10 Free Ways to Grow Your Email List in 2025

Welcome To The Orbit Marketing Newsletter 🪐

This Week We’re Diving Into:

• 📩 10 Ways to Grow Your Email List (For Free): Proven strategies that actually work

• 🎥 How to GENERATE LEADS In 2025: A conversation with Phil Risher from Phlash Consulting.

Read time: 4 minutes

At Orbit Marketing, we’ve helped 50+ businesses launch weekly newsletters. If you are struggling to nurture your prospects, stay top of mind, or publish consistent content, click here to learn more about how we can help.

10 Ways to Grow Your Email List (For Free) – Based on What’s Actually Working Now

Most businesses overcomplicate email list growth. You don’t need expensive ads, a massive following, or complicated funnels. You just need the right strategies and consistent execution.

Let’s get tactical. Here are 10 proven, no-cost ways to attract high-quality subscribers.

Credit: Strategies adapted from Matt McGarry's Newsletter Operator guide on email list growth. We highly recommend his guide for further reading.

1. Lead Magnets – The #1 Growth Driver

A free, high-value resource (like a checklist, template, or guide) can turn visitors into subscribers at scale.

For example: Backlinko saw email sign-ups jump from 0.54% to 4.82% just by adding content upgrades.

Pro tip: Promote your lead magnet everywhere—social media, bios, blog posts, and pinned tweets.

2. Turn Social Media into a List-Growth Machine

Your social followers won’t sign up unless you make it easy.

• Add a clear CTA and opt-in link to your bio.

• Use a “comment for the link” strategy—post about your lead magnet, ask for comments, and then DM the opt-in link.

• Pin posts and stories that contain CTAs for your email sign-up.

Turn your rented audience into owned distribution.

3. Pre/Post CTAs – Double Your Sign-Ups

FOMO sells. Tease your upcoming newsletter content on social before you send it, then remind people afterward to subscribe.

Adding these CTAs can increase email sign-ups by 2X.

Share a valuable takeaway from your newsletter and say, “Don’t miss the next one—subscribe here.”

4. Automated DMs to New Followers

If someone follows you, they’re already interested. Use an auto DM to send them a quick, non-spammy invite to join your list.

Remember, keep your opt-in process frictionless. 81% of people abandon a form after starting it!

Pro tip: Limit to 25-50 messages/day to avoid getting flagged.

5. Make Use of Digital Real Estate

Your newsletter should be visible everywhere:

• Website pop-ups

• Email signature (gets 45% more clicks than text links)

• Website footer navigation menu

• Community groups

Pro tip: Keep your pop-ups value-driven (e.g., “Get 10 high-converting email subject lines”) for higher opt-in rates.

6. Invite Your Network

People in your network already trust you. A simple, personal email can bring in hundreds of highly engaged subscribers.

✅ Send a short “Hey, I’m launching a newsletter” email to colleagues, clients, and friends.
✅ Segment your invitations—a tailored message always performs better.

Easy, free, and highly effective.

7. Cold Email Your “Warm” Contacts

Before spending a dime on ads, start with the people already familiar with you. A well-crafted “cold” email can bring in hundreds of engaged subscribers with minimal effort.

1. Build Your List – Gather contacts from your phone, email, LinkedIn, and prospect list.

2. Write a Simple Email – Briefly introduce your newsletter, why it’s valuable, and include a signup link.

3. Send Efficiently – Personalize for better results or BCC everyone for speed.

Easy, free, and highly effective.

8. Creating a LinkedIn Newsletter

A LinkedIn newsletter invites all your connections to subscribe—an easy way to gain 500+ readers fast.

To convert them into email subscribers:

• Post only 25% of your LinkedIn newsletter—link to your email sign-up for the rest.

• DM subscribers with a compelling invite to your email newsletter.

• Scrape emails (ethically) and send a personalized cold email.

Tl;dr: Increase your reach by turning LinkedIn connections into email subscribers!

9. Podcast Features

Appearing on relevant podcasts puts you in front of engaged, pre-qualified audiences:

• Talk about your newsletter on relevant podcasts.

• Ask the host to link to your sign-up page in the show notes.

• Build relationships with hosts—great content gets you booked.

• Just ask! Many shows are open to guests who bring value.

A single podcast feature can drive hundreds of new subscribers.

10. The Simplest Growth Hack: Ask People to Forward

Each email is an opportunity for organic virality. Just ask readers to forward it:

• Add a “Forward to a friend” CTA in every newsletter.

• Remind readers that sharing helps more people get value.

• Offer an incentive (bonus content, exclusive perks) for referrals.

ELEVATOR does this in every issue—and it works.

🧑‍⚖️ The Bottom Line: Strategic Growth, Not Just Growth

Building a high-converting email list doesn’t require paid ads.

✅ Focus on value-first lead magnets.
✅ Optimize your digital real estate.
✅ Use social & referral tactics to grow organically.

Want help implementing these strategies? Orbit Marketing specializes in helping brands build and monetize engaged email lists.

Chat with our team today!

🎥 Phil Risher: How to GENERATE LEADS In 2025

Phil Risher, Founder and CEO of Phlash Consulting, has helped countless local service businesses increase sales through strategic content marketing.

Over his 15+ years in the service industry, he’s earned features in Forbes, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, and The Wall Street Journal.

In this video, you’ll learn:

• 📈 How to Build an Effective Content Strategy – Phil breaks down the essentials of content marketing and how local businesses can use it to scale their operations and boost visibility.

• 📰 Leveraging Media Exposure – Learn how to land features in top publications and enhance your credibility.

• 🎯 From Blogger to Seven-Figure Business Owner – Phil shares his journey and the key growth strategies that helped him transition from a hobby writer to a successful business owner.

Whenever you are ready, here’s how we can help you:

1. Done-For-You Weekly Newsletter - Start a weekly publication to nurture your prospects on auto-pilot, build authority, and stay top of mind. Learn more.

2. Tune Into The Orbit Marketing Podcast - Actionable tips and insights on email marketing, directly from industry leaders. Listen now.