As always, our Coffee Talks are always one of the highlights of my week. I love hanging out with some awesome people and answering some great questions. If you’re interested in getting your own question answered, head over to takeactioncrew.com to join us for free. We can’t wait to have you join us.
We always have so much fun, so you don’t want to miss out. Today we’ve going to take a deep dive into a topic that I get questions about on a regular basis. We’re going to talk about if you should start your email list or create your digital product first and if the order really matters. So, let’s get right to it.
What Comes First: Your Email List or Digital Product
They are both very important elements of your business. Before you do either of those things, though, I highly recommend that you take time to get your website up and running before you do anything else.
You should also create a few pieces of content, so you have somewhere to drive traffic. Once you have your website ready to go, I recommend getting your email list started next. With your list, you can immediately take the traffic and drive it to your website.
For me, the email list should be done as soon as possible in the process as possible. Once your website is up, you can’t get your email list started too early. Keep in mind that growing your email list does take a lot of time to build and manage an email list, so you need to make sure you’re prepared to cultivate it.
You should also be able to commit to communicating with them on a regular basis. So, it does come down to a timing issue. You are the only person that can answer if you have the time to manage an email list early on.
So as a recap, always start by making sure that your website is good to go and that you have a few articles up. From there, you should be ready to start growing your email list. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend creating an email list until you have somewhere to send them that belongs to you. This way, you’re benefiting from that traffic.
Nurture Your Email List
Your email list is going to help you decide what to create for your digital product. You’ll want to take some time to figure out what your audience wants and needs. And from there, you can create something that you know they want and are more likely to purchase.
Once your digital product has been created and is ready to go, if you have an email list, you’ll have a group of people to sell to from the very start. I recommend that you always create a lead magnet that will naturally lead to your paid product.
This is going to help you target people who have already opted into your free guide and raise their hand to show that they are interested. Think about a small win that your audience would like would be beneficial. And take them to your digital product.
You need to know where people are headed and make it easier for them to achieve their goals. You still need to think about how your lead magnet transitions to your digital product because this will be a big part of your sales funnel.
It’s actually much easier than you might think to grow your email list to 500 plus if you do it the right way. I would spend up to $1 for each email if you offer a lead magnet and up to 50 cents if you’re doing a giveaway. Keep in mind that you can grow an email list faster with a giveaway, but the leads will be of lower quality.
Over the years, I’ve come to really understand the true value of an ema list. It allows you to give people good stuff and educate them, which in turn leads to trust. You need to nurture them in a way that shows you are there to help them. Always come across genuine to see the best results.
Your goal should be to grow your email list to 500 people and email them once a week. From there, you’ll be able to better learn and understand what your market needs and how you can best assist them.

The Simple 5-Step Process We Used To Generate $64,000 In 12 Months Working Part Time On Etsy.
Yes, Send Me The Roadmap!Coffee Talk Q&A
Q: How many pages
should I have in an eBook to make it the most valuable for my audience, or does it matter?
A: Honestly, I don’t think the number of pages matters that much. As long as you deliver the result that your audience is expecting, that’s what matters most. My advice is to avoid fluff at all costs. People want a product that is super straightforward and gets right to the point. They don’t have time for it to take forever to get there. Once someone has purchased from you, you don’t need to prove or convince them of anything. By purchasing your product, they’re showing that they value what you have to offer. Just make sure that you’re meeting expectations and providing genuine value, and you’ll be good to go.
Q: Should I create an eBook for my first digital product, or can I make video training instead?
A: I say, do whatever is easiest for you. Some people prefer to write, and others would prefer to create video training. If you do video training, you should eventually create an eBook so you can sell that too. But to start out, whatever you feel most comfortable with is going to produce the best results.
Q: When should I remove people from my list?
A: If you have a brand-new list, you should wait at least 90 days. From there, I would still wait a while but maybe list them as cold subscribers and be selective when you email them. You can still try and get them re-engaged. I just don’t think there is any rush to get them removed, especially when you’re first starting your list.
Q: If I’m starting from zero followers, when is a good time to start selling my first product?
A: It really just depends. You could get there in 30 days, or it could take much longer. The stronger the relationship you have with your list, the more likely they are going to purchase something from you. Don’t be in a rush to get money if you can help it. Instead, you should be focused on providing as much value as possible to your audience.
Q: How do you give people what they want and still give them what they need?
A: Offer to help them with what they want but, in the meantime, you’ll need to educate them on what they need in order to get what they want. The key is to be strategic about it.
Q: How do I avoid getting overwhelmed with so many things to do?
A: Take it one step at a time. Divide each big task into smaller tasks so you can get things done one step at a time. That’s the breakdown I use. Also, make sure to identify what is causing you to slow down.
You should always validate your niche before creating any content. I’ve found that when people start a business, it’s really easy to get stuck in trying to choose a niche. However, you really do need to make a decision and just move forward. Don’t overthink it too much. Everything will be so much easier once you get clear on the niche that you’re serving.
Q: How do I make my offer stand out from the rest?
A: You don’t always have to offer sales and promotions at the same time as your competitors. Do things differently sometimes, and get creative. You just need to know your audience and give them what they need. Don’t overpromote anything but show them that you have something that they want. This way, you’ll be able to stand out while building a good relationship with your email list.
People want to buy from someone they know, like, and trust. This is where the lead magnet and content on your website come In. You’re able to provide genuine value.
I’d love to have you join us on our coffee talks each week if you enjoyed today’s session. Head over to takeactioncrew.com to sign up. It’s completely free, and we always have a great time!
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“Remember, I'm here for you, I believe in you, and I'm rooting for you! Now it's time for you to take action and go rock your brand”!
Take-Aways From Today’s Episode
- What Comes First: Your Email List or Digital Product (4:27)
- Nurture Your Email List (9:43)
- Coffee Talk Q&A (19:19)
Quote:
“People want to buy from someone who they know, like and trust”.
Links
- Take Action Crew: https://takeactioncrew.com
- Coffee Talk: https://brandcreators.com/coffee
- Playbook: https://brandcreatorsbook.com
- Checklist: https://brandcreators.com/checklist
- Brand Creators Event: Grab Your BAL Recording HERE
- Email List Workshop – https://learn.brandcreators.com/email-workshop-sales-page
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Scott Voelker
Over the years I’ve helped thousands of people TAKE ACTION to UNLOCK their true potential on building their ultimate freedom business, by developing the skills to make them resilient, confident and FUTURE PROOF. I’ve clocked my 10,000 hours over the years working in the trenches myself and helping others build and grow their brands. I know the power in TAKING ACTION better than anyone and I’ve seen people lives changed as a result of it...including my OWN!
The Simple 5-Step Process We Used To Generate $64,000 In 12 Months Working Part Time On Etsy.
Yes, Send Me The Roadmap!