Fun fact about me: I like making up words.

Mythstakes, for example.

What I've discovered is that many of the MISTAKES creators make when trying to build their creative careers are intrinsically tied to false MYTHS or beliefs about the way things are.

If someone is operating under a false reality, it’s no surprise they’ll make bad moves.

The good news is that these "mythstakes" are easily corrected once the underlying myths are debunked and the new reality is embraced.

And that's why in the READY FOR LAUNCH workshop you recently attended, I spent a lot of time debunking 3 big myths (and the mistakes made because of them) around what it actually takes to get your Kickstarter project funded.

The Key to a Successful Launch

You now know that despite all the hype and hoopla about the importance of social media, your EMAIL list is the key to getting backers and funding for your campaign.

You know that compared to social media, a fan on your email list is more likely to:

• See your message.
• Read your message.
• Click on your message.
• Back your project.
• Back at a higher dollar amount.
• And actually prefers that you’re marketing to them there, rather than their social feeds.

And that’s because email is for BUSINESS communication and if you’re on Kickstarter, you’re open for business.

So, Why Haven’t You Started Your Launch List Yet?

If you're reading this post, it likely means that you haven’t started an email launch list yet.

That’s nothing to be ashamed of, and you’re not alone.

In fact, 58% of the creators who enroll in my ListLaunch program join with ZERO people on their lists.

It’s not your fault you haven’t prioritized an email list…

This simply isn’t advice creators are given.

Most artists will complete a four-year degree program costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and never once get told to start building a list.

Hell, list-building isn’t even taught at most business school!

But the reality is, your email list is one of your biggest business assets.

As I mentioned in the READY FOR LAUNCH workshop, more than $16,000.00 in funding for the Sweet Dreams Cthulhu Kickstarter project came directly from the email list we’ve been building over the past three years.

That list, like all lists, didn’t exist until we started building it, one fan at time.

So, the bad news is, you can’t plead ignorance any more.

You now know the importance of building an email list, and that this is something you can’t put off any longer.

 The good news is, this is totally doable, provided you avoid a few big “mythstakes.”

Mythstake #1: I need to be more established before I start an email list.

You might be thinking, “Who the hell am I to have an email list?”

If so, then you’ll likely also start thinking about all the things you haven’t done and all the people way more qualified or deserving of an audience that you.

And as a result, you’re denying hundreds or thousands of potential fans the opportunity to experience one of the best parts of being a fan...

Getting in on the ground floor.

I’ve been doing the convention circuit for a decade now. There are longtime fans who come up to me at conventions who say with pride how they still have a signed copy of SuperSeed #1, my first self-published comic.”

Hell, I don’t even have a copy of that book any more!

Think about it… how many tv shows, authors, comics, films, or bands have you “discovered” before they got popular?

Isn’t there a sense of pride that comes from that?

Starting an email list and letting those first fans into your world when you’re still a work in progress is precisely what’s going to turn many of them into superfans for life.

Reality: We’re all works in progress and there will be people who want to see that work NOW.

Mythstake #2: I'll start an email list, but I need to work on my [bullshit] first.

There is always something else you can be working on.

And I’m calling that something else bullshit.

Comic = Bullshit.

Website = Bullshit.

Webcomic = Bullshit.

Facebook Page = Bullshit.

Instagram = Bullshit.

Kickstarter?

Yup, I’m calling that bullshit too, if you don’t have a MVA (minimum viable audience) to launch it to.

Now, don’t get me wrong… all of those other things are important, your comic and your art especially.

But a comic without readers is just a bunch of pieces of paper and staples.

Get an audience.

Get ‘em on a list.

Then get back to work.

Reality: Even a small email list will make everything else you’re working on more valuable.

Mythstake #3: I’d create an email list, but I don't want to annoy people.

This is a big thing holding many creators back.

I don’t want to be no stinking spammer!  

You might be looking at your own cluttered inbox and feel like you don’t want to add to that mess.

But let me ask you a question…

Did you start creating so that you could annoy people?

Is that why you do what you do?

