List growth meta: The best way to grow your newsletter from each platform

There's one reason why you can't grow your email list without spending boatloads of money on paid ads.

It's because you're not aware of the current “meta” on each platform.

“Meta” is a gaming term that means, Most Effective Tactics Available.

In marketing, the meta is the dominant strategies, tactics, and tech that provide the highest probability of growth RIGHT NOW.

Every ~6-18 months there’s one meta (one overpowered strategy) that works like a cheat code for growing your email list for free.

The meta is distinct to each discovery platform.

That means there are different strategies that work on…

And the meta changes every 6-18 months after marketers exploit it.

All clear?

Okay.

Here's the reason you’re not getting email subscribers and leads organically…

It's not because:

It IS because you have no clue what the meta is on each platform.

And you're definitely not using it.

See, the meta isn't always obvious.

Especially when a new meta starts.

Savvy marketers, founders, and creators want to keep it a secret so they can export this loophole before everyone else does!

So by the time you hear about the “current meta”, it might already be 1-2 years old.

By then, it works far worse than it did in the first 6 months.

The meta is obvious, sometimes. Especially late in the cycle.

But most of the time, you need to do some digging to find out.

I recommend:

1) Make a list

Create a spreadsheet with founders, marketers, creators, and brands that you think are great at growth.

I pay close attention to: Daniel Bustamante, Codie Sanchez, Matt Paulson, MarketBeat, 1440 Media, Dan Martell, Justin Welsh, Nicholas Cole, Dickie Bush, Jeremy Haynes, and many more.

Don't just make a list of people who talk about marketing and growth. Make a list of practitioners, too.

You're looking for people/brands growing fast right now, so you can analyze what you're doing and look for the meta.

2) Watch what they do, not just what they say

Your list might share marketing advice. That can help.

But pay the most attention to what they're doing. Study exactly how they're driving subscribers, leads, sales, and more

3) Reverse engineer

Their content strategy, lead generation, funnels, and more.

4) Pay for help

If the people on your list offer some type of 1on1 or group coaching or consulting, it's usually worth paying to get the shortcuts.

5) Go to events

You’ll learn more about the meta by talking to successful people in person than trying to tease it out online. A great event can be like the equivalent of paying for dozens of 1on1 consulting calls. You get access to experts in person without paying for each individually.

The important thing is that you understand what a meta is and how to find them.

Because they change fast.

Sometimes, every few months. Other times every few years.

As I see them, I'll call them out in this newsletter.

Here's the obvious list growth metas working now:

I hope this helps. If you want me to share more about this concept, reply to my newsletter or drop a comment on this post.