One effective way to do this is by creating high-quality content.

Writing great content is easier said than done, but it’s a skill you can learn. There are numerous articles and websites that can teach you how to write compelling content. Personally, I’ve improved my content writing by following successful bloggers like Neil Patel on Quick sprout and Jon Morrow on Smart Blogger (formerly Boost Blog Traffic). These experts provide detailed, free guides on how to write engaging blog posts.

Learning to write valuable content takes time, practice, and a lot of trial and error, but it’s achievable for anyone willing to put in the effort.

Email Marketing Step #4: Offer Freebies

To entice people to sign up for your irresistible offer, you need to give something away for free. You might wonder, “If I give away great content for free, why would anyone buy my product or service?”

In the field of copywriting, for example, if I provide a free eBook on writing great copy, readers will quickly realize that crafting effective copy is not as easy as it seems. They might then consider hiring me to write a 4,000-word sales page for them.

By offering a free, high-quality information product, you position yourself as an authority in your niche. This increases the likelihood that prospects will seek your services. Always ensure your free content is of the highest quality, as it serves as a digital business card showcasing your professionalism.

Interestingly, most people who download your freebie will only scan it and not read it thoroughly. However, this doesn’t mean you should provide subpar content. High-quality freebies demonstrate your expertise and professionalism, even if they are given away for free.

Once You Build Your Email List – Follow Up or Lose Your Audience

The next logical step after building your email list is to follow up with your subscribers. If you don’t send them regular emails to remind them of who you are and what you offer, you risk losing their interest.

In fact, if you haven’t emailed your list in the last 18 months, they might see you as a nuisance and mark your emails as spam. Therefore, it’s crucial to follow up consistently to keep your audience engaged.

How to Follow Up Effectively?

Send them valuable content they can use. For example, if you’ve written several blog posts on how to use graphics to make blog posts more engaging, you can repurpose that content.

Bundle it together to create a PDF eBook titled “5 Surefire Ways to Use Pictures to Make Your Blog Posts Magnetic!” Include a link in your email directing your subscribers to download the eBook from your site.

Additionally, place another irresistible offer on the same page where they can download the free report. This strategy not only provides value but also encourages further engagement with your content.

Once You Build Your Email List – Follow Up or Lose Your Audience

The next logical step after building your email list is to follow up with your subscribers. If you don’t send them regular emails to remind them of who you are and what you offer, you risk losing their interest.

In fact, if you haven’t emailed your list in the last 18 months, they might see you as a nuisance and mark your emails as spam. Therefore, it’s crucial to follow up consistently to keep your audience engaged.

How to Follow Up Effectively?

Send them valuable content they can use. For example, if you’ve written several blog posts on how to use graphics to make blog posts more engaging, you can repurpose that content. Bundle it together to create a PDF eBook titled “5 Surefire Ways to Use Pictures to Make Your Blog Posts Magnetic!” Include a link in your email directing your subscribers to download the eBook from your site.

Additionally, place another irresistible offer on the same page where they can download the free report. This strategy not only provides value but also encourages further engagement with your content.

Email Marketing Step #5 — Total Full Out Blitzkrieg

The first four methods of building email lists that I watched in the 50 videos were quite consistent:

• Get an autoresponder.
• Create great content.
• Give something away for free that has perceived value.
• Follow up with subscribers.

Now you won’t have to watch all those videos because that’s the gist of it.

However, many of those videos included additional tips and ideas on how to build an email list, which I’ll be sharing in my next posts.

But wait! Don’t go away just yet, because I’m going to show you how to use one of those ideas right now. It’s pretty easy and you can implement it immediately.

I personally like this next idea and want to implement it as fast as possible. To make it really simple, I’ll go step by step through this system.

The Email Blitz – Massive Action You Can Take Now!

This method involves using multiple email capture tools without disrupting the flow of your content. Here’s how you can implement it effectively:

Step 1: Install Hello Bar

Get Hello Bar and install it, or find someone who can do it for you. It’s very user-friendly, and once you have an account, you can customize the settings to your preference. Both the full-page pop-up and the middle-of-the-screen pop-up work well. The free version is excellent and can be used until you’re ready to upgrade.

Step 2: Add a Link Next to Your Name in Blog Posts

Include a link next to your name in each blog post. It should look something like this: Mark “Elmo” Ellis — Get more incredible tips and free tools for you to launch and deploy here. When readers click the link, a sign-up page or box with your free offer should appear.

Step 3: Include a Call to Action at the End of Each Article

End each article with a call to action and a link to a sign-up page. Ensure the offer is irresistible and doesn’t come across as a sales pitch.

Step 4: Insert a Graphic Ad in the Middle of Your Blog Post

Place a graphic ad in the middle of your blog post with a link to a sign-up page or a pop-up box. Neil Patel is a master at this technique, often using professional-looking images in the middle of his posts to capture email addresses.

Step 5: Add a Full-Color Ad at the End of Your Blog Posts

Include a full-color ad at the end of your blog posts with your offer. Make it look like a polished advertisement with bullet points, logos, and even testimonials.

Step 6: Offer the Blog Post in PDF Format

Near the end of each article, offer the blog post in PDF format. Provide a link that takes readers to a platform like Google Docs where they can download it for free. On the first page of the repurposed post, prominently display your compelling offer with a link to your email sign-up.

Conclusion

These are five effective ways to start building your email list today. I’ll be sharing two more advanced email gathering tactics in my next post.

Do you agree? Disagree? Have additional insights?

Please comment below.

To your continued success!