I’m saying the quiet part out loud: the most valuable asset in your business isn’t your Instagram, it’s your email list. I share how Con Con happened because of my list, why social posts rarely convert on their own, how I use Substack weekly (and why unsubscribes are healthy), plus the big mistake I made for years—never making offers—and how I’m fixing it.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why subscribers > followers (ownership, attention, trust).
• The Con Con example: proof your list is your leverage.
• Social media’s real job: move people onto your list.
• My Substack rhythm (Friday sends) and repurposing from the podcast.
• Unsubscribes as a filter, not a failure.
• Training your audience to expect offers (and why I avoided it).
• How to start if you’re new (landing page + personal invites).
• Tools I like for getting going fast (Substack, ConvertKit).
• Backups and list hygiene so you don’t lose your asset.

Quick-start checklist (do this today):

1. Spin up a simple landing page.
2. Personally invite 20 people you already know to join.
3. Send your first useful email (one tip, one story, one tiny offer).
4. Add a “Newsletter” link to your LinkedIn profile + weekly post pointing to it.
5. Back up your list monthly.

Mentioned

• Pat Flynn’s beginner guide that helped me get my first 100 subscribers (the one I used back in 2016/17).
• My Work Fame newsletter on Substack (Friday mornings).

Try this

Hit reply to your next email and make a tiny offer: a 30-minute clinic, template, or Q&A. Train the behaviour early.

If you enjoyed this

Forward it to a friend who’s still relying on “just posting.” And if you want my best ideas first, jump on my list—that’s where the good stuff lands.

PS

Boring often wins. An email list isn’t sexy… it’s just profitable.

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Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com

P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are some ways I can help:

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Visit my website: leannehughes.com

Email me: [email protected]

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