🎧 Listen to this blog post as a Podcast instead #88 - How to Get Your First 100 Email Subscribers in Just One Weekend

What if by Sunday night you could have 100 new subscribers on your list - real people who love your products and want to hear from you? In this episode, Steph walks you through her simple, no-tech, no-stress method to build your email list this weekend.

Forget funnels, websites, or overthinking every detail. You’ll learn:

✨ How to pick a freebie that your ideal customer actually wants

✨ The quickest way to create a landing page (even without a website)

✨ Where to share it so people actually sign up

✨ Why messy action beats perfect plans every time

If you’ve been stuck thinking “I’ll do it when I have time,” this episode will give you the nudge (and the plan) to finally start.

🎁 Want the step-by-step templates and walkthroughs mentioned in this episode?

Grab The Maker’s List-Building Kickstart Kit and get your first 100 subscribers in 2-3 days ➡ Click here

💌 How to Get Your First 100 Email Subscribers in Just One Weekend

What if by Sunday night you could look at your phone, open your email app, and see 100 brand-new subscribers who actually want to hear from you?

No fancy software. No website. No endless overthinking. Just a simple, calm plan that gets your email list off the ground - fast.

That’s what we’re diving into today: how to get your first 100 email subscribers (even if you’re a handmade seller who’s allergic to tech!).

Let’s make list-building feel simple, do-able, and fun again.

Why Handmade Sellers Need an Email List (Like, Yesterday)

Here’s the thing - social media is amazing for visibility, but it’s not where the sales happen.

You don’t own your followers, and one tiny algorithm tweak can make your reach vanish overnight.

Your email list, on the other hand, is yours.

It’s your cosy little corner of the internet where you can chat directly with people who’ve already said, “Yes, I love what you make.”

Even if you’ve only got 20 subscribers right now, that’s 20 real humans who could become your next 20 customers.

So let’s build your first 100 subscribers - fast, simple, and stress-free.

Step 1: Create a Freebie That Sells Itself

Gone are the days of “Join my newsletter!”

Let’s be honest - no one wants another newsletter in their inbox. What they do want is something genuinely helpful or delightful that connects to your products.

This is where your lead magnet (aka freebie) comes in.

It’s something short, valuable, and instantly relevant to your audience.

A few ideas that work beautifully for handmade sellers:

• Candle makers: “10 Scent Pairings to Match Your Mood” (who wouldn’t want that?)
  
  
• Jewellery makers: “Birthstone Guide - What Yours Says About You”
  
  
• Pet product makers: “How to Measure Your Dog’s Neck (Without the Wiggle Drama!)”
  
  
• Ceramic artists: Printable “Handmade Mug Care Card”
  
  
• Gift shop owners: “Mini Gift Guide for Dog Lovers”
  
  

Think about what your customers are already curious about and give them a taste of that.

If you can explain your freebie in one clear sentence - and it makes your customer’s life easier - you’ve nailed it.

Step 2: Build a Simple Landing Page (No Website Needed!)

This part freaks a lot of makers out - but breathe, Boss. You do not need a website to start an email list.

Tools like Canva and MailerLite make it super easy to create a simple landing page in minutes.

Here’s what your page needs:

• A clear headline (“Grab your free Birthstone Guide!”)
  
  
• A pretty image or mock-up of your freebie
  
  
• A short sentence explaining what they’ll get
  
  
• A name + email sign-up box
  
  
• A bright “Get it now” button
  
  

That’s it! You can make this entire thing in under 20 minutes.

Remember: people decide in about 8 seconds whether to sign up or not. Keep it short, snappy, and visually clear.

Step 3: Share It in the Right Places

Now it’s time to spread the word - and you don’t need a huge audience to do it.

Here are a few of my favourite (and super effective) spots to share your new freebie:

• Your Instagram bio and Stories (use the link sticker!)
  
  
• Your Etsy shop announcement bar
  
  
• On your thank-you cards that go in customer orders
  
  
• In your Facebook group or handmade community posts
  
  
• At the bottom of your email signature
  
  
• Inside your order confirmation emails
  
  

Pro tip: mention how many people already love your freebie.

