Building your email list is one of the best ways to grow a business and increase website traffic. And of course, it will lead to more customers and more revenue, as well as keep your customers updated with any important news. 

But, many people assume starting and growing an email list will be expensive. The good news? You don’t actually need a big budget to build a high-quality email list with real subscribers.

With the right strategies, you can attract email list subscribers for free or at a very low cost. In this guide, you’ll discover how to start and grow your email list without spending a fortune.

1. Offer a Valuable Freebie (AKA a Lead Magnet)

People are far more likely to sign up for your email list if they get something free in return. This is why lead magnets are such a good strategy. A lead magnet is a free resource that you offer in exchange for an email address. The trick is to make sure it provides real value—something that helps your audience solve a problem or improve their situation.

Creating a lead magnet doesn’t have to be expensive. You can put together a useful resource using free tools like Canva or Google Docs. For example, if you run a travel blog, you could create a free packing checklist. If you own an online shop, offering an exclusive discount code could encourage signups, especially for new customers who aren’t sure whether to buy from you yet, it could entice that first sale and turn them into a loyal customer!

Some more lead magnet ideas include:

• A short eBook or PDF guide with expert tips

• A checklist or cheat sheet that simplifies a process

• A free email course delivered in a series of automated emails

• Templates for social media, planners, or business resources

• Exclusive discounts or special offers for subscribers or new customers

Once you’ve created your lead magnet, you need a reliable email marketing service to manage your email contact list, a platform to design your emails, automate email sequences and of course to send emails to your subscribers. This doesn’t have to cost much, or even anything at all.  For example, Mailrelay offers one of the largest free business email accounts where you can send up to 80,000 emails to up to 20,000 contacts each month. This makes it a great option for small businesses, entrepreneurs and professional website owners who want to start and grow their email list without high costs as a beginner. I’ll cover some more of their benefits in the next section as it rolls into point 2 nicely.

2. Use an AI-Powered Email Editor for Professional Emails

Having a well-designed email is just as important as growing your list. If your emails don’t look professional or engaging, subscribers might not open them—or they may even unsubscribe. That’s what you don’t want! However, it’s important to note while we’re on the topic, when you get unsubscribers don’t get disheartened.  It’s better to lose the subscribers who aren’t interested in your offerings and save space in your email contact limits for those who do care and who will buy your products.

Anyway, back to the email design. You don’t need to be a graphic designer or professional copywriter to create eye-catching emails. With a company like Mailrelay, you can use their AI-powered email editor to design professional emails in minutes. AI helps format emails, suggest content improvements, and ensure a polished final result.

Using an email marketing platform that provides SMTP statistics also allows you to track open rates, click-through rates, and engagement levels. This helps you understand what’s working in your emails and adjust your email marketing strategy accordingly to give readers what they want.

3. Optimise Your Website for More Signups

Your website is a powerful tool for collecting email subscribers, but if your signup form isn’t placed strategically, you could be missing out on potential leads. Many businesses make the mistake of hiding their signup forms or not making them visible enough.

To increase email newsletter signups, consider adding forms in key locations, such as:

• A popup form that appears when users spend a certain amount of time on your site

• A static signup box in the sidebar or footer

• A call-to-action at the end of blog posts, encouraging readers to subscribe

• A sticky bar at the top of your website promoting your email list

Make sure the signup form is mobile-friendly and doesn’t require too many details—just an email address is usually enough to start. Also, instead of a generic message like “Sign up for our newsletter,” give people a reason to join, such as “Get exclusive weekly tips and a free guide when you sign up to our newsletter today.”

4. Use Social Media for Free Exposure

Social media is an excellent way to grow your email list, especially when used strategically. Instead of just posting content, actively encourage your followers to subscribe.

There are several ways to do this:

• Add a signup link in your Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook bios so people can easily find it.

• Pin a Facebook or Twitter post promoting your email list at the top of your profile.

• Create Instagram Stories that highlight your lead magnet and encourage followers to sign up.

• Write a LinkedIn post explaining the benefits of joining your email list.

If you also have a blog or website, using SEO to bring in organic traffic can help increase signups. By optimising your content with relevant keywords that people are searching for on Google, you can attract visitors who are genuinely interested in your topic—and more likely to subscribe.

5. Host a Giveaway or Contest

Giveaways are an easy way to grow your email list quickly. People love free stuff, and if the prize is valuable enough, they’ll be happy to provide their email address to enter.

The giveaway prize doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, digital products or services work well and don’t cost anything to deliver. Some giveaway prize ideas include:

• A digital product like an eBook, course, or template

• A free consultation or coaching session in your area of expertise

• A discount code or freebie for your store

To enter, participants must sign up with their email address. Promote the giveaway on social media and encourage sharing to reach a wider audience.

It’s important to note that you must let people know they will be signed up for your email newsletter when entering the giveaway with their email address.  You should make people aware of how their data such as their email address is being used.

It’s also important to note, that there are a lot of “compers” out there who may only enter for the prize and not because they are actually interested in your newsletters or business.  While some of these compers may be interested, make sure you delete any email addresses from your contact list that don’t interact with any of your emails after a few have been sent to them.  This will help improve your open rates and click rates.

6. Collaborate with Other Businesses and Bloggers

If you want to grow your email list faster, collaborating with others in your niche can be incredibly effective. By partnering with other businesses or bloggers, you can reach a whole new audience and increase your credibility at the same time.

Here are some ways to collaborate:

• Write a guest blog post on a popular site and include a signup link.

• Arrange an email swap, where you promote another business’s list, and they promote yours. For example, you could mention each other's newsletters and why your subscribers should sign up at the end of one of your own emails.

• Run a joint giveaway or webinar to attract subscribers from both audiences.

Networking and forming strategic partnerships can be one of the fastest ways to gain new subscribers—without spending any money.

7. Provide Exclusive Content For Your Subscribers

People love feeling like they’re part of something special. If you offer exclusive content that isn’t available elsewhere, your email list will become more valuable, and more people will want to join.

Think about what your audience would appreciate most. Exclusive content could be:

• Early access to new blog posts, products, or discounts

• A behind-the-scenes look at your business or creative process

• Special reports, case studies, or expert insights not shared publicly

• Monthly Q&A sessions or personalised advice for subscribers

• VIP-only offers and promotions

This approach works because it gives people a real incentive to sign up and stay subscribed. If they know they’re getting something unique and valuable, they’ll be more likely to engage with your emails—and less likely to unsubscribe.

By using an email marketing tool that allows automation and segmentation, you can send different types of exclusive content to different subscriber groups based on their interests. 

Final Thoughts

Growing your email list doesn’t have to be expensive.  In fact, it doesn’t have to cost anything aside from some of your time. By following the above tips, you can attract newsletter subscribers without spending a fortune. The key is to focus on providing value and making it as easy as possible for people to join.

Consistency is also crucial. Keep testing different strategies, track your progress, and change your approach based on what works best. Over time, you’ll build a strong and engaged email list that helps grow your business.

How to Grow Your Email List for Free Checklist:

✔ Offer a valuable lead magnet to attract signups
✔ Use an AI-powered email editor for professional emails
✔ Optimise your website’s signup forms for better conversions
✔ Promote your list on social media and through SEO
✔ Host a giveaway or contest to boost signups
✔ Partner with other businesses or bloggers for more exposure
✔ Provide exclusive content