Inbox Insiders Issue #4 - Behind the Scenes of "Build Week"

Inbox Insider #4 - Sun Feb 23, 2025

Welcome to Issue #4 of "Inbox Insiders": Your Email List-Building Backstage Pass

In this issue:

1. By The Numbers: What worked and what didn't
2. Deep Dive: Build Week BTS
3. Up Next: What I'm working on this week

Welcome to Issue #4

"Inbox Insider" is my Sunday newsletter sharing the behind-the-scenes of what I'm doing to grow my email list to 100,000.

I share what works, what doesn't, and how I'm growing.

Thanks for reading.

Let's dive in:

By The Numbers:

My Email List

• Total Subscribers: 14,326 (last week: 13,760)
• Added last week (net): 610 (last week: 310)
• 5* Subscribers (engaged in the last 30 days): 9,501 (last week 8,870)

My Ad Account - Lead Magnets:

• Ad Spend: $3,221 (last week: $1,375)
• Gross Leads from FB: 832 (last week: 627)
• Cost per lead: $3.87 ($2.19 last week)

Ads Assessment:

• OK, I spent $2,000 more in FB Ads last week because I'm hosting a free 5-day challenge this week.
• CPL for the 5-Day Challenge is $6.39 (I spent $2,452 on those ads).
• But I'm monetizing those new leads with a fast-action offer to offset the ad spend.
• I made $913 in those sales last week.
• $2,452 ad spend (minus) $913 in sales = $1,539 in net ad spend.

Instagram (@emailschool): Started Feb 1st

• Total Subscribers: 315 (last week: 289)
• New Subscribers last week: 26 (last week: 59)

Email School (Email-Focused Membership):

1. Paying Members: 178 (no change from last week)
2. Monthly Recurring Revenue: $2,941 (up $1/mo from last week)

Other Audiences:

• LinkedIn Newsletter: (74 subscribers; +8 this week)
• Threads: 11 followers (+4 this week)
• YouTube: 581 (+4 this week)

Deep Dive: Behind the Scenes of "Build Week"

YOU HAVE 0 VIEWERS

I've gotten used to doing presentations for audiences of zero.

In May 2018, I started building funnels on Facebook Live.

I channeled my inner P.T. Barnum and wanted to put on a show.

No one cared.

I glanced over at the "Viewers" graphic on Streamyard, sighed, and snapped a screenshot:

I knew I'd make it someday, and I didn't want to forget that gut-punch feeling of doing a training for no one.

Might as well have done it in the mirror.

Or the closet.

Or to my dog.

But I did figure it out eventually.

THE RISE OF PAID BOOTCAMPS

In September 2023, 9 months after getting fired, I hosted a paid challenge.

I called it "The Laidback List Builder Bootcamp" and slapped a $20 price tag on it.

It was a paid 5-day event where I'd help you automate your list-building and then sell a new program I was working on for $997.

When I went live on Monday, I had 100 registrants on the dot.

"But I bet no one will show up for the live call."

Scarred.

I was wrong.

Almost 50 people attended the live training.

"This feels different," I said as I shared my screen.

The momentum continued all week.

Every day, 40-50% of the attendees were on the live call.

At the end of the challenge, 31 people bought the $997 offer.

"This feels different."

For context, I spent much of 2023 doing 1:1 VIP Days. I didn't have any leveraged, 1:many offer.

Just give me a small pile of money, and I'll write your lead magnet and emails.

Every month started $0.

To create nearly $40K in a week was new to me.

So, I waited a few months and did it again.

"Probably beginner's luck."

No.

Similar results: 120 in a Bootcamp and 31 sales of a $997 program.

I did it again in March, July, and Sept of 2024.

I did it last month.

Similar numbers.

Roughly 600 people have gone through the Bootcamp and 150 bought the backend offer.

WHY I'M CHANGING IT.

I'm on a mission to grow my email list to 100,000 people.

When I do a paid bootcamp, I get 100 or so folks to join.

And there's more to running an online business than automating your list-building.

Instead of teaching the ads part this month, I'm teaching Lead Magnets.

Instead of charging $20, I'm making it free.

Instead of offering up my Launchpad Cohort ($997), I'm offering up Email School (which starts at $30/mo).

This means, I'll get:

• More people (I have over 811 registered so far)
• More chances to help
• More members in Email School

Now, I have no idea how the numbers will shake out in the end.

My goal is 100+ members added to Email School (a ~10% conversion rate).

Will it work?

Tune in next week to find out.

Wanna join in the fun? Click here to secure your seat to Lead Magnet Build Week.

Thanks for reading,

~ Cody

What's Next:

Here's what's on my radar this week:

1. Lead Magnet Build Week.
2. Moving Email School to a waitlist on Friday. If you want in, join here now.
3. I'm working on another custom GPT to help you write story-telling emails. It'll be an Email School exclusive benefit.

That's it!

Thanks for reading this issue of "Inbox Insiders."

See you next week,

~ Cody