How to Make Money with Email Marketing (Without Being Sleazy)
You’ve heard it before: “The money is in the list.” But how do you actually make money with email marketing without sounding like a used-car salesman? How do you get people to open your emails, click your links, and—most importantly—buy from you?
Let’s cut the fluff. I’ll show you exactly how to turn your email list into a money-making machine—without the cringe.
Why Email Marketing? (The Numbers Don’t Lie)
Before we dive into tactics, let’s talk why:
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ROI: For every
1spent,emailmarketingreturns∗∗1 spent, email marketing returns **36** (Source: Litmus).
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Conversion King: Email converts 3x better than social media.
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You Own It: Unlike social platforms, your list can’t get banned or algorithm’d into oblivion.
If you’re not leveraging email, you’re leaving serious money on the table.
Step 1: Build Your List (The Right Way)
No list = no money. But how you build it matters.
A. Lead Magnets That Actually Work
Forget “Subscribe for updates.” Offer something so valuable people happily trade their email:
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Free Guides (e.g., *“7-Day Sales Funnel Blueprint”*)
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Templates (e.g., “High-Converting Email Swipes”)
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Discounts (e.g., “10% Off Your First Purchase”)
Pro Tip: Use a tool like ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign to automate sign-ups.
B. Ethical Bribes (Yes, Really)
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Quiz Funnels (e.g., “What’s Your Marketing Personality?”)
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Challenges (e.g., *“5-Day Profit Challenge”*)
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Webinar Signups (e.g., “How I Made $10K in 30 Days”)
Where to Drive Traffic?
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Social media
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Blog posts
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YouTube descriptions
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Paid ads (if you have a proven funnel)
Step 2: Write Emails That Sell (Without the Spam)
Most emails suck. Yours won’t.
The 3 Email Types That Make Money:
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The Value Bomb – Teach something useful (no pitch).
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The Story Email – Relatable problem → your solution.
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The Offer Email – Straight to the point (but not pushy).
Subject Line Tricks:
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“I messed up…” (Curiosity + vulnerability)
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“Quick question for you…” (Personal + engaging)
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“Here’s that thing I promised…” (Builds trust)
Keep It Short:
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1-2 sentences per paragraph
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Clear CTA (Click here, Buy now, Reply to this)
Step 3: Monetize (The Smart Way)
Now, the fun part—making money.
A. Sell Your Own Products
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Digital courses
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Coaching/consulting
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Physical products
Example Email Flow:
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Email 1: “Here’s a free training → [LINK]”
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Email 2: “Did you check it out? Thoughts?”
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Email 3: “If you liked that, you’ll love [PAID OFFER].”
B. Affiliate Marketing
Promote other people’s products for a commission.
Best Affiliate Programs:
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MillionFormula.com (High-ticket business growth)
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Amazon Associates (Physical products)
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ClickBank (Digital products)
Pro Tip: Only promote stuff you’ve used (trust = conversions).
C. Sponsorships & Ads
Once you have 5K+ subs, brands will pay you to feature them.
Step 4: Automate & Scale
Manual emails = time sink. Automate instead.
Best Email Tools:
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ActiveCampaign (Best for automation)
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Klaviyo (E-commerce focus)
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MailerLite (Budget-friendly)
Set Up These Automations:
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Welcome Series (Builds trust fast)
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Cart Abandonment (Recovers lost sales)
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Re-engagement (Brings inactive subs back)
FAQs (Real Questions, No BS Answers)
1. How many emails should I send per week?
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For sales: 2-3/week
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For engagement: 1-2/week
Test and adjust based on open rates and unsubscribes.
2. How do I avoid the spam folder?
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Warm up your domain (Use Mailchimp’s guide).
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Avoid spammy words (“Free,” “Guaranteed,” “Act now”).
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Ask subscribers to whitelist you.
3. What’s a good open rate?
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20-30% = Decent
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30-40%+ = Great
Improve with better subject lines and segmentation.
4. Can I buy an email list?
NO. Cold emails = spam. Build organically.
Final Tip: Track & Optimize
Check your metrics weekly:
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Open rate
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Click-through rate (CTR)
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Conversion rate
Tweak what’s not working. Double down on what is.
Bottom Line
Email marketing isn’t dead—it’s one of the fastest ways to make money online. But it only works if you:
✅ Build a targeted list (No spammy tactics).
✅ Write emails people want to read (Value first).
✅ Sell without being salesy (Trust > hype).
Want a shortcut? Check out MillionFormula.com for proven email funnels that convert.
Now go make money. Your inbox is waiting. 🚀
