Starting an email list can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not “techy” or you’ve been told there are a million steps involved. The truth is, building an email list doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.

At its core, your email list is simply a way to build a direct relationship with your audience, without relying on algorithms or social media trends. Below is a straightforward breakdown of how to start your email list from scratch, without overthinking it.

Step One: Choose an Email Marketing Platform

This is often the step that stops people before they even begin. Choosing an email marketing platform can feel intimidating, but the best platform is simply the one that fits your business model and feels easy for you to use.

For beginners in the service provider or digital product space, I love Flodesk. It’s user-friendly, visually beautiful, and over the last few years they’ve added powerful features like checkouts and workflows that make selling through email much easier. This is the platform I personally use for my own email list.

For beginners in the ecommerce space, Klaviyo is a strong option. It integrates seamlessly with online shops and includes features like abandoned cart emails, customer segmentation, and automated sales funnels that are especially helpful for product-based businesses.

Step Two: Create a Free Resource (Your Freebie)

Your freebie, sometimes called an opt-in, is how you invite people onto your email list. It’s the value exchange where someone gives you their email address in return for something helpful.

The most effective freebies are not overwhelming or packed with everything you know. Instead, they focus on one specific problem and give your audience a single, meaningful win. When someone finishes your freebie and thinks, “That was actually helpful,” you’re already building trust.

High-value, focused freebies convert far better than generic ones.

Step Three: Build a Sign-Up Form

Your sign-up form is where people actually join your email list. This can live on your website, on a landing page, or be shared through a link on social media.

Here’s where the exchange happens. Your audience enters their email address, and in return, they receive your freebie. Keep this process simple. Clear language, one call to action, and no unnecessary steps.

The easier it is to sign up, the more likely people are to do it.

Step Four: Write Your Welcome Sequence

Your welcome sequence is one of the most important parts of your email marketing strategy. This is the series of emails that introduces you, your brand, and your work to new subscribers.

A well-written welcome sequence takes someone from casually interested to genuinely invested. It sets expectations, builds trust, and helps your audience understand how you can support them.

This is where relationships are built and where future sales become much easier.

Step Five: Put Together Your Email Marketing Funnel

Inside your email marketing platform, you’ll connect all the pieces: your freebie, your sign-up form, and your welcome sequence.

Don’t let the word “funnel” intimidate you. A funnel is simply a series of steps that guide your audience from point A, signing up for your list, to point B, becoming loyal buyers.

When set up correctly, this process runs in the background, nurturing your audience without requiring constant effort from you.

Step Six: Actually Invite People to Sign Up

This is one of the most common mistakes I see as an email marketer. If you don’t actively invite people to join your email list, they won’t know your freebie exists.

Posting about it once isn’t enough. Talk about it regularly, link it in your bio, mention it in your content, and remind your audience why it’s worth signing up.

Your email list can only grow if you consistently invite people into it.

Starting Your Email List Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Building an email list is less about perfection and more about getting started. Once the foundation is in place, you can refine, optimize, and grow over time.

The key is to take the first step and let it evolve with your business.