Inbox Insider #24 - July 13, 2025

Welcome to Issue #24 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: Enthusiasm
3. Up Next: What I'm working on this week

Welcome to Issue #24

"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: 14,659 (last week: 14,577)
• Added last week (net): 120 (last week: 140)
• 5* Subscribers (engaged in the last 30 days): 9,418 (last week: 8,938)
• Assessment: I sent story-based emails all week and got the # of active subscribers up quite a bit

My Ad Account - Lead Magnets:

• Ad Spend: $454 (last week: $454)
• Gross Leads from FB: 313 (last week: 302)
• Cost per lead: $1.45 (last week: $1.51)
• Assessment: CPL holding tight.

Instagram (@emailschool): Started Feb 1st

• Total Subscribers: 459 (+3 this week)

​Email School (Email-Focused Membership):

1. Paying Members: 236 (+6 from last week)
2. Monthly Recurring Revenue: $4,436 (+$106/mo from last week)
3. Trial conversions: 55%
4. Assessment: Free trial brought in 12 new members

Other Audiences:

• ​LinkedIn Newsletter: (159 subscribers; +3 this week)
• ​YouTube: 656 (+2 this week)

Deep Dive: Enthusiasm

"I NEED A MASCOT"

It was a perfect match.

When my wife and I got married, we took one of those "what kind of dog is right for you" quizzes.

The top result: A greyhound.

Unfortunately, our little newlywed apartment wouldn't allow it.

Once we got a house, and a fence, and the kids were older...

We adopted a 3-year-old retired racing greyhound named "Springwater Zeke."

Here's a pic of us in 2017 (right after I started my agency business):

Greyhounds are fast but notoriously lazy.

He slept about 20 hours a day.

He was really sweet, and we loved him very much.

But, the kids wanted a 'normal dog'...

One that greeted them when they came home, brought you slippers, and did tricks.

Zeke was a great dog, nonetheless, and we were saddened by his passing a year ago.

After a few months of research, we settled on a breed on the opposite end of the spectrum: a long-haired mini dachshund.

His name is Teddy, and he's the opposite of Zeke in every way.

He pounces, bounds, and wags his tail at everything.

Getting ice? Best day of his life.

Going outside? Even better.

Any human comes over? Instant best friends.

MEASURING ENTHUSIASM

I went hiking with a friend yesterday morning.

He asked what I had up next in my biz.

I excitedly told him about a free event I'm hosting called "List Builder Land."

It's my dorky Dad take on an amusement-park themed list-building event.

I did it last year, and about 1200 people came.

This year I'm going even bigger (I even printed t-shirts... there have been rumors of a vinyl banner).

I'm using the free promo as a "bankshot" offer into my membership, Email School.

Makes sense, right?

Show 'em how to get people onto their list at List Builder Land, then how to take care of them at Email School.

When I was done talking about it, my buddy Mike said, "Wow, you sound really excited about it."

He was right.

When I was explaining my plan...

My voice went up an octave.

I started speaking 2x as fast.

I was using my hands like I was guiding a plane to the jet bridge.

I was so excited.

If I were a dog? I'd have been walking my tail doing zoomies in the backyard.

THE G.R.IN. FACTOR

I think in acronyms and frameworks.

So, I was looking for a way to measure enthusiasm.

I came up with the "Golden Retriever Index." GRIN for short.

(LHMDIN didn't sound as good - Long-Haired Mini-Dachshund Index...)

Why?

Because if you're enthusiastic about your business (especially your marketing)... You can't lose.

Instead of slogging uphill rolling a boulder of dread...

You're coasting downhill with the wind at your back.

Enthusiasm makes all the difference.

SO WHAT?

I've tried every marketing tactic under the sun.

The ones that worked best were (shocker) the ones I was most excited about.

The ones that bombed were the ones I dreaded.

No surprise.

My recommendation to you:

1. Look back at previous marketing campaigns you've run. Which ones were you most excited about? Which ones worked best? Note any correlations.
2. Look ahead at what you have on the horizon. Notice how excited you are when you think about executing your plan. Likewise, notice where there's a void of enthusiasm.

I'm not saying you skip the stuff you don't wanna do (like filing your taxes).

I'm just saying to do more of the attraction and conversion stuff that lights you up.

Thanks for reading,

~ Cody "Tail Wagging" Burch

What's Next:

1. Soon, I'm opening the doors to List Builder Land. If you'd like a personal invite, reply back to this email and say "LET ME IN" and I'll get you the invite.
2. Enrollment in Email School is closed, but you can join the waitlist by clicking here.

Thanks for reading this issue of "Inbox Insiders."

See you next week,

~ Cody

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