An email list is a great sales funnel if you know how to do it right and maintain it. There are a number of creative ways to build an email list. Here are 5 common ways:

1. The most common way is to put up a giveaway.
2. If you have a website, put out a sign-up form. You can put the form in the sidebar, after every blog post or as a pop-up when your audience leaves the website.
3. Create a free course and ask for sign-ups.
4. Include an invite in your email signature.
5. Use social media to build your email list. Make it visible in your bio or tweet and share the sign-up form link.

Have you ever experienced signing up to someone else’s email list because you find them compelling? Then, when you receive and read their newsletter you don’t feel that same magic you first felt on their blog? So you end up unsubscribing to the newsletter? Don’t let that happen to your readers.

Writing in a distinct and unique brand voice makes a successful author platform. How do you differentiate yourself from the many authors and professional business writers that are out there? Inject your unique personality to your writing and your social shares.

Newsletters written in your authentic voice and personality makes readers want to read more. You will be seen as someone who is real and relatable. Your work will be seen as carefully thought out, with value and not something as a published work for vanity sake.

After you have done all the writing, editing, layout and pricing, putting yourself and your work out there is next. It can be scary but planning and organizing ahead of time can make the experience easy.