{"id":4333,"date":"2015-05-02T00:01:33","date_gmt":"2015-05-02T05:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.growthtools.com\/blog\/?p=4333"},"modified":"2018-03-01T22:38:58","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T22:38:58","slug":"email-list-from-scratch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.growthtools.com\/?p=4333","title":{"rendered":"How we started an email list from scratch and got 205 subscribers in 48 hours"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is it possible to\u00a0pick a topic, build an email list and launch a product in 48 hours?<\/p>\n

On Thursday, I started the 48-Hour List-Building Challenge to show you there is no reason you can’t\u00a0start a list and make money from it right now.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I challenged myself to\u00a0start from scratch, not use my existing traffic, email list or social channels.<\/p>\n

Just\u00a0follow the blueprint in our new free training, the Advanced List Building Webinar<\/a>,\u00a0and see what happens.<\/p>\n

Welp!<\/p>\n

48 hours later…here are the results:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"

Final totals:<\/strong> 205 subscribers\u00a0and $247\u00a0in sales.<\/p>\n

All from scratch in 2 days.<\/p>\n

You\u00a0can do the exact same thing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’ll show you how.<\/p>\n

How to start a list from scratch and get 205 subscribers in 48 hours<\/h2>\n

The first step was to pick a topic.<\/p>\n

I brainstormed the three most random topics that I could think of.<\/p>\n

Then I\u00a0put it to a vote.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The winner?<\/p>\n

Hammocking in Nashville.<\/p>\n

Two reason I like this choice:<\/strong><\/p>\n

#1:<\/strong> It’s a local business. Which means it’s harder (smaller audience).<\/p>\n

#2:<\/strong> It’s extremely niche. Hammocking? Is that even a thing?<\/p>\n

Challenge accepted.<\/p>\n

Here is what I did next…<\/p>\n

Step 1: Manually reach out to 50\u00a0people\u00a0and invite them to the\u00a0list.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Most people make list building way too hard on themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

They start by writing content, creating lead magnets<\/a> and trying to get complete strangers to join their list.<\/p>\n

That’s silly.<\/p>\n

Instead, what you should do (and what I teach in the\u00a0course) is to start by getting Eager Sneezers on your list.<\/p>\n

What’s an Eager Sneezer?<\/p>\n

An Eager Sneezer is someone you ALREADY have a relationship with who knows people that fit your target demographic.<\/p>\n

Your mom.
\nYour aunt.
\nYour best friend.<\/p>\n

Then you ask them to invite someone they think might be interested in learning more about the topic you’re focused on.<\/p>\n

Let me show you how it works…<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the first people I invited to join my list was my friend Joel.<\/p>\n

This is the email I sent him:<\/p>\n

\"\"

Joel is a Sneezer.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0doesn’t live in Nashville but he knows a bunch of people who do.<\/p>\n

And since Joel is a Sneezer, he tends to tell other people about new stuff he finds.<\/p>\n

This was Joel’s answer to my invitation:<\/p>\n

\"\"

Fast forward:<\/strong>\u00a0By the end of the 48-hour challenge, Joel\u00a0had referred 22 other people to join.<\/p>\n

22!!<\/p>\n

\"\"

I rinsed and repeated this process for the first 12 hours of the challenge.<\/p>\n

Church friends.
\nNeighbors.
\nFamily members.
\nOld work friends.<\/p>\n

I went through all of the\u00a0contacts in my phone and email account, then sent all of them a personal\u00a0invite.<\/p>\n

The results<\/strong>: 46\u00a0subscribers in 12\u00a0hours.<\/p>\n

\n

12’ish hours in….46 subscribers. Big giveaway coming soon. Hoping to double. #lisbuilding<\/a> (ICYMI: https:\/\/t.co\/0FOYHniZWF<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u2014 Bryan Harris (@Harris_Bryan) April 30, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n