Week 38: Set Up Your Email List

Digital Success Training
Apr 23
3 min read

Updated: Jul 22

Digital Success Weekly gives you one simple step to move your online presence forward, in 30 minutes or less.

Last week you chose your email marketing platform. This week you're going to set it up so it's ready to receive subscribers. This is the foundation everything else builds on.

What This Focus Is Really About

Think of setting up your email list as opening a bank account for your audience.

You need somewhere to put the subscribers when they come. Without a properly set up list, you have nowhere to send people, nothing to grow, and no way to stay in touch with the people who want to hear from you.

Why This Matters

1. You can't grow something that isn't set up yet

A lot of people skip this step and wonder why their email marketing isn't working. You need a real, functioning list before anything else can happen.

2. Getting set up early means you don't miss anyone

Every week you don't have a list set up is a week you might be missing potential subscribers. People visit your website right now. Some of them would sign up if you gave them the chance.

3. The setup process teaches you how the platform works

Going through the setup steps helps you understand how your platform is organized. That makes everything else, writing emails, building automations, checking stats, much easier.

4. It only takes about 30 minutes

Setting up the basics doesn't take long. You're not building a complex system today. You're just getting the foundation in place.

What to Set Up This Week

Create your account if you haven't already
Set up your first list or audience (most platforms walk you through this)
Add your business name and email address as the sender details
Write a short description of what subscribers can expect to receive
Check that your account is connected to your website (if your platform allows this)

A Few Tips to Keep in Mind

Use your business email address as the sender (not a personal Gmail)
Make sure your sender name is recognizable. Your name or your business name works well.
Check the legal requirements for email marketing in your country (in Canada, this is governed by CASL)
Most platforms have a setup checklist or wizard. Follow it step by step.

Your Action Step

Log into your email marketing platform and complete the basic setup. Ask yourself:

"Have I set up my list and sender details?"
"Does the platform have my correct business name and email?"
"Is my list ready to receive subscribers?"

Take 30 minutes this week to complete the setup. Once it's done, you're ready for next week's focus: creating a freebie to start growing your list.

Need More Support?

If you're thinking, "This makes sense... but now what?" you're not alone.

Inside the Digital Success Membership, you'll get the guidance, tools, and support to turn small steps like this into real progress.

Here's what's included:

The Roadmap Toolkit — our AI-powered tool that guides you through each step of the Roadmap
Simple weekly focuses like this one, with the exact tools to take action
Recorded webinars and training you can watch any time
Done-for-you prompts and templates to save time
Clear, simple steps to move your online presence forward