How I Monetized An Email List of 116 People
• Originally broadcast June 24, 2025 via email •
A few months ago, my husband and I thought it would be a fun project to start a very niche newsletter and website for a neighborhood near where we live.
We figured we’d share local updates, community events, and just help neighbors stay connected.
Within 6 weeks, I’d monetized our tiny email list and we’re already profitable.
You might be thinking: “Yeah right.. you need thousands of subscribers to make money from email marketing.”
Not true.
Current list size: 116 people
Total revenue in 6 weeks: $500
Here’s exactly how I did it, and how you can replicate this:
Step 1) Niche Down. A LOT.
Most people think bigger is better when it comes to email lists. But sometimes, smaller and more targeted is where the real money is.
My newsletter goes to people in one specific neighborhood.
That means:
- Everyone knows each other (or knows of each other)
- They all have similar problems and needs
- Local businesses see them as the perfect target audience
- The engagement is through the roof because it’s relevant to their daily lives
Quick Tip: Think about micro-niches in your area..
Could you start a newsletter for parents at your kid’s school? For a nearby lake community? For a small town down a few miles from you? The more specific, the more valuable it becomes to the right sponsors.
Step 2) Map Out Multiple Revenue Streams
I thought about what our audience has in common and what kind of businesses might see these people as their ideal customers.
It was pretty obvious from the start. Local businesses would find HUGE value in reaching these specific people.
So I identified a storage facility near our area and sent them an email.
Here are some details:
1) My email address matched the local area – so they knew I wasn’t some random telemarketer or spam
2) I mentioned I was giving them “first dibs” before offering the spot to other storage companies
3) I made the offer simple: $50/month or $500 for the whole year
They chose the annual option.
Quick Tip: Local businesses are often easier to work with than big brands. They understand the value of reaching their exact target audience, and they’re usually more flexible with pricing and terms. No jumping through hoops or creating tons of social media content to “prove” your worth.
Other Ways I’m Planning to Monetize This Tiny List
The storage facility sponsorship was easy money, but I can’t cram multiple ads into a monthly newsletter without it looking spammy.
And honestly, while $500 is great.. it won’t cut it.
So I’m getting creative about other revenue streams. Here are some I plan on testing:
- Area-specific merchandise
Since this area is so small and specific, it’s hard to find cute clothes or items that represent the specific neighborhood. I could easily create custom t-shirts, mugs, or decals and sell them exclusively to our community.
The cons: This could be fun, but I’ve heard selling merch is tough on profit. I also think I’d probably saturate our tiny market pretty quickly. Still, even selling 50 items at a $20 profit margin would be $1,000 in revenue.
- Custom carved signs
Every other house has a family name sign, but half of them look like they survived a tornado. Since we’ve got a CNC machine just sitting in our basement, why not use it? Plus, happy neighbors make great testimonials when we’re ready to expand this business beyond our little area.
- Landscaping/Lawn mowing business
Many people in our area need landscaping/lawn mowing services (or any other service – handyman, cleaning, etc), but there are so few options. I could hire reliable contractors/workers and handle all the marketing, sales, and customer management. The contractors get steady work without the business headaches, and I run the business.
NOTE: This doesn’t even scratch the surface of monetization possibilities!
Step 3) Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
To tell you the truth, this is going to push you out of your comfort zone.
I’ve been doing online business for years, but asking neighbors for their email addresses and meeting with local business owners face-to-face is… intimidating.
But once people start engaging and responding positively, the weirdness disappears. And building real relationships while making money is pretty dope.
Why 116 Engaged People > 10,000 Random Subscribers
Higher engagement: These aren’t promotional emails people ignore – they’re community updates people actually want.
Word-of-mouth growth: When someone finds value in a hyper-local newsletter, they tell their neighbors. Growth is slow but extremely high-quality.
Premium pricing: Zero competition means you set the rates. I started at $50/month because I wanted a quick win, but once you prove your newsletter works, you can charge whatever the market will bear.
Multiple revenue streams: One small list can support several different monetization methods because the audience is so targeted.
All this to say….
You don’t need 10,000 subscribers to make money from email marketing. You need the RIGHT subscribers and the right approach.
Sometimes a list of 116 engaged, local people is worth more than 10,000 random subscribers who barely know who you are.
If you’ve been waiting to start an email list because you think you need massive numbers first, stop waiting. Start small, start specific.
Coming Up Next…
🚨 How To Monetize Your Blog Like a Funnel (Without TONS of Traffic) – I know this has been on the list for a while, but I swear it’s coming. I lost my draft for this, and now I’m trying to piece together the outline I had – oops!
Talk to you soon,
Laura
P.S. Here are my top recommended blogging resources.
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