For example: “87 handmade fans have already grabbed this free guide - join them here!”

That tiny bit of social proof really helps.

Step 4: Stop Overcomplicating It

Most makers get stuck because they think they need to do everything perfectly.

A polished brand, custom fonts, fancy funnels… nope.

You just need one freebie, one page, one share.

That’s enough to get your first 100 subscribers.

It’s better to launch messy and learn than to wait for perfect and never start.

Every handmade boss who’s now rocking a big list started with zero.

Step 5: Nurture Your Subscribers Like Friends, Not Numbers

Once those first few people join, send them a warm welcome.

Tell them who you are, what you make, and what they can expect from you.

This doesn’t need to be formal. Think friendly, helpful, and conversational - just like chatting to someone at a craft fair.

You can share:

• A behind-the-scenes photo of you making something
  
  
• A quick tip about caring for their product
  
  
• Or even a fun little story about how your business started
  
  

Remember: every email builds trust, connection, and curiosity about what you’ll make next.

Step 6: Quality Over Quantity (Always)

Don’t panic if you’re not growing by thousands overnight.

You don’t need 10,000 subscribers - you need 100 people who genuinely care.

Would you rather shout into a stadium of strangers… or chat with a cosy room of true fans?

Your goal is connection, not clout. When you focus on serving the right people, sales naturally follow.

Step 7: Learn from Real Makers Who’ve Done It

Let me give you two quick stories.

Sam sets up a MailChimp account, stares at the dashboard, panics, and tells herself she’ll “do it properly” after she rebrands.

Three months later - still no list.

Lydia, on the other hand, opens the Maker’s List-Building Kickstart Kit, watches one walkthrough, and decides to offer printable gift tags for pet lovers.

She hits publish on Friday, shares the link everywhere she can think of, and by Sunday night? 97 subscribers.

On Monday morning, she sends her first welcome email - and gets two sales from it.

Same weekend.

Same time.

Completely different results.

The difference? Action over perfection.

Step 8: Press Publish (Messy but Done!)

Every maker starts at zero.

What matters is pressing publish - even if your Canva design isn’t perfect or your freebie font makes you twitch.

Momentum builds confidence, and confidence builds consistency.

And once you’ve got your first 100 people, growing to 500 or 1,000 is so much easier.

So get that page live, share your link, and watch what happens.

🎁 Ready to Build Your List This Weekend?

If you want plug-and-play templates, ready-to-edit Canva designs, and a full walkthrough showing you exactly how to get your first 100 subscribers fast, grab The Maker’s List-Building Kickstart Kit.

Inside, you’ll get:

✨ Step-by-step video tutorials

✨ Fill-in-the-blank scripts

✨ Canva templates for your freebie + landing page

✨ And the motivation to finally get it done (without pulling your hair out)

👉 Get The Maker’s List-Building Kickstart Kit and Course here

Final Thoughts

Your email list isn’t just another task on your to-do list - it’s your future customer base, your loyal community, your safety net when algorithms shift.

Start small. Start messy. But start.

Your first 100 subscribers are waiting - and they can’t join if you never share that link.

Now go hit publish, Boss. You’ve got this. 💌

Love Steph & Team HB xox

👋 Welcome everyone! My name is Steph, I've been running my handmade business full time on Etsy since 2016, and I'm here to help you! 

🧡 I'll help you to start an Etsy shop, Etsy ads, show you how to sell more on Etsy, get to grips with Etsy SEO, Etsy branding, Etsy product ideas, finding your target market, identifying your niche and many many more.

🛍️ If you have an Etsy shop or your own website selling handmade products, or want to start one, this is THE channel you need to be subscribed to!

💰 I help makers start, run and scale their handmade businesses. Turning them from an expensive hobby to profitable businesses making 4 and 5 figure months on Etsy and your own website.

✨ Join the HBSA waitlist

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✨ Work with us for deeper transformative results

✨I go live most Mondays on YouTube and in my Facebook group for mini workshops to help you make more money from your handmade business! You can see our upcoming events here

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