(It might be. If that’s the case, hello, Mr. Troll.)

But most of us create because first, we can’t NOT create.

And second, because we want to entertain.

We want to make people think.

We want to make people FEEL.

We want to change hearts and minds and tell the stories no one else is telling and that only WE could get right.

Annoy people?  

Psst… we’re here to change people’s lives for the better.

If you truly believe in the work that you create, it’s your duty to get it in as many of the right readers' hands as possible.

And when you do, they won’t be annoyed at all.

Far from it...

They’ll thank you for what you’ve created and for sharing it with the world.

Reality: When you’re building the right list, people will be happy to see you in their inbox.

Send This Exact Email TODAY!

Okay, so we’ve just demolished the 3 biggest mythstakes holding creators back from getting started with their email lists.

You know the mindset to avoid and a way to reframe it to actually move forward.

But knowledge without action is useless, so let’s take some action.

I want you to send this email to your new list today.

“But I don’t have a list?” you might be thinking.

Then do the Grand Opening Strategy exercise taught in Ready For Launch and start your list first.

Even if it’s a list of just one person, I want you to send this email TODAY.

Subject Line: The best _____ you're not _____

Ex. “The best comic you’re not reading.”

Ex. “The best tv show you’re not watching.”

Ex. “The best band you haven’t heard of”

Then, in the body just compose a short message talking about something you’re consuming right now that’s blowing your minds, that more people should be checking out.

Say who it’s for, who it’s definitely not for, and what it is your love about it.

And just say you had to share the recommendation.

Then, in the P.S. ask them what artists have been blowing their minds lately, as you’re always up for recommendations.  

That’s it.

No links to your websites.

No, go buy my book.

Just share something you’re into that the people on your list might like to, and see what happens.

Can you do this?

(Of course you can.)

But will you?

The Next Step

The goal of this training was to blow up some of the beliefs that halt creators in their track when it comes to getting started with an email list and then to get you to take a little bit of action.

Getting the ball rolling is easier than you think, so let’s get that law of inertia working for us instead of against us.

Hundreds of creators who have gone through the READY FOR LAUNCH Workshop have done just that.

We know that the groundwork for $1,000, $10,000 or $100,000 Kickstarter projects are laid months and even years in advance...

🚀 One fan at a time.

🚀 Once communication at a time.

🚀 And yes, one email at a time.

If you're serious about learning to build a large and engaged audience (or serious about learning anything) the fastest, most efficient way to do it is to pull together these 3 things:

1. Find a COACH who’s done what you’re trying to do.
2. Implement a SYSTEM that’s been proven to work again and again.
3. Join a COMMUNITY of creators on a similar journey for accountability, support, collaboration, and idea-sharing.
    

If you’ve been at this audience-building thing for a while and you’re not happy with the results you’ve been getting, it’s likely because you’re missing one or more of the above three elements.

What Exactly Is ListLaunch?

ListLaunch is a four-module online training program tailor-made for creators ready to get serious about growing an engaged email list of true fans.

ListLaunch is also a private community of dedicated, hardworking creators also passionate about building their fan bases, who will support and encourage you along the way.

Once enrolled in ListLaunch, you’ll have instant, 24/7 access to the program.

ListLaunch is your complete plan to building an engaged email list step-by-step, with nothing left out!

Imagine...

You had all the network, guidance, strategies, and accountability to build a large and loyal audience that appreciates and supports your work.

You knew the techniques, best practices, and habits that professional creators use to keep subscribers engaged and interested as you build your creative business.

You had the ability to attract hundreds of new people and streamlined, automated systems in place to do so without having to spend all your time on social media or self-promoting.

You had a plan that outlined exactly what you should be doing to build a better relationship with a consistently growing fan base.

You knew precisely where to find more of your ideal readers and how to turn strangers into subscribers who interact, engage and fund you and your projects?

If all of that were true, do you think you could launch with confidence on Kickstarter and beyond and start going after even bigger goals?

Are you coachable?

Can you follow a step-by-step plan?

Then ListLaunch might just be the breakthrough you’ve been looking for.