The Year of List Building

If I hear someone else tell you “the money is in the list” without explaining how you’re actually meant to grow one in 2026, I might scream (or at least quietly scowl). Because yes, your email list growth still matters. But the old advice? A lot of it just doesn’t cut it anymore. In this episode, I’m getting very honest about why list building feels harder than it used to even if you’re doing “all the right things”. Rather than pretending it’s easy or blaming yourself, I’m breaking down what’s actually going on, how it’s impacting me and what I intend to do about it You’ll learn: Why classic lead magnet advice is falling flat (and what to check before you scrap yours) How to tell if your issue is traffic, conversion, or relevance The lead magnet types I’m testing instead of just creating another PDF How I’ll be measuring success beyond list size (hello, engagement and sales) For me, this isn’t about finding the perfect strategy. It’s about getting back into the habit of list building, using what I already have, testing one thing at a time, and paying attention to what actually moves the needle. If you want to follow along with my experiments. I’ll be chronicling the strategies, setups, and real results as they happen to members of the List Building Chronicles email list. No big funnel. No pressure. Just honest insights as I test and tweak. Join at yaelkeon.com/chronicles (How meta is that!)   Next Steps: Hang out with me on Instagram @yaelkeon Write your next Engaging Email with my CustomGPT The Engaging Emails Studio Get a free Email Engagement Checkup Join The Email Experience Work with Me See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.