#245 - How I grew my list from 0 to 20K in the first year for free

You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you that I went from zero to twenty thousand plus email subscribers in my very first year of business without spending a cent on ads.   But it's true, and today I want to share the steps I took to make the impossible a reality so you can apply them in your own business.    Step One:  Believe it or not, my initial email subscribers came from my personal contacts. I told them exactly what I was doing and gave them an easy way to opt out. From there, I asked if they would be willing to share my content with five friends, my list quickly swelled to around 200 subscribers. So don’t underestimate the power of your existing network!   Step Two:  As a journalist, I’d had many brands reach out to me for help expanding their reach, and it worked wonders! So I started writing content for other people so I could tap into their audience. Blogging isn’t as much of a thing these day, but podcasts are a great modern-day equivalent for getting infront of more people who will appreciate your work.    Step Three: My biggest breakthrough came with my first joint venture - when I was approached to participate in a massive online giveaway. We pooled resources to create an enticing prize and everyone promoted it to their respective lists. Harnessing the power of combined audiences, I was able to grow my subscriber list by more than 10,000 in one fell swoop.    With these three steps, and not a single dollar spent on ads, I was able to amass over 20,000 subscribers in my first year. So if you’re beginning your journey, don’t fall for the belief that you have to pay to be successful. You can build your audience from scratch, all it takes is hard work, dedication and collaboration!  Remember to head over to our Instagram, @HelloFunnels, and send me a DM with "20K" for your free guide.  LINKS: Website |  Instagram | Programs | YouTube