Email List Generation

99% of people who want to start a business, never do. Heres how to start a business, with zero ££. When I started my business, I didn’t have a war chest of investor capital. Instead, I focused on collecting emails and bootstrapping. I was able to secure 1,000 pre-orders before even having any external funding in place. Collecting emails is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. It allows you to: - Validate your product early on - Build a community of supporters - Generate sales before your product even hits the market - Bootstrapping may seem tough, but it gives you the freedom to grow on your terms Every sale, every customer email collected is progress toward your vision. So don’t wait for a big break - start now, leverage what you have, and let your momentum build the business. I started whilst I was studying at university, to become an optometrist - call it a "side hustle" at the time. If you’re thinking of starting something, remember: action beats waiting. The right time to start is now. 🚀 -------- ♻ Share this to help future founders. 📌 I'm Dhruvin Patel, I write about performing your best at work and entrepreneurship

Cold email outreach is often misunderstood as a numbers game - send more, get more. But the truth is, quality always beats quantity. Your success largely depends on the quality of your email list. A well-curated list means you’re reaching the right people with the right message, while a poorly managed list can lead to low engagement, high bounce rates, and damage to your sender reputation. Here’s a few key steps to refine your cold email lists for better results: 1️⃣ Segment your audience: start by dividing your list into segments based on criteria such as industry, job title, company size, or previous interactions with your brand. 2️⃣ Regularly clean your list: over time, email lists can become cluttered with inactive or invalid addresses. Regularly clean your list to remove bounced emails, unsubscribes, and unengaged contacts. This not only improves your deliverability rates but also ensures you’re focusing on prospects who are more likely to engage. 3️⃣ Use data enrichment tools: tools like Clearbit, ZoomInfo, or Hunter.io can help you enrich your email list by adding valuable data points such as the prospect’s role, company details, and social profiles. This extra information enables you to personalize your outreach even further. 4️⃣ Monitor engagement metrics: pay close attention to open rates, click-through rates, and responses. If certain segments of your list are underperforming, it may be time to re-evaluate those contacts. Use these insights to continuously refine your list and improve your targeting. 5️⃣ Leverage intent data: incorporate intent data into your list-building process. This data shows which companies are actively researching solutions like yours, allowing you to target prospects when they’re most interested. Tools like Bombora or 6sense can provide these insights. If you do something extra special to your email lists, share below 🤓 #Sales #ColdEmail #EmailMarketing #Outreach #SalesStrategy

Publishers today are navigating a digital world where first-party data is gold. With increasing privacy regulations and the decline of third-party cookies, the ability to legally and effectively acquire first-party data from users is more crucial than ever. By leveraging the right strategies, publishers can build rich, direct relationships with their audiences, enhancing personalization and driving revenue growth. Here are 8 major opportunities publishers can capitalize on to legally acquire first-party data: 1. User Registration: This is probably the most straightforward of all data acquisition strategies out there. Users often get access to a free newsletter or other similar content in exchange for providing their email IDs and other personal data. 2. Single Sign On (SSO): Manually typing personal details in the sign-up form is a minor yet still significant friction in the user registration process. This can be easily side-stepped by giving readers the option to sign in with a single click, using an existing account on Google, Facebook, or other established platforms. 3. Progressive Profiling: Progressive profiling is a process where you slowly gather information about a user over time by making incremental requests. This feels less intrusive than asking a ton of questions up-front and can result in an enhanced user experience. 4. Event-Based Tracking: An example of potentially relevant interaction is commenting. Users who are more loyal to a particular brand are more likely to participate in online discussions. Brand loyalty is a highly useful piece of data from a marketing perspective. 5. Click Attribution: Links provided by affiliate networks to publishers contain a unique ID that is used to deliver affiliate commissions on successful conversions. When a reader clicks this link, this action is recorded by the network and is considered GDPR-compliant first-party data. 6. Polls, Surveys, Reviews: Polls and surveys can be effective ways to boost audience engagement and add to your progressive profiling efforts. With the rise of AI tools, the process has become drastically simplified and automated. 7. Publisher Provided Identifiers (PPIDs): PPIDs are part of Google's wider plan to replace invasive third-party cookies with privacy-friendly tracking on the Google Ad Manager (GAM). 8. Gamification: Publishers can use competitions and contests to increase audience participation and collect first-party data. A sweepstakes where anyone can participate by providing their email or other details is a good example. What are your thoughts about these opportunities? Share with me in the comment section. #Digitalpublishing #PublisherSEO #Firstpartydata #SODP

Every day, technical buyers search for answers to their problems. Here's why they skip over you, even if you have good white papers. The issue: you may have a poor content distribution strategy. Yes, buyers want educational content that helps them understand their challenges. But they have to be able to find it. While building my first business, GovCon, I realized that many companies invest heavily in creating technical white papers that few prospects actually read in full. ↳ These resources contain valuable information but aren't packaged for easy consumption. ↳ This means minimal returns on the expensive content investments. ↳ There's a more effective approach: content repurposing. Here's how: ↳ That technical white paper can become a series of focused blog posts. ↳ Each post can generate multiple social media updates. ↳ All can offer the complete white paper as a downloadable resource—capturing email addresses in the process. Case Study: At morebusiness dot com, we applied this strategy with our business plan templates. We published the entire template content on the page for everyone to read. This comprehensive approach helped us rank highly in search results. Then we offered the exact same content as a downloadable, editable document. Dozens of people every day enter their email address to get this convenience. They don't mind sharing their name and email because we're making their job easier. The lesson: create once, publish everywhere, and always include an irresistible offer. P.S. What valuable content do you already have that could be repurposed and turned into a lead magnet? *** ♻️ Like this? Please repost. ➡️ Follow me for daily coaching.

We analyzed what happens when brands treat their website like a physical store. The results shocked us. Imagine this: You walk into a store. Before you can even look around, an employee blocks your path demanding your email for a 10% discount. You'd leave immediately, right? Yet this is exactly what most websites do with pop-ups. I've seen this "desperate email collection" strategy backfire spectacularly for clients. Here's why: ↳ The Anchoring Problem That pop-up becomes the first impression. Everything else gets judged against that intrusive moment. ↳ The Trust Erosion When you ask for commitment before providing value, you signal that your needs matter more than theirs. ↳ The Data Deception Those email addresses? Often junk accounts used specifically for discounts. You're paying to send emails no one reads. After working with companies like Nike, Adobe, and Xerox for over a decade, we've learned something crucial: ↳ The brands with the highest email engagement rates don't beg for addresses. They earn them. Instead of pop-ups, they focus on removing friction from the actual shopping experience.... Better navigation. Clearer product information. Faster checkout. Your website isn't a just marketing channel. It's best as a sales channel. Stop treating visitors like interruptions and start treating them like the customers they came to your website to be.

POST-2/5👉 Build It or Buy It? The Dirty Truth About Affiliate Email Lists. Let’s be honest. Not everyone has the patience or skills to grow an email list from scratch. But blasting shady, scraped, or unvetted lists is a one-way ticket to domain blacklisting. So what’s the middle ground? Let’s break it down. Option 1: Building an Email List the Right Way: This takes time—but it's the most stable path for long-term success. Here's how smart affiliates do it: Create a Lead Magnet That Solves One Specific Pain. Example: If you’re promoting a keto supplement, don’t just say “Get my keto guide.” Instead: “Get my 7-Day Keto Reset Plan (used by 10,000+ others) that drops 5lbs in a week without giving up your favorite foods.” Use Targeted Paid Ads to Funnel the Right People: Platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and native ads work well. But keep this rule: Never run an ad without a compelling landing page + opt-in form. Use Embedded Opt-ins in Niche Content Example: Write blog posts or create YouTube videos reviewing products you're already promoting. Drop content upgrades like: “Want the 3 cheapest fat-burners that actually work? I’ve tested 17. Get the list here.” Newsletter Angle: Curate value. Don't sell right away. Example: “The Hormone Fix Weekly – every Sunday, get 3 science-backed tips to boost metabolism naturally.” Once users subscribe to something they understand and want, their intent is clear. That’s when affiliate offers become natural extensions, not annoying pitches. Option 2: Partnering with Reputable Data Providers (Not List Sellers) This is controversial, but it exists in real marketing. Not all purchased data is junk. You’re not buying just emails. You’re buying intent + engagement + recent activity—if you work with the right people. Look for providers who: Source data from co-reg opt-ins, sweepstakes, or survey funnels Provide timestamped, consent-based records Include interest tags or behavioral data (ex: clicked on “weight loss” offers in the last 14 days) Regularly scrub hard bounces, spam traps, and complainers Examples of valid use cases: Partnering with a supplement brand that has run paid traffic for 6 months and will do a co-branded campaign Working with lead brokers who generate opt-ins via advertorials with clear terms and transparent compliance Tapping into survey panels where users opted to receive 3rd-party offers Bottom Line: Whether you're building your list or working with a trusted source, the bar is higher now. ESP policies, Gmail’s AI filters, and Apple’s privacy updates won’t tolerate bad actors. But for those doing it right—list = leverage. Coming soon. Post 3: Your ESP Is Killing Your Affiliate Commissions — Switch or Sink Post 4: Affiliate Email = Spam? Only If You Ignore These Rules Post 5: You’re Promoting the Wrong Niche — That’s Why You’re Broke #email #emailmarketingtips #affiliatemarketing

This one tweak helps Glo Skin Beauty add $50k+ in MRR. But most ecom brands sleep on it. Most pop-ups just ask for an email. That's lazy. Smart brands like Glo Skin turn their pop-ups into micro-funnels. Instead of using the generic "Want 10% off? Enter your email" pop-up… They set up a quiz to ask: "What's your biggest skin concern?” The answers vary from: • Dry skin • Anti-aging • Acne • Dark spots This does three things: 1. Segments their audience  2. Makes users think about their needs 3. Creates a micro-commitment Each answer then triggers targeted content flows and personalized offers For example, if someone picks "anti-aging", you: • Send them collagen product emails • Show them age-fighting content • Offer retinol samples This strategy works because because people love quizzes: • They want personalized answers • They enjoy self-discovery • They trust tailored advice Not to mention, quizzes outperform regular pop-ups by 30%+ The best part is you don’t need to overhaul your tech stack to set up a quiz. It takes the same space. Uses the same tech. Just asks smarter questions that get you to 1000 orders a day.

Recart secretly signed up for 10,000 ecommerce sites and the results are wild. They built an AI agent to visit the top 10K Shopify stores, trigger popups, and sign up using both email + SMS. What followed: → 7,492 popup flows → 42,000 emails → 18,000 SMS messages → 700+ A/B tests → 20+ expert insights from top DTC operators All to answer one question: What actually works when it comes to list growth and conversion? A few takeaways that stood out to me: • Fullscreen > lightbox (by 20%+) • Most brands still don’t A/B test popups • OneClick SMS opt-ins 2x conversion • 80% of brands collect phone numbers… then never follow up • 21% of popups don’t collect contact info at all Recart’s teardown goes deep on format, copy, cadence, incentives, UX, and post-signup strategy. If you care about turning traffic into revenue this is the most detailed study I’ve seen on the popup experience. Check out the full breakdown here: https://lnkd.in/d6PEg4st

EOFY is done and panic has well and truly set in. Sales are down, budgets are tight, and ecommerce managers are holding on for Black Friday. But, in our humble opinion: Black Friday is won in July, not November. The next few months are where the real work happens for us, especially when it comes to CRO and CRM. Because if you’re not growing your list, learning what makes your audience click (literally), and improving that post-click experience… you’re relying on discounts and desperation later. Three tips to set you up now, so you’re not scrambling later: 🫶🏻 Run a non-promotional lead-gen campaign: Offer something of value (a quiz, guide, giveaway, early access list) to build your database with intent-rich leads. Don’t wait until November to beg for emails. 🫶🏻 Audit your key landing pages: Start with your highest-traffic, highest-exit pages. Are they loading fast? Mobile-friendly? Is the CTA clear? A/B test now, while pressure is low. 🫶🏻 Automate with intention: Go beyond abandoned cart. Build a welcome journey that nurtures and educates. Segment early, so by Q4 you’re not sending “one-size-fits-none” emails. I’ll be walking the halls of Online Retailer next week in Sydney, if you want to grab a coffee.

If I were the Head of Content for a $10M ARR SaaS company, here’s the exact playbook I’d run: 1. Media Brand Create a 'faceless' social media content brand. Publish daily content that’s hyper-focused on your niche and directly aligned with your target audience. Publish content on any social channel: - LinkedIn - X (Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube - TikTok Examples: Ad Professor and The LinkedIn Creator. I did this on one channel (LinkedIn) and it's helped increase product signup growth by 101%. 2. Search Capture Create SEO content to convert searchers. Start at the bottom funnel: - Competitor comparisons - Competitor alternatives - Best-of guides Then move to the middle funnel: - How-to guides - Case studies - Templates - Tips These types of lower-funnel SEO content make 8 figures a year for our clients (collectively). 3. Programmatic Scale top-funnel SEO traffic with automation (AI). - Topic vs topic - Glossaries - Ideas lists Essentially, any topic that has 100s of variables in the keyword framework (e.g. How to calculate [variable]). Tip: Use Byword to make this easy. Programmatic content cost-effectively generates millions of traffic for our clients every MONTH. Don't sleep on it. 4. Content Upgrades Create specific lead magnets to convert multi-channel traffic into email signups. Offer something of utility: - Templates - Checklists - Swipe files - Resource lists These must be an 'upgrade' of the content the user is already consuming in order to get a high conversion rate. Platforms are unreliable and can change tomorrow. De-risk yourself and start collecting emails today. 5. Weekly Newsletter Keep your email signups 'warm' by delivering valuable content via a weekly newsletter. This can be anything your audience finds useful: - Tips - Examples - Interviews - Strategies - Templates - Case studies - Industry news Promote the newsletter wherever you're already creating content to convert more signups. We built an email list from 0 to 13,500 in 6 months, growing by 250 every week (on auto-pilot). Users receive a weekly email that delivers value while also natively promoting our product. 6. Viral Content Create unique content that generates signups, backlinks, digital PR, and virality. For example: - Research reports - In-depth guides - Free tools Rule of thumb: If it feels uncomfortable to give away for free, it’s probably the exact thing that'll set you apart. 7. Distribution Repurpose and distribute content you're already creating for other platforms and channels. - Turn newsletters into blog posts - Turn blog posts into Reddit posts - Turn LinkedIn carousels into X threads - Turn multiple blog posts into lead magnets - Turn X posts into scripts for short-form videos Use all the channels and profiles at your disposal. It's no longer viable to rely on one channel. - Social accounts can be restricted - Search behaviour is evolving - Paid ads are volatile Make 2025 your year of multi-platform content.