How Liz Wilcox Built a $500K Email Marketing Membership

Introduction

When Liz Wilcox decided to stop trading hours for dollars with expensive copywriting contracts, she realized her existing collection of high-performing email templates could become a subscription service. For just $9 a month, members got weekly, done-for-you newsletter templates. That simple idea launched a business that went on to bring in $500,000 in revenue.

Identifying the Opportunity

Liz had built an audience around email marketing and knew beginners struggled to send regular newsletters. She already had dozens of templates earning solid open and click rates for her clients. By repackaging these into a membership, she could solve a recurring need and create a scalable revenue model.

Launch Strategy

To test the idea, Liz emailed her list of 800 subscribers with a subject line asking, "Can I have $9?" She challenged them to sign up 100 members in 30 days and promised weekly templates. That urgency drove her to hit 100 in 28 days, and organic word-of-mouth on social platforms amplified the buzz.

Growth Tactics

Once initial traction proved the model, Liz launched an affiliate program offering 50% commissions. Affiliates brought their own audiences, and membership rose to 700 in three months, hitting $6,300 in MRR. On Black Friday, she capped an annual plan at 100 spots and sold 225 seats, generating $37,000 in a few weeks.

Community & Retention

When subscribers reached 1,000, Liz opened a private community for support and connection. She stayed active, offered live Q&A sessions, and added workshops and short courses. Despite a natural churn of 8–10%, engaged members saw enough value to stick around long term.

Results & Lessons

Today, the Email Marketing Membership boasts around 4,500 active subscribers, generating over $40K per month. Liz balances her workload into a five-hour day that fits her role as a single mom. Her goal is to reach 10,000 members by year-end, turning the business into a $1M MRR standalone